Off site and ­independent

July 2013 Surveillance, Residential Estate (Industry)

Security for big business and residential estates has mostly consisted of guards physically patrolling their perimeters; with additional monitoring of the premises via CCTV viewed at their on-site control rooms. There are however many issues associated with this model, which include collusion between guards and criminals, guards being threatened if they do not comply, along with basic human error – falling asleep while on watch. This position is unfortunately further exacerbated if the same company is guarding and monitoring; where the ability to hide their mistakes is a major temptation to the one-stop-shop service providers.

This has helped pave the way for off-site CCTV monitoring to rapidly become the fastest growing sector of the security industry. Off-site CCTV monitoring is when a firm is brought in to monitor all security cameras and security points, from a remote location. The same issue remains however, if the off-site monitoring company is still also responsible for the guarding, CCTV installation, monitoring and armed response. This one-stop-shop security service provider would be hard pressed to report to their client if they found one of its guards asleep or that their armed response vehicle responded late; cover-ups will obviously pervade.

Mike Voortman
Mike Voortman

Independent off-site CCTV monitoring companies like Verifier are able to offer focused, specialised services to clients to give them peace of mind. “As a company we are independent, offering only monitoring services to our clients. A key differentiator of our business is that we do not participate in the installation or guarding processes, which allows us to keep completely free of any collusion and cover-up possibilities,” says Verifier director, Mike Voortman. “I advise everyone we speak with to use an independent company to do all of their monitoring.”

Verifier has been able to assist many of its clients with the prevention of incidents, which has saved them substantially. “Because we offer 24-hour event based monitoring we are able to alert clients immediately, and through the cameras we are able to verify what the incident or threat is and alert the necessary responses,” says Voortman.

Another important weapon to have in your security arsenal is an audio function in addition to your cameras. This allows Verifier to remotely communicate with criminals. “Our audio challenges have worked brilliantly for our clients as we are able to verbally challenge the criminals commanding them to leave the premises immediately. It is then that they realise that their every move is being monitored in real time and that the game is up.”

The cost effectiveness of independent, off-site monitoring has also been a major catalyst in ensuring its rapid success in the security industry. While traditional guarding can cost up to R20 000 per month per guard, off-site independent monitoring is significantly cheaper. “With current economic conditions, everyone is looking at how to save costs without compromising on security and safety. With independent off-site monitoring you are able to do exactly this. Anyone needing security should look at this as an option,” says Voortman.

For more information contact Verifier, 086 111 6023, [email protected], www.verifier.co.za





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Fire Ops SA Partners with Matrix
News & Events Fire & Safety Residential Estate (Industry)
Fire Ops SA, a South African private fire and rescue service, has announced its partnership with Matrix Vehicle Tracking to launch FireStop, providing Matrix and Beame clients with direct access to a dedicated professional private fire service.

Read more...
Who has access to your face?
Access Control & Identity Management Residential Estate (Industry) AI & Data Analytics
While you may be adjusting your privacy settings on social media or thinking twice about who is recording you at public events, the reality is that your facial features may be used in other contexts,

Read more...
Human-centric control rooms
Iritron Integrated Solutions Surveillance Residential Estate (Industry)
Iritron and Oculus show that when it comes to control rooms, people, not just technology, are at the centre of the most significant performance differentiators today, not just how efficiently the technology works.

Read more...
Multiple IoT devices targeted
Information Security Residential Estate (Industry)
Mirai remains one of the top threats to IoT in 2025 due to widespread exploitation of weak login credentials and unpatched vulnerabilities, enabling large-scale botnets for DDoS attacks, data theft and other malicious activities.

Read more...
SABRIC Annual Crime Statistics 2024
News & Events Security Services & Risk Management Residential Estate (Industry)
SABRIC has released its Annual Crime Statistics for 2024, reflecting a significant decline in financial crime losses, but also warning of the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in fraud schemes.

Read more...
Adding AI analytics to security monitoring
SEON South Africa News & Events Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection Residential Estate (Industry) AI & Data Analytics
SEON has announced its latest integration with Refraime, an AI-powered video analytics platform designed to elevate CCTV surveillance through real-time object detection and intelligent alerting.

Read more...
Passive fire protection for lithium-ion batteries
Fire & Safety Residential Estate (Industry)
In response to the increasing threat of lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery fires, a passive fire protection solution called PyroBubbles is now available in South Africa and is distributed locally through PyroBrand.

Read more...
Vetting people in security estates
iFacts Security Services & Risk Management Residential Estate (Industry)
In today’s security-conscious South Africa, estate management’s responsibility extends beyond gates and patrols; it involves ensuring that every resident, staff member, and service provider upholds the community’s safety standards.

Read more...
Smarter security for safer estate living
neaMetrics Suprema Integrated Solutions Surveillance Access Control & Identity Management Residential Estate (Industry)
The expansion of residential estates has led to many communities being constructed with security as an afterthought. Unfortunately, fencing, cameras, and a guard at the gate only create a false sense of safety, which vanishes after the first incident.

Read more...
Making drone security more accessible
Editor's Choice Integrated Solutions Residential Estate (Industry) AI & Data Analytics IoT & Automation
Michael Lever discusses advances in drone technology, focusing on cost reductions and the implementation of automated services, including beyond line of sight capabilities, for residential estates with SMART Security Solutions.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.