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A multifaceted approach to security

The modern shopping centre has significant focus on the shoppers’ experience and offers more than a functional shopping space. It serves as a source of entertainment, education, community outreach and relaxation. It is therefore paramount to ensure the safety of the patrons, tenants and built environment. This can only be achieved through a multifaceted approach to the security solutions deployed at shopping centres.

The ever present threat of well-co-ordinated syndicated attacks or even protest action, means that accurate management information and intelligence must be generated from both the technical systems and manned guards deployed. Only through an optimally engineered solution and deployment can this be achieved.

Optimal security solutions

A key facet of an optimal security solution is the implementation of robust surveillance systems which uses advanced video analytics and artificial intelligence to detect suspicious behaviour, loitering, movement in restricted areas, theft detection, stock shrinkage and pilfering, and unattended packages. The surveillance system mitigates potential incidents through early detection.

A further enhancement to the safety and security of the site is performed through CCTV virtual patrols which are conducted by a specialist CCTV operator based in the control room. This remote targeted surveillance function replaces the labour intensive patrolling guard and provides simultaneous and extensive coverage of high-risk areas within a complex environment. This reduction in physical guards contributes to the reduction of operating costs and mitigates the impact of the National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018 (NMWA) in certain areas.

Intruder detection systems are another fundamental aspect of the total solution for the retail environment. These systems are capable of not only monitoring a potential after-hours intrusion, but also monitor high value or sensitive areas such as store rooms and cold storage facilities. Integrated panic buttons can be activated at any time to raise an alarm and call for assistance from the armed response or centre security.

False alarm elimination

In order to eliminate the number of false alarms and the dispatch of armed response to nuisance activations, intruder verification is deployed. The visual verification is a short video clip of the area in which the activation occurred. The control room operator is then able to confirm a positive incident and take the immediate and swift action through the deployment of on- site security or armed response.

Intelligence hub

The central control room serves as the intelligence hub where armed response is dispatched and the site specific standard operating procedures are executed. Bidvest Protea Coin has a dedicated retail-specific National Operations Centre at its SAIDSA approved national operations centre based in Centurion. Highly trained surveillance operators monitor alarms and footage generated by the security solutions installed at the client’s facilities 24x7x365.

The Bidvest Protea Coin National Operations Centre makes use of a physical security information management platform (PSIM), which receives alerts, alarms, footage and information from the various systems and consolidates the data on a single platform. The system has embedded rules and leaves nothing to chance as all operators are automatically guided through the correct and approved standard operating procedures based on the nature of the incident/alert or task.

Worforce optimisation

The efficacy of these solutions is enhanced through the implementation of physical perimeter protection in the form of electric fencing or physical fencing and providing a lock down of the site when possible. The control of access to the site through the deployment of SACO Workforce Optimisation solutions provides the authorised permissions to restricted areas and the control of movement of centre management, guard force, car guards and cleaning staff.

Transcends technology

Having an intimate knowledge of the retail and shopping centre environment and associated risks, allows Bidvest Protea Coin to deliver scalable, integrated and complete security solutions tailored to the retail sector’s requirements. The Technical Security division of Bidvest Protea Coin delivers solutions grounded in delivering true business value to its customers. This is achieved through the application of a solution design philosophy which transcends technology and delivers the fundamental imperative of risk mitigation, providing the customer with tangible management information.

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