When it comes to security, the best methods are often the tried and trusted ones which have stood the test of time. It is not all about the latest gadgets.
That is certainly true of security at commercial premises and our golden rule when planning protection is ‘don’t underestimate the criminals’ – don’t just assume that a few pieces of kit will do the job.
You need to always remember that criminals are skilled operators who can identify weaknesses in security procedures. They come prepared, work in gangs and can cause huge damage. In 2017 alone, the construction industry lost an estimated £800m to theft and vandalism.
We would always urge that you employ a specialist security company with a track record and experience to protect your business and, in our case, one that invests in training its people and its guard dogs to the very highest standards.
But why use dogs anyway? Isn’t that old-fashioned? Won’t technology do the job better? Well, no. Take CCTV as an example. Much store is placed on CCTV cameras but we do not regard them as much of a deterrent.
We think that they are useful to see how the intruders got in after the event, maybe when you are preparing an insurance claim or assisting with the police investigation, but our experience is that you have to be more proactive when planning your security.
Prevention not detection is our mantra. Thieves are usually part of organised gangs and a few cameras on their own are not enough to keep the criminals out.
We train our dogs from puppies to be fierce with criminals whilst also safe for staff and residents, including children. Our dog handlers all ex-military and ex-police officers and they are highly trained to deal with intruders and in control of their dogs. The relationship between the dog and the handler is very important. You don’t want a dog that is vicious and doesn’t obey its handler. They need to communicate and understand each other. For example, the dogs are trained to bark differently for intruders or for animals, such as foxes or cats.
This helps the dog handlers to be prepared and respond to incidents quickly.
We argue that employing a security expert makes sound economic sense and we always urge clients to build their security costs into their business plan from the beginning of the project.
Professional security is not cheap but the costs of not having the right security in place is far greater. You not only have to deal with replacing stolen goods, but also with the disruption of your business, missing deadlines and penalties, internal chaos and anxiety to staff.
We also urge clients to make sure that not only do their managers take security seriously but to ensure that their staff do the same, that they do not inadvertently provide information which may be useful to criminals. Impress on them the need to keep security details to themselves and that they stay vigilant.
Ramona Zamfir is Commercial and Development Director of Bromley-based Guard Dog Security Limited. The company, which works largely on construction sites, specialises in providing highly-trained dogs and handlers and often finds itself called in to provide protection for managers who are at the end of their tether due to repeated incidents.
You can contact Guard Dog Security Ltd at:
Tel. Office: 02087209388
e-mail: office@guard-dog-security.com
