If it’s broken, fix it
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
| Written by Jennifer Brown. As our CCTV And The Law columnist Elliott Goldstein demonstrates in each issue, moving pictures deliver powerful evidence in a courtroom. Take for example a case last month when a Toronto man entered a plea of guilty in the sexual assault of a 62-year-old bar owner after he was caught on the establishment’s surveillance cameras committing the act. The surveillance video footage — a 25-minute tape — told the violent and frightening story without the victim having to appear in court. The footage showed how the woman fought her attacker for almost half an hour, even as he threatened to kill her. She finally managed to roll under a pool table and only then did he leave her alone. Good old-fashioned videotape captured the evidence needed to send the man to jail and land him a life-sentence on the sex-offender registry. Most business owners install surveillance systems with the intent to protect their assets and employees from crime. Why then, do some companies allow their systems to fall into disrepair, hoping just the presence of a camera will be enough to deter crime? A few months ago, a colleague told me a harrowing story of how her teenage son was victim of an armed robbery while working alone at a fast-food restaurant. He was forced at gunpoint to turn over the night’s cash and, while he was not hurt, the emotional impact of that night will be long-lasting. He was working alone, with no one to back him up — not even a working video camera. Cameras were in place and, while they obviously didn’t deter the thief, they might have caught an image of the robber. The security system hadn’t been functioning for months. The air-conditioning was also broken which meant doors to the establishment were propped open for ventilation, meaning thieves could enter where workers would least expect someone to sneak up on them. These owners gambled with the security and safety of their employees and business — and lost. Needless to say, my colleague’s son doesn’t work there anymore. When was the last time you evaluated the surveillance systems watching over your people and assets? Wouldn’t you want to know that your security system could help convict a criminal? In this issue we look at risk assessment and, as you will read in the cover profile, that means knowing what security is in place and determining what else should augment those systems. In the case of Magna International, the company takes a decentralized approach, where each factory is responsible for providing a safe, secure workplace for its employees. Steve Reesor, Magna’s vice-president of special projects, makes recommendations for minimum standards. Large or small, organizations should know what systems are working and what needs attention and facility managers need to make sure equipment is functioning properly. |
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