As we all come to terms with the way that smartphone data tracking works, we need to learn how to balance out what we consent to and what we don’t.
However, if you’re in the high–tech security systems industry, there’s never been a better time to be in business. The amount of data that’s now available makes life much easier for private investigators and security teams to find and deduce information that ultimately fulfills their jobs and serves their clients more effectively and efficiently.
Here are three technological developments that are changing the way that security companies work today.
1. GPS Monitoring Tools
Whether you’re a private investigator or managing security for a worksite, there are new ways to observe and oversee activities and risk at your site. While the idea of being able to track something as it moves through space was once a futuristic idea, the future is here. With the help of mobile applications and GPS data integrated into just about every device, you can watch where someone is in real-time.
While you might need a device that’s paired to an application, you’ll be able to see where people or objects are with intense precision using these tools. There are even devices to track where something has been so that you can download the data later.
GPS monitoring may require consent if you want to get the most accuracy. You’ll need to have access to a paired device so that you can read the data.
However, if you’re a private investigator tracking someone, you can follow them and then look at your own data. This kind of GPS tracking helps you plan and monitor the way that you do business. You’ll also be able to improve your ability to protect your clients with concrete data that GPS provides.
2. Smart Locks and Doorbells
In the past, there were very few ways to unlock a door remotely if you weren’t somewhere on the premises. However, with the latest tools in smart locks, homeowners can secure their homes and let in guests with the help of technology. As investigators, you can also pair these with data collection devices to know who has accessed a lock and when.
If your facility’s locks require keycards or fobs for access, a security team can use these to get more accurate data about how and when a passage was accessed. With cards that are linked to unique IDs, you’ll know who is going in and out of every door in real time. This keeps intruders out but also allows you to see important information about who is at your facility at any given point.
Another product line in this vein is the new smart doorbell. With Wi-Fi integration, they come with cameras to show you who is at the door at any given point. There are even new devices that allow for fingerprint scanning so that you can see who has come and gone from your secure passages.
Say goodbye to grainy video as cameras have gotten better and smaller. These cameras will have high-quality photos that can be stored off-site or sent directly to you whenever a door is accessed. Any PI who can tap into this data is going to unlock a lot of important information about the movement in and around a facility.
3. Consumer Priced Drones
One of the hottest products for Christmas in the last few years ended up being those consumer–priced drones now available everywhere.
Drones have become a great way for investigators to observe their subjects. If you’re surveilling someone from a mile away, a drone can quietly hover above a location and give you a view of what you can expect. If you need to be incognito, a drone can have no defining marks and be nearly invisible in a dark night sky. There are limitations to keep in mind. For instance, consider the FAA restricts the use of drones within a five-mile radius of airports, and each metroplex and state may have its own laws concerning drone usage.
Since drones are so affordable now, a security team could cost-efficiently deploy a fleet of them to oversee a large site. If you are responsible for the risk management and security of a construction site, plant or a large commercial property, you could use a few drones to keep an eye on activities in real-time. Plus, drones help protect your team by offering them the chance to see things from the safety of a remote location.
Again, as camera technology has gotten both smaller and cheaper, you can have high-quality images of any subject from far away.
High Tech Security Systems Are Within Reach
It may surprise you how affordable these high-tech security systems have become. As technology improves, it becomes more affordable and enables you to provide better services. For training tips to enhance your security staff’s skills, be sure to check out our security training guide.
