Local public library:
Overview
The security of a library is mainly concentrated on protecting the texts contained within the library. These are going to be mainly paper based texts which are vulnerable to many dangers. The texts are vulnerable to damage from fire, water as well as physical damage from use. Apart from the texts, it is also important to protect the individuals who are going to use the library. Therefore, the security plan for the library is going to be concentrated on protecting the texts from various threats as well as safeguarding the users of the library (Kahn, 2008).
Plan
The library is housed in its own building comprising a ground floor and two more stories. The ground floor houses the offices of the library as well as a public gallery. The texts are housed on the first floor and the second floor. The building has two main entry points, one at the front of the building and the other at the back. The library also has elevators and staircases ensuring access to the upper floors.
The main dangers identified are fire, water, physical damage, and theft. The general texts will be housed on the first floor while the special and more valuable texts will be housed on the second floor.
Access to the library will be restricted at the front door while service access will be at the back. The whole building will have a fire suppressing system that issues a warning in case of a fire. If there is no response within a given time, sprinklers will be activated automatically to put out the fire. Because of the damage that the sprinklers can cause to the texts, they will be used only as a last resort. Otherwise, carbon dioxide extinguishers will be located conveniently throughout the building to ensure fires can be contained quickly in localized locations (Kahn, 2008).
The whole building will be wired with security cameras to assist in surveillance. The security surveillance will be coordinated from the security offices on the ground floor of the building. Visitors to the library will pass through security checkpoints at the main entrance of the building as well as on the second floor while accessing the area with the valuable texts. This will be conducted while both entering and leaving the building to minimize the chances of theft.
In case of an emergency, the main entrance and the service entrance for the building will be used as exits. Signs will be prominently displayed in the building in order to guide users in case of such an emergency (Kahn, 2008).
The library plan will also meet all OSHA standards by ensuring that its layout ensures the safety of the library users and workers alike.
A full-service grocery store
Overview
A grocery store usually stocks fast moving goods, mainly groceries and food products. Because of the perishable nature of the goods, the store must ensure the quality of the goods as well as security for customers and staff. Threats facing grocery stores include robberies, shoplifting, theft, fire, terrorism among many others. The most likely threat to happen is products going bad.
Plan
In order to ensure safety of the goods, the store must ensure there is a system that is able to record products as they come in as well as when they leave the store. This can be implemented by using a check out system. This ensures that goods that go bad are removed from display.
This reduces the chances of legal issues if a customer sues the store for bad products. The security of the store will also ensure that security cameras are installed strategically in the building as well as other legal requirements such as fire safety.
The surveillance system installed will reduce the chances of shoplifting within the store. Store attendants and guards will also be stationed within the store to provide assistance and security to all customers (Demkin, 2004).
The service entrance usually located at the back will also be used as an emergency exit. Thieves can also use the service entrance and so guards will be stationed there as well as security cameras.
The store will be arranged effectively in order to ensure the safety of workers and shoppers alike.
A full-service department store
Overview
A department store is ubiquitous to the American population. These are generally stores where a user can buy almost all the consumable products they need. As such, department stores can cover extensive floor area therefore; security management can be an issue. The main threats to a department store include but are not limited to shoplifting, robbery, terrorist attacks, as well as fires. The security plan will therefore be mainly concentrated on these issues.
Plan
Usually, a department store has a large main entrance for use by the public as well as a service entrance for deliveries. The department store area extends to the parking lot where customers leave their vehicles.
Security will therefore start at the parking lot. Security cameras will be installed in strategic places in the parking lot and guards will be present at all the entry points to the parking lot and all the exits.
Guards will also patrol the parking lot to ensure the safety of visitor vehicles. Guards will operate the main entrance to the department store, which also serves as the exit.
These guards are present here to ensure that customers are searched while entering the building. This prevents entry of items that can be used as weapons. This is especially important to prevent terrorists who might use the large volumes of customers as targets for mass shootings (Halibozek, Jones & Kovacich, 2008).
Inside the department store, all goods have a security tag with the price and a number. When a customer purchases goods, they pay at the counter and the security code for that particular item is de-activated. At the exit, a scanner will be placed through which all people leaving the store must pass through. This scanner is able to pick up signals from active security tags passing through it. This will minimize the chances of shoplifting.
Surveillance cameras will also be placed strategically within the store to assist security personnel in their duties. Store attendants will also be placed strategically within the store. Their main aim is to assist shoppers but they will also act as an extra security eye.
An automatic fire suppressing system will be installed. This detects, rings an alarm and deploys sprinklers in the location where the fire has been detected. In case of an emergency, the guards and store attendants will guide the public towards the main exit areas of the building.
The service entrance usually located at the back will also be used as an emergency exit. Thieves can also use the service entrance and so guards will be stationed there as well as security cameras. Because this is a less public area, the concentration of guards will be lower than in the public areas of the department store.
Cash is a main attraction for robbers. In order to ensure that the department store does not deal with large amounts of liquid cash, customers will be encouraged to use credit cards and other forms of ‘plastic’ money.
A full-service hardware store:
Overview
The security plan for a hardware store is similar to that of a department store. Both these outlets can cover large areas and therefore are a challenge to secure. The main difference between a department store and a hardware store is the nature of the goods stored. While a department store mainly has consumable goods, hardware stores usually stock goods that can be used as weapons themselves. These range from simple items such as shovels, wood planks to more sophisticated items such as nail guns and welding kits. When ensuring security, it is important to consider that apart from weapons entering the store, items stocked within the store can also be used as weapons.
Plan
The security plan will include the safety of the goods stored in the store, the customers in the store as well as the staff working in the store. The main threats to the hardware store are similar to those of a department store.
As with any other public area, there must be a certain minimum of measures that have to be taken to ensure public safety.
The threat of a fire is especially high because a hardware store is likely to have a number of flammable materials in the store. A fire suppressing system in the store must be installed. This automatic system can automatically detects a fire, rings an alarm, and immediately deploys sprinklers to suppress the fire (Kahn, 2008).
Security cameras will also be installed strategically throughout the hardware store to help in security. Armed guards will be deployed in the store area in order to be able to respond to any security threat at short notice.
The use of armed guards is to ensure that they are able to deal with intruders who might use the products in the store as weapons. The main entry and exit points to the store will also be manned to ensure that shoplifting is kept to a minimum. This is because shoplifting has been cited as the biggest problem facing large-scale retailers.
Scanners will be placed at the exits to be able to detect goods which have active security tags that are about to leave the building.
As is the case with department stores, cash is a main attraction of robbers. Customers will therefore be encouraged to use credit cards and other forms of ‘plastic’ money to ensure the store does not deal with large amounts of cash. This is especially true because individual items in the hardware store are likely to have a high value.
In the case of department stores and hardware stores, there are legal issues that might surround such outlets. It is the responsibility of the store to ensure the safety of customers. In case of injury by a customer, the store can be sued and damages paid if the customer is able to prove that their injuries are a result of negligence by the store (Reese, 2004).
Terrorism is also an emerging threat in security. Terrorists may appear as normal people until they perform their acts of terror. It is therefore important to ensure that there are measures to prevent and control such acts. Surveillance is important but many terrorists are ready to die therefore security measures must include measures to eliminate the terrorist before they can kill or harm many people (Halibozek, Jones & Kovacich, 2008).
References
Demkin, J. A. (2004). Security planning and design: A guide for architects and building design professionals. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Halibozek, E. P., Jones, A., & Kovacich, G. L. (2008). The corporate security professional's handbook on terrorism. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann.
Kahn, M. (2008). The library security and safety guide to prevention, planning, and response. Chicago: American Library Association.
Purpura, P. P. (2007). Terrorism and homeland security: An introduction with applications. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Reese, C. D. (2004). Office building safety and health. Boca Raton, Fla: CRC Press.
