Gated communities and condominiums that employ security officer services understand that residential security goes above and beyond safety. Security personnel are the first impression of a residential property for homeowners and visitors. 
 

Standardization of healthcare protocols and procedures is an established practice that helps create a safer and more affordable patient culture. Today, the standardization trend is expanding as healthcare facilities nationwide are realizing the benefits of creating uniformity in non-clinical services including physical security services. 
 

By 2016, more than 655,000 individuals in the United States will have careers in the security services industry according to The Freedonia Group, a leading international business research company. These security professionals work around the clock to protect people and property in a variety of industries and settings. How can an organization help ensure that their security team is engaged and prepared to meet their needs? 
 

Safety is a serious topic that is common among many industries, but perhaps even more so at manufacturing and industrial sites where workplace injuries are a leading cause of lost work time. Having safety protocols in place is one way to prevent accidents, but they are only as effective as the people who know and use them. 
 

Colleges and universities need to ensure their campuses are as safe as possible. But while the mission may be simple, developing the right approach is not. Institutions facing budget challenges are increasingly asking “how much risk is present and how much can we afford to pay to mitigate threats?” 

To enjoy a long-standing, trusted partnership with your security provider, it is important to initiate a transparent relationship right from the beginning. A well-planned RFP can help build this foundation. By soliciting the appropriate information and level of detail during the RFP process, you will create an apples-to-apples comparison of each provider, so there are no surprises once services begin.

In emergency situations, a quality security program is a vital resource. Weather-related emergencies have been frequent and treacherous this season, even in parts of the country where winter storms are rare. It is important to have contingency plans, regardless of location, to ensure the safety of employees, the continuation of operations and a consistent security presence. 

President Obama’s State of the Union address focused on a critical issue facing our nation – long term unemployment. This issue is of concern to business leaders and individuals alike. And, regardless of political beliefs, the support for this topic is resonating across America. I was honored to participate in President Obama’s forum for CEOs on long-term unemployment last week. 
 

Before the advent of smartphones, planting covert listening devices was the most popular way to illegally record content from a private meeting. Today, with an estimated 130 million smartphones in use in the United States, every user has the potential to be a covert meeting operative with their own Wi-Fi receiver, camera, audio recorder, keyboard and computer at their disposal. 

We know we’re all way too busy, but every executive protection agent has at least some downtime, some time. This includes in-house and outsourced FTEs, and folks working both executive protection and residential details.