AST Digital Magazine September 2017 AST Digital Magazine September 2017 | Page 25

Volume 16
must be used, when and where available to as-
sist in the four D’s.
September 2017 Edition
Layer 1 – Property Boundary/Line
If you ask one hundred people, approximately 95
percent will say that perimeter security is a fence
at a property boundary. Well, they’re partially
correct.
The most commonly referred to “perimeter”
is the property boundary or the edge of the
space that we can control.
Deterrence comes in the form of warning signs,
random patrols either by human guard forces or
robotics, visual display of surveillance and dedi-
cated lighting.
Delay mechanism include such things as, physi-
cal barriers (fences, planters, way-signs, trash
containers, hard and soft landscaping, doors,
windows, etc.) that restrict movement and slow
approaches of pedestrians and vehicles.
Note: The longer it takes to transverse a space
the higher the likelihood of detection.
Detection capabilities that also include as-
sessment components, such as, electron-
ic security systems that have a “real time”
monitoring element are essential [1] [2].
The perimeter is actually a line of demarcation,
sometimes identified by a fence or sign or some-
thing, that basically says, “If you’re over there
I don’t care what you do, but if you come over
here, I want to know who you are”.
And then we direct them down to an ac-
cess control point to get checked.
Most security officers focus on bolstering this
first layer where the controlled space comes into
contact with the public and consequently put
most of their resources there.
The idea being the harder it is to get in the less
likely the “bad guy” will.
Unfortunately, this is simply false.
Without an adequate response to “unwanted be-
haviors” by either members of the organization or
the guard force then engagement will be lacking
and the perpetrator will succeed; thereby, putting
people at risk.
It is essential that we consider what happens if
the “bad guy” breaches our “secure” perimeter at
any level – then what?
For this reason, each pillar of physical security
(detection, assessment, command and control,
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