Insider Intelligence: 2013--Your Year to Make a Difference

Feb. 11, 2013
Your occupation puts you in a perfect position to benefit others with security

It appears 2013 is off to a good start for the electronic security community. The majority of integrators, alarm companies, manufacturers and distributors I speak with on a regular basis all have a positive, yet guarded outlook. Several expressed outright optimism and declared they are in the hiring mode.

The economy is slowly improving, money is available for growth and acquisitions for the qualified security players and the rapid advancement of security technology is driving an renewed interest by the end-user community.

In addition to improvement in our economy and new cost-effective technical solutions, we also have a nonstop barrage of deranged individuals with the bizarre goal of killing innocent people they have never met.

The physical security industry is positioned better than any other to assist in deterring random acts of violence in schools, theaters, office buildings, airports and other facilities where we have witnessed the atrocities of madmen bent on killing innocents.

Positive prediction: security budgets up

Private security professionals have the technology and the expertise to make a very important positive change in the lives of the average American citizen. I predict security budgets will grow at a faster rate than IT security budgets the first time in years.

So what can you do to help better protect our great country? Your first assignment is to educate anyone and everyone possible that technology exists that can help deter crime and violence. How can any logical decision makers refuse to listen to a security professional who can help save lives and property?

Have you made contact with your local school board representative? If not, what are you waiting for? Have you demonstrated the capabilities of the latest video management system capabilities to local officials? Have you explained the benefits of controlling access to areas that that should be restricted? What about identification management and remote video and audio capabilities?

As a security professional you have the opportunity to make a very important difference. Not many occupations can make this claim.

The time is now to challenge yourself to make a difference.