White Paper on Latin American Security

What is the WHITE PAPER?

It is a document of comparative analysis of how security is in the countries of Latin America and Spain.

What areas of security will you cover?

The areas of security that we want to cover are the following:
Physical Security with Guards or Security Agents.
Electronic Security.
Alarm monitoring and video surveillance service.
Transportation Services and Administration of Funds and Securities.
Professional Training System in Security.

1. Status of legislation in each country by area.
2. Public institutions regulating each area.
3. Private Institutions of Association of each area.
4. Perception of the Service Providers of each area.
5. Comparative analysis by area and by country of the results.
6. A Chapter highlighting the best business practices that our collaborators in the different countries refer to us.

• All partner companies of ALAS.
• All associations related to any of the areas that the book will address, whether they are public, private, NGO, etc.
• All research centers, Training Institutes and Institutions related to research and training in security issues.
• All security professionals who wish to collaborate.

• All participants and sponsoring institutions will have a complete copy before its official presentation.
• All those interested can consult the different data and topics on the website www.alas-la.org after its official presentation.

• At the Expo Seguridad México 2010 there will be a preliminary presentation.
• At the American Fire Secutity Show 2010 will be the official presentation of the WHITE PAPER ON LATIN AMERICAN SECURITY.
• In the following years, the changes that occurred in these same security fairs will be presented, in addition to the presentation in the different countries where ALAS participates.

The activity is an initiative of the Latin American Security Association and will be directed by its Board of Directors through its President, assisted by a small staff of rapporteurs and researchers.

It will begin with a communication to all the associations and institutions mentioned above, followed by a survey by area and the collection of information, ordering, analysis and drafting of the WHITE PAPER ON LATIN AMERICAN SECURITY.

As President of ALAS in this period in which the largest initiative in the history of Security is going to be carried out, to have a broad vision of what is the particular and general situation of Latin American security, I wish to call on all companies, associations, institutions and security professionals to accompany us and support this interesting company that will undoubtedly be for the benefit of our industry and profession. that we love so much "THE SECURITY".

Luis González Nogales.
President

Some experiences in the region show the lack of training and professionalism with which the highest and most sophisticated security systems of smart buildings are managed and operated.

By: José Luís Romero*

Would you take your latest model Mercedes Benz with the master nut of your neighborhood's machine shop? No one in their right mind would answer with an emphatic "yes" to this question.

However, this is precisely what is happening with the best comprehensive security systems that exist on the market for smart real estate.

Given the conditions and needs of contemporary buildings, the best security systems centralize information to be able to take corrective actions, both with administrative matters and with security matters.

That is why these security systems have a platform with the ability to integrate all the subsystems that make up the property:

* Security systems (intrusion, access, CCTV)
* Fire detection systems
* Electrical systems
* Hydraulic systems
* Communication systems (voice and data)
* Lighting systems
* Heating and air conditioning systems
* Transportation systems
* Automation systems

Appropriate knowledge
Just as the mechanical engineers working in Mercedes Benz agencies have the skills required to work with a late-model luxury car, the operators of security systems in these smart real estate must have the appropriate knowledge to handle these sophisticated comprehensive security systems. Unfortunately in most cases this is not the case.

In order to carry out their work in an effective way, an operator of a comprehensive security system of a smart property must have these skills:

* Satisfactory general knowledge in the handling of computer equipment.
* The ability to identify risk situations – both outside the property and inside the property – whether natural threats (inclement weather) or threats caused by humans (vandalism, sabotage, terrorist acts, etc.)
* The analytical criterion to distinguish between critical situations that need to be accepted, and risk situations that can be countered via specific processes designed to avoid them.
* The ability and initiative to analyze and exploit the information collected by the system (historical event archives) to improve existing security processes, or to implement new procedures – since real estate is changing.

When the operator of a smart building does not have the adequate capacity to handle the security system of the property in which he works, the consequences can be potentially disastrous and extremely costly as detailed below:

* Considerable sums of money wasted: almost entirely the millionaire purchase of security equipment is wasted.
* Vulnerability: despite having a state-of-the-art security system, the property and the people inside the property are exposed to theft, vandalism and sabotage, both inside and outside the premises.
* Irreparable losses: human deaths as a result of poor execution of security procedures in an attack or natural disaster that are priceless.
* Loss of credibility: any of the above points has an impact on the loss of image of the institution. For example, a bank looted with hostage-taking, a pharmaceutical company looted to obtain raw material for drugs, a stadium threatened by a terrorist act where mass panic spreads, among others.

A positive experience
By way of illustration and as a contrast, let us look at what has happened in the industrialized countries, in Great Britain for example:

Until a few years ago – until before 2004 – anyone could work in the private security industry, including people with criminal records, or without any training to do their job properly. For the same reason, this industry had a poor reputation and very few people saw it as an option to make a career that was worthwhile.

An Act of the Private Security Industry was created and the figure of a regulator in this Industry that was called to give a solution to this situation. Since then, some of the benefits of this regulation include:

* Higher levels of professionalism and integrity
* Reduction in staff turnover
* A closer relationship with the government in terms of coordinated national security efforts

The ABC of the operator position
What can we do on our part, without passively waiting until a regulatory body is created? What can the organization do in an active way to ensure that its operators have the skills and qualities necessary to effectively perform this job? The answer is very simple:

* Initially, it is essential to make a list of the essential functions of the position of security operator. Essential functions are the basic tasks paramount to proper performance in the position.
* Once it is known what the functions of the position are, then the necessary skills and qualities that the operator must possess in order to satisfactorily perform these functions are made explicit.
* And once you have the skills and qualities necessary to perform the functions of the position, then two things can be done as the case may be.

In the event that you already have the contracted security operator:
* The gap between the skills and qualities that the operator has and the skills and qualities required by the position is determined.
* Once this gap is determined, appropriate training programs can be developed for the operator.

And in the event that a new security operator is going to be hired:
* All that needs to be done is to ensure that the selection and hiring process ensures that the candidate to be hired effectively has the skills and qualities required by the position.

It's really not worth putting a million-dollar security investment into the hands of poorly trained people. Especially when the solution to this situation is so simple and when the risks, consequences and costs are so high.

*José Luís Romero is a specialist in building high-performance cultures with a sustainable competitive advantage through leadership development. To contact him visit: www.Skills2Lead.com