Home Security and Surveillance

As an Infantryman in the US Army, one of the most important considerations for any mission or tactical operation was security. It was integrated into every area of the process. The reason for this was that although the accomplishment of the mission is the first and foremost consideration, it stood in jeopardy if the person identified to conduct the tactical operation was systematically removed from the equation due to a lack of security precautions. And so it is in our everyday lives.

In almost all of life’s subjects, some security has to be considered somewhere along the way. Are you buying a car? You need to get information on the vehicle you’re buying to ensure it wasn’t involved in a flood. It has to be inspected to ensure safe motoring. Are you taking a flight? The staff always conducts a pre-flight briefing to alert you to the emergency exits (which is also a security consideration) in case you have to evacuate. Are you taking a cruise? Lifeboats and flotation devices are the order of the day! Are you buying a home? You want to keep it and all your belongings as secure as possible.

Home Security

The level of peace of mind determines the amount of security you implement for your home that you wish to maintain and the level of crime in the environment in which you live. Renting your home versus Buying is another consideration. If you live in the inner city, you’ll likely want to have as tight a security level as possible. But if you don’t own the property, your options are limited. If you own one, you may want to put up unsightly iron bars on your windows and doors to prevent intrusion from those sources. You’ll want a more subtle approach if you care about how your home looks from the outside.

If you live in an affluent neighborhood, chances are you’ll be a mark for the more intelligent criminals and may want a more elaborate system. A few weeks ago, a co-worker had to leave work because his house, which was in a relatively good and affluent neighborhood, was broken into several times in 24 hours. This co-worker had a security system in his home, which worked flawlessly every time an attempt was made to break in. However, it was determined that his house wasn’t broken into to steal something at that particular time. The crooks were attempting to time the response of the local law enforcement. They wanted to get as accurate a time from alarm to response on-site as possible. The only way the homeowner knew they made it into the house was that a few items were moved!

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Okay, so what do you do short of setting up claymores and tripwires in your home (military devices that go boom for early warning and detection), brandishing an AK47 assault rifle, and hiring a bodyguard to facilitate the peace of mind you seek? You can call in a consultant and pay good money for him to analyze your situation, develop courses of action, and implement them. Few people, however, can afford to do that. If you did, you wouldn’t need to waste your time reading this article! In any case, you can utilize the Who, what, where, when, why, and how to rule (I made this up, but it’s appropriate here). Take those one-word questions (not necessarily in the order given) and ask yourself:

1. How high is the crime level in my neighborhood and surrounding areas?
2. Why do I need home security? If you don’t have many valuables to secure, you may want to install rudimentary systems (e.g., deadbolt locks, floodlights, or automatic light switches).
3. What do I need to secure? Is it the whole house, the outside, the inside, the driveway way, or the perimeter?
4. I place monitoring devices, such as digital cameras, webcams, and other intrusion and surveillance devices, in strategic locations.
5. What’s this going to cost? This is a big one!
6. Who is going to do this for me? To whom can I entrust this endeavor? You certainly don’t want to use a fly-by-night company.
7. How will this be monitored? By me on my cell phone or by a monitoring company?
8. When did this get so friggin’ hard? (Sorry, I couldn’t find a suitable question for “when.” Oh yeah, here it is)
9. When do I implement this plan? (How’s that?)
10. How do I assess the system’s effectiveness before it is tested in a real-world situation?

There are as many options as there are questions, which could overwhelm you! Fortunately, there is the help. You could call the consultant above, provided you have the funds, or start by doing your homework. You want to get as informed as possible on the subject before you analyze your situation and develop courses of action. Pay attention to articles on home security. I believe most, if not all, of your questions will be answered.

As the economy fluctuates and times become increasingly uncertain, more and more otherwise good people will succumb to desperation, spiraling downward to the point beyond which they feel there is no return. Feeling there is no recourse or alternative, they will turn to the proverbial life of crime. The law-abiding citizens who are not so entangled must resolve to take measures commensurate with the rising level of corruption. These measures include. But are not limited to home security systems, surveillance, personal history searches, criminal background checks, etc. If it’s the peace of mind you seek, start by filling yourself with the necessary information!

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Alcohol scholar. Bacon fan. Internetaholic. Beer geek. Thinker. Coffee advocate. Reader. Have a strong interest in consulting about teddy bears in Nigeria. Spent 2001-2004 promoting glue in Pensacola, FL. My current pet project is testing the market for salsa in Las Vegas, NV. In 2008 I was getting to know birdhouses worldwide. Spent 2002-2008 buying and selling easy-bake-ovens in Bethesda, MD. Spent 2002-2009 marketing country music in the financial sector.