Dizengoff seeks deployment of smart solutions to combat security challenges

Worried about the rising security concerns across the country, experts are canvasing the implementation of preemptive strategies with the adoption of smart solutions to secure lives and property.

The General Manager, Communications Technology, Dizengoff Nigeria, Guy Rabinovich, said securing the environment has moved away from traditional surveillance methods and foot patrols, which wait for incidents or crime to break before intervention.

To him, security in the digital age is more preemptive, saying it is a deliberate design which focuses on potential challenges in the environment beginning with awareness.

He said: “Physical security as it relates to securing facilities weather in the corporate or domestic environment is highly professional and specialised. Security for different vectors in this digital era is technology-driven, beginning for instance with the use of smart systems that are capable of providing awareness about what’s happening in the environment real-time.

“Securing a public facility or domestic environment goes beyond the traditional human foot patrol. An effective security design should include for instance smart surveillance solutions like smart camera systems and alarms as a first step. These are devices that are specially designed to monitor the environment with the capability of providing real-time awareness and a head start to mitigate potential threats effectively.”

Guy however, said beyond that, the complexity of modern security challenges requires Nigerians are able to do more, especially for security in public spaces and such sensitive places like airports for example, which require top security protection.

“In such places, rather than rely on human foot patrols, advanced security threat specific systems like alarms, metal detectors, and scanners, among others are important,” he counseled. In his submission, Chief Executive Officer, Dizengoff Nigeria, Antti Ritvonen, advised organisations to involve professionals in security planning.”

He traced the non-involvement of professionals in security planning as the missing link in security failures in most organisations and domestic environments.

Ritvonen emphasised the importance of involving professionals in designing security mitigation plans that are suitable for specific environments. “Allow professionals who have the know-how and understand the intricacies of security to handle security plans from design to implementation” he said.

The Dizengoff helmsman further urged businesses and organisations including individuals to take security seriously and “move away from the paradigms of the past by implementing smart systems that provide real and cost effective solutions.

“So security is not just about installing a few CCTV cameras or deployment of a number of security personnel. You discover that in most business premises, you see CCTV cameras around but you will be shocked that in most cases they don’t even work as they should or don’t even work at all.

“They’re there pointing at you but don’t detect anything. They’re just standing there unfortunately. So we say get professionals who understand security, who know exactly what to do, and how to do it.” This is the Dizengof edgef. This is what we bring to the market.”