Perhaps one of the most challenging roles in terms of maintaining security is that of the apartment property owner or manager. Because of the number of residents that occupy a property 24/7, comprehensive security is a must.
A large percentage of Americans are renters and most of these are apartment residents. In fact, in the state of Utah, for example, almost 30 percent of people are renters. And the owners and managers of apartment buildings have an obligation to their tenants to maintain a safe and secure place to live. After all, it’s their homes.
But that can be difficult to do in such a dynamic environment as an apartment complex.
Security Guards, CCTV, and a Concierge
Depending on the size of the property, some apartment buildings will make use of security guards to monitor the property. However, this is not an affordable option for many owners since a live security presence can be expensive, especially for 24/7 coverage.
As comforting as it may be for residents to see a security guard patrolling their property, a guard service has certain limitations. A patrolling security guard cannot be everywhere all the time. The layout of the property can provide limited access and, therefore, limited security coverage.
In addition, despite the fact that a majority of security firms work hard to provide quality service, there are still issues such as high employee turnover, inadequate training, as well as a guard’s vulnerability to threats and actual injury as a result of criminal actions.
Most apartment buildings will make use of security cameras, most often in the form of fixed position closed-circuit television, or CCTV, devices. CCTV is a system in which signals are not broadcast, but are monitored or often, simply recorded, primarily for surveillance and security purposes.
While having security cameras installed and visible at points throughout a property can act as a deterrent to criminals, it is still a passive system that cannot intervene or prevent threats.
And, unfortunately, even a state-of-the-art video camera will not deter a criminal that is either disguised or simply disregards the camera. In fact, all the camera can do is record the incident, which can provide some evidence after the fact, but nothing more.
There are also some other concerns with using CCTV surveillance as a stand-alone security system:
- Cameras cannot take actions to stop or deter threats.
- The visibility and range of the cameras can be limited.
- Cameras can be vandalized or disabled.
Large apartment buildings that can house thousands of tenants often have the resources to combine on-site guard services with a network of video surveillance cameras that can provide comprehensive security.
While this option can take advantage of the benefits of a live security service along with the enhanced visibility and coverage provided by security cameras, it’s certainly not an approach that most apartment building owners can afford.
And for those residences that employ a concierge, this position can provide a number of useful services for apartment tenants such as calling for a cab, accepting packages, calling up to permit visitors and providing security.
However, the very nature of the position means that any security provided by one individual stationed in a building lobby is indeed limited.
What most apartment building owners and managers need is a security system that provides comprehensive monitoring of their property 24/7 and the ability to intervene to deter and to stop threats of criminal activity.
What they need is AI video monitoring.
Smart Video Monitoring: Video Surveillance at Another Level
When everything is considered with security options, it can be said that an effective video solution is preferable to a human presence for most security surveillance situations.
Why is that?
Because unlike security guards, cameras don’t need to sleep, take breaks, get sick, or fail to show up for their shift. However, as we have pointed out here, passive CCTV technology has numerous downsides, as well.
So, what would an effective video solution look like?
For starters, it would transform an existing camera network into an active security system. An apartment building’s cameras would become the sensors and artificial intelligence, or AI, software allows the cameras to actively watch the property for threats. It’s the AI process that gives the system the capability of processing analytics that can trigger a response to a security threat.
And, best of all, the entire system solution would be far more affordable than a live security guard presence. The good news is that this smart video monitoring solution exists.
Your Ultimate Smart Security Solution: AI-Enabled Live Video Monitoring
At Blue Eye, our proprietary security solution has the capacity to instantly recognize a person or an animal. And the warning system isn’t triggered by motions such as branches being moved by wind. In addition, it provides barrier detection and advanced, on-board speaker technology that is accessible by our real-time surveillance technicians.
Our highly trained Video Surveillance Technicians can issue audio warnings. This means that we can effectively interact live with unwanted visitors and deter them from their course of action.
In other words, it’s an optimal security system solution that gives you the best of both worlds.
Our remote video surveillance service costs about 65 percent less than a security guard service and can cover multiple parts of a site at the same time, often from vantage points that aren’t easily accessible to a guard.
Blue Eye can provide you with a solution that provides just that. And at a surprisingly affordable price. Our solution is an AI-empowered managed service platform that requires no up-front capital costs. Give us a call at 855.258.3662 or email us at [email protected]. Let us design an effective solution for your business!