Parking lot security is a critical concern for commercial property owners, as parking lots are frequently targeted for crimes. According to the Department of Justice, approximately 1,400 violent acts happen in parking lots across America every day, making them the third most common place where crimes are committed.
And it’s easy to understand why: parking lots cover extensive areas of space, are generally unattended and offer a bad actor numerous hiding spots. (And don’t get us started on parking garages!)
Traditional security measures, such as on-site officers and legacy CCTV systems, often fall short in preventing these incidents.
Finding cost-effective security measures to properly safeguard parking areas is an ongoing challenge for commercial property owners and managers. The amount of on-site officers needed to patrol a large lot could cost a business tens of thousands of dollars every month. Legacy CCTV systems are more affordable, but they only record suspicious activity, providing “after the fact” evidence and doing little to prevent crimes from happening.
Fortunately, innovative technologies like real-time monitoring services, mobile surveillance systems, AI software, and drones are now playing a key role in enhancing parking lot security. And many of these solutions can be tailored to meet your specific security needs and budget.
Innovative Technologies for Parking Lot Security
- Real-Time Monitoring Services: Many commercial property owners put their faith in remote video monitoring, which provides round-the-clock surveillance for unmanned areas. These virtual security solutions use the latest in surveillance tech – including advanced thermal and infrared cameras and 5G and satellite communications – combined with highly trained monitors and dispatchers, watching from a remote command center. These systems can work with your existing cameras and equipment or can be installed as an entirely new system.
- Mobile Surveillance Systems: Mobile security systems, like Titan’s Virtual Guard, have quickly emerged as a versatile tool in the surveillance landscape. Like permanent installations, they provide real-time video monitoring and data collection, with the added benefit of mobility. With these portable systems, you can relocate your cameras wherever and whenever you want, for better blind spot reduction, or any other security need you wish to address in your parking lot. An added benefit is that they are easy-to-install and can be quickly deployed (often within 1-2 days).
- A.I. Software: The exponential growth of A.I. is noticeable in almost every aspect of our lives these days, but in the physical security sector, the technology been evolving for over a decade. A.I. has transformed the surveillance camera from a passive sensor to an active identifier of suspicious or unauthorized activity. It constantly collects and catalogs data, using machine learning to tell the difference between threatening objects (unauthorized vehicles or personnel) and non-threatening ones (stray animals or floating debris). This drastically reduces unnecessary alerts so officers can focus on genuine threats.
- Drones: For more expansive parking areas in large complexes, malls and stadiums, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become an increasingly popular method to step up security in their lots. They can cover vast areas while sending a constant stream of data and visuals to agents monitoring the area. Security Drones can be used in a variety of ways, including intrusion detection, automatic threat response, manual dispatch and scheduled autonomous patrols. One drawback is that the training of drone pilots can be time-consuming and comes with a high turnover rate. That’s why security services like Titan include certified pilots with their drone services, so there is no training or team management to be concerned about.
Get your free Parking Lot Security Consultation.
Titan is at the forefront of security tech, using the latest advances and cutting-edge solutions to effectively reduced crime in parking lots. Here’s just one example of how Titan Helps Auto Dealership Group Drive Down Security Costs by $500,000/Year.
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