Effective Perimeter Security Helps the Fight Against Contraband
Contraband in correctional facilities is a serious concern that threatens the safety of staff, inmates and even the general public. Contraband can enter a facility via smuggling by visitors, compromised staff, or hidden within deliveries, as well as by breaching the perimeter of inmate yards via fence drops or drone delivery.
There are many new technologies on the market to detect non-metallic contraband at managed entrances – x-rays, millimeter wave, and thermal devices for cavity inspection, plus a wide range of new and relatively untested technologies for drone detection. However, an effective contraband control plan needs to be grounded in an effective, trusted perimeter intrusion detection system that provides surveillance of the perimeter against prisoner ingress/egress, minimizes the workload on the security officers, and can contribute to detecting hand-offs of contraband through or over the perimeter wall or fence.
Securing the perimeter and internal operations with the correct application of solid, reliable technologies can dramatically reduce distractions such as nuisance alarms and lower operating costs, which frees up officer resources to pursue other tasks, including contraband detection. Senstar offers a wide portfolio of best-in class perimeter intrusion detection systems (fence sensors, buried sensors, microwave sensors), intelligent lighting, video analytics, and video management systems, to help secure the perimeter.
Outdoor people tracking video analytics can be especially helpful for detecting fence drops. Most correctional facilities have a wide buffer area between their outer perimeter and the general public. Thermal cameras can detect persons approaching the buffer zone day or night, and direct low light, high-quality PTZ cameras for further assessment. Video analytics leverage the existing video surveillance infrastructure, making them a relatively easy technology to test and subsequently deploy. Should an individual try to breach the perimeter by cutting or climbing the fence, perimeter intrusion detection products will identify and locate the intrusion attempt so appropriate response can be initiated.
If the overall perimeter of a correctional facility is secure, vital resources can be directed elsewhere, including to prevent contraband.
