Using LPR as a Layer of Facility Security

Establishing and maintaining effective facility security requires physical security layering, a strategy that uses multiple layers of protection to prevent, detect, and respond to critical threats.

In this article, we will review many of these physical security layers and how they are beneficial from a preventative and proactive standpoint, specifically focusing on the critical role that license plate reader (LPR) technology can play in a larger facility security strategy.

How to Improve Facility Security: Use Preventative Measures

Some preventative measures you can employ to keep dangerous people or weapons off the premises include:

• Protective bollards in the parking lot to protect patrons and entry points.
• Signage and audio recording at the building entrance communicating that weapons are prohibited on the premises.
• Two-way radio communication so on-site security managers can easily relay suspicious individuals or activity.
• Automatic lock mechanisms on doors that staff can utilize if suspicious person(s) have been identified prior to entering the building.
• An AI-based weapons detection system designed to quickly and accurately screen individuals and their bags.
• Protocol in place to slow down or redirect patrons as they enter to provide time for your security team to identify threats and coordinate a response.

Another key preventative measure entails installing cameras, including LPR cameras, in the parking lot, on poles, or at the edges of your building. Research shows that implementing cameras in parking lots resulted in a 51 percent decrease in crimes committed in parking lots.

This next section will review how an LPR can benefit your larger facility strategy in more detail.