Introduction to Campus Security Master Planning
The basic perception of one who enters a healthcare campus should be this -- warm, inviting, and welcoming; a sanctuary that provides access to care. Those who enter a healthcare campus should perceive that value is placed on the patient, not in technology.
With that said, there are challenges to where controls should be applied. We all agree access to care is our primary focus. We do not want to hinder any part of that process. However, we must also maintain the integrity of areas within the healthcare campus that are critical to its operation.
Campuses have historically focused physical security on areas that were perceived as known threats, or in response to security incidents in the past. Over the last 2 years, campus security directors have begun taking a more critical look at their total campus security program. Reactive response to incidents cannot be the primary driver of a campus security program.
It is logical to assume there are campuses throughout the U.S. that have minimal physical security controls. Justification can be based on size, population, area crime data, budgeting, and resources. We cannot assume because we are on a healthcare campus that an effective security program is in place.
Because criminal activity, the violence associated with criminal activity, and the opportunities to commit crimes are growing, campus safety/security teams are faced with new and unique challenges daily. Building a campus physical security program that provides the level of information, control, and awareness necessary to be proactive in mitigating risks can be difficult when faced with administrative, political, and budgeting obstacles.
The following are some key points to consider when developing a campus physical security master plan.
Assembling the Team/Committee
Physical security design encompasses many different elements and processes that affect the entire campus. It is important to solicit and gain support from those who will benefit and/or be affected by the introduction of new processes, change or modification to existing procedures, and the modification of exterior and/or interior structures. The most effective way to build support for the development of a physical security program is to create a physical security committee. The committee should consist of members in strategic positions of influence such as administration, IT, operations, safety, security, risk, and planning. Setting limits on the number of committee members is equally important. There should be no more than 8 committee members assembled for this program.
Building the Security Master Plan
A security master plan is not a “one size fits all” application. To develop an effective security master plan, it is critical to document the campus’ security mission and physical security objectives. Additionally, the equipment and technology used in securing the campus should be documented. The security master plan must also take into consideration the impact the plan will have on the population of the campus and the level of control needed to create a sense of security and safety for those working, visiting, and/or occupying the campus.
There are several steps to consider when building a security master plan. From a physical security prospective, the first step is to understand what is classified as critical or core to the operation of the campus. In other words, what must be protected?
A question decision makers and senior management should ask themselves is, “what keeps me up at night.” The objective of this question is to help them understand what concerns, risks, or fears may exist on campus and why. Typical concerns include the safety of associates working late at night, violence in the Emergency Department, safety of patients, destruction of the power plant, guns on campus, shootings, and workplace violence.
The development of the security master plan should also incorporate long-term system compatibility, communication infrastructure, product obsolescence, and growing demands on the security staff. While, security technology is important to the issues and concerns on campus, it does not replace or exclude community and outside agency involvement in the planning process.
Basic Steps in Developing the Plan
There are several steps in the development of a security master plan. The plan hinges on the current condition of the campus and the processes currently in place. There is not a “canned” approach to creating or improving physical security design. Each campus is unique. Therefore, the security master plan must be customized to fit the specific needs of the campus. And the only constant is change is needed to advance the plan.
Survey current operational risk mitigation measures and determine their effectiveness. Conducting interviews and monitoring daily routines of associates, visitors, contractors, delivery services, etc., is a critical segment of the overall design of a campus security master plan. Interviews with staff are extremely valuable in gauging the overall temperament of the campus security program. These interviews provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of current physical security measures in place, and how they align with the perceived level of vulnerability.
Outside resources such as CAP Index, Inc. provide crime forecasting models, as well as loss mitigation solutions designed to accurately identify the risk of personal and property crimes. Mapping specific locations in and around the campus can assist in the development of how data research should be conducted.
Expansion and development of new buildings can create a challenge if not planned correctly. Understanding the campus’ 10 year plan on construction is critical to the overall security master plan. As a security director or campus security administrator, it is important to understand how new buildings, parking lots, garages, walkways, etc., will affect the current physical security master plan. In addition, the same applies to increases in patient, visitor, and vehicle traffic for the campus.
Convergence of new physical security technologies and the integration of existing security hardware into new security platforms may present a challenge. With the onset of IP based technology in CCTV and access control, you need a clear understanding of current systems design as well as the capabilities of existing hardware and software. One dilemma that continues to plague security administrators is compatibility. Security systems of the past have limited or no ability to integrate with today’s physical security products. As IP technology continues to evolve, integration and convergence of technologies is paramount to the continuous growth of campus physical security.
Security staffing is always a business challenge for the security department. Gauging the needs of a campus can become a budgeting nightmare due to recurring costs. Building a case for need is as important as the need itself. In many cases, the objective for staffing revolves around the change or addition of responsibility. It is important to be in front of the budgeting process for new building designs, purchasing new property, and increasing traffic and personnel. Documenting responsibility, service, and deliverables will assist in setting the ground work for the Return on Investment (ROI) and the overall approval process.
The Security Operations Center (SOC) is a critical, core component for the development of the security master plan. The security operations center is a 24x7 security operations management area. This is the primary hub for operational communications, information sharing and situational awareness for all information pertaining to campus activities, threats, and emergencies.
It is difficult to keep a campus safe and secure when one is flooded with ever-changing daily threats and warnings from security and enterprise systems. Every morning brings new alarms from various security sources. What's important and what's not? How does one categorize and prioritize threats? That is why it is important to have a control center that can effectively manage and deliver information in a timely manner from areas of the campus to the security staff. Call boxes, fire alarms, duress hardware, and lockdowns are examples of conditions that require active response from the SOC.
Since the SOC is the heart of the physical security operation, campuses should be equipped with state of the art communication and operational equipment. In addition to control, operators should have the ability to classify using integrated access, intrusion, and video technologies. Historically, SOCs have been designed to extract information by visually monitoring the multitude of cameras, readers, and intrusion devices. The objective for today’s campus physical security master plan is to have data pushed to the SOC based on condition, severity, and protocol.
Critical infrastructures are areas within the campus that rely on the continuous, reliable operation of a complex set of interdependent infrastructures: electric power, gas, transportation, water, communications, etc. In the past critical infrastructures operated independently. Today, however, they are increasingly linked, automated, and interdependent. That interdependency is increasing as technologies continue to converge. Disruptions and/or failure in any one of them could create widespread, crippling, multi-infrastructure disruption for the entire system. Many of these systems are known to be vulnerable to physical and cyber threats and to failures induced by system complexity.
Auditing and assessment of the physical security master plan is essential in confirming the success and value for the campus. The primary goal of any physical security master plan is to validate the operation and consistency of the security systems, security processes, and protection of assets. The final plan that is put in place will be subject to monthly, quarterly, and/or annual review, and require continuous improvement.
Physical security design can create a field of influence so campus associates develop a sense of ownership that potential offenders and/or predators will perceive as a territorial. The overall physical security program must present sufficient obstacles to deter, detect, and/or delay perpetrators at all levels. It is important, however, to differentiate between deterrence and elimination. No security measures or products, regardless of how involved or sophisticated they may be, can ensure protection against every possible threat.
In order to be effective, valued, and result based, there are several critical steps when developing a campus security master plan. The plan must start with a team of individuals who support the master plan and realize there is no “one size fits all” approach. The master plan is developed by assessing current trends, processes and technology. New technology and processes can, and must be integrated with existing technology and processes. By taking the proper steps and implementing a security master plan, a campus can provide such obstacles and observation methods that the risks of exposure, failure, or capture are greater than the potential for success in perpetrating the incident or crime.
