The Physical Security Assessment - Essay Example

Dear Sir/Madam, This brings to your attention the completion of the physical security assessment. The strengths and weaknesses of the physical security of MFIC Restaurant property located in Eugene, OR have been assessed. This entailed interviews, observation, photography, diagram development and documentation of features of physical security including the internal and external lighting, landscaping, store entrances, store windows, parking lot, parts of the store interior and all the installed security systems. Important findings were made on employee safety and security of the restaurant business. Of critical concern was the shed located behind the door at the back which provides a hiding place for strangers. It would be important to advise employees taking out trash to the dumpster of the looming hostage risk when dark falls. The door alarm could be set off by employees so frequently such that should a stranger sneak in through the back door, no one would be concerned. It would be sensible that employees undergo safety drills for their safety and security and that of the business. The alarm fitted at the back door should be redesigned to allow for coded access under the reserve of specific employees. Sincerely Aim The background information on the building, business operations and employees was not only discussed but also documented. The discussion also focuses on the security systems such as surveillance cameras, door alarms and windows. The store layout was examined in addition to the survey undertaken to evaluate office security, guard security and physical security of the restaurant building. In the security survey, the strengths and weaknesses of all forms of security infrastructure were assessed so as to promote the security and safety of the premises and the business operations therein, employees and customers. This would only be realized should the owners and managers implement the given recommendations on security enhancement. Conclusions are given in the survey report on security weaknesses as deduced from observation and interviews. Also included are the strengths of the physical security and recommendations on how to improve security. Scope Discussions and interviews were carried out in person. These were done in three different occasions: on June 2, 2014, June 23, 2014 and July 3, 2014. Interviews were conducted at the time of serving dinner, which is about 5.00 pm. The initial visit was important as it involved the identification of the contact person, Raj Kumar who is the owner of the restaurant. This involved a brief interview with Kumar and two waiters working in the restaurant. In the subsequent two visits, the two waiters were interviewed again. On June 24, 2014, a call was made to the restaurant to seek answers for questions that were unanswered during the interview. Important to note is that this physical security assessment only covered the Masala located in Eugene, OR and no other locations for Masala Restaurant. The assessment involved both the interior and exterior of the restaurant, including areas reserved for employees only. It also covered the interior and exterior lighting, all entry doors, all the restaurant windows and the verandah in front. The area bordering the property, surrounding buildings, landscaping, dumpster and parking lot were also assessed. Background of the Facility/Building Description of Business Services Experiencing gradual growth, MFIC Restaurant is an upcoming restaurant with presence in Oregon. The City of Eugene hosts one store while Portland has two stores. This survey involved the restaurant located in Eugene. This restaurant specializes in authentic Indian foods and is renowned for its Chicken Tikka Masala. Lunch is served through the buffet style between 1130H and 1430H on weekdays and between 1130H and 1500H on weekends. Between 1700H and 2200H on Sunday through to Thursday and 1700H to 2230H on Friday and Saturday, dinner will be served. At the moment, the restaurant staff count stands at 9, all of whom are considered as being trustworthy. All the areas of the store are known to the employees. This made it possible for them to answer most of the questions in the security survey. Additionally, they were welcoming and open to give answers. This warmth and friendliness was also observed in how they treated their customers. A simple design was adopted for the restaurant for its simple objective. It has numerous dining tables with the set-up of a large steam table used for buffet services. Family style of service has been adopted for dinner where customers serve from bowls and plates. In the kitchen, a deep fryer is used for frying foods and meat could be fire-grilled. To provide good service and be profitable, the business offers quality food at reasonable prices. The building, old in age, once served as a drive through fast food restaurant. It is built on an acre piece of land and measures 3,000 square feet. It is because of its age that the materials used for the building are similar to those used for building about 50 years ago. It is made of brick mix and Stucco concrete. The window trim is of wooden shingle type. The slanted roofing and gutters running all round the building are of also of shingle type. Findings on Physical Security Located in proximity to a large plaza shopping place which hosts Wal-Mart, Kroger, McDonalds and the old Eugene Mall, the area is frequently patrolled by the police. Nonetheless, the patrols seem not to cover the restaurant. Being a low crime area, there has been no reported criminal activity on the store for the entire time it has been operated by Masala restaurant. Considering its small size with just nine employees, the restaurant qualifies for a level one rating with regards to physical security. However, the restaurant records a high traffic of members of public during business hours. Its proper lighting boosts security. The ceiling has many lighting fixtures and backup lighting which operate independent of generators. Every fifth of the ceiling lights has a motion detection capability at night. The rows of the shrub hedges which surround the whole of the parking lot of the building have lights in between. On the front of the restaurant building shines a large spotlight. Some inside lighting remains on throughout the day and night, but the outside lighting is on only during the night. Some of these lights are fitted with motion sensors. The front of the store is covered by large rectangular windows. Though the glass of which they are made of are not thick, bullet proof or break-proof, an alarm will be triggered off whenever they are broken. Several doors mark as entry and exit into and from the store. There are three entrances that also serve as exits: one is located on the front side of the building, the other on the side and the third at the kitchen. The court is made of concrete all round, this being where the side door is located. An alarm has been fitted to go off when the back door meant for employees is opened. A counter blocks off the drive up window and an unused door, which were present since the building was bought, converting this into an area for serving supplies. It is at the same location that the cash register is placed. To reach the cash register, customers could either walk in through the front door, past numerous tables located on the opposite side of the premises, close to the steam table or gain access from the exit located on the side of the premises. Whereas one could view the cash register whenever the blinds are open, three surveillance cameras in the store foster security. These cameras can capture views from all angles in the store, thus capturing views from the entry and exit doors and windows. The windows which are located on the side and in front of the store allow for greater interior visibility. No cameras have been mounted on the outside of the building. Behind the buffet table is an ‘employees-only’ door which leads to the kitchen. Safety against fire in the kitchen has been considered with the fitting of a sprinkler system hanging from the ceiling. Additionally, two fire extinguishers have been placed near the fire grill and employees made aware of their placement. Even more, these employees have been trained on proper use of fire extinguishers. They indicated their knowledge of the fire escape route should fire arise in the building. However, the Fire Department is not involved in fire safety training and neither is it involved in the testing of the fire suppression system. The employees also claimed not to undertake this training on a yearly basis. They also added that the inspection of fire extinguishers and sprinkler system, done at least once a year, is not undertaken by fire fighters. An employee who smokes said that he uses the back of the building when smoking. Modern air conditioning and heating systems have been installed. A central air conditioner exists in the store though the duct work is of small size. The hidden venting system is hardly detectable with customers barred from accessing these vents which are located in the dining room on the ceiling. Findings on Guard Security The facility lacks guard shacks and gates. No fencing surrounds the building. A majority of those who visit the restaurant during working hours are return customers, recognized by the employees in the store. From observation, a majority of these customers are white collar workers. Guard surveillance for night security does not exist. The reason for lack of investment in guard protection security is because of the confidence in the trustworthiness of the few employees by the owners who also believe in the non-violent nature of their customers. Findings on Office Security The office area has a safe, visible from the wall, where cash could be stored for overnight safe custody. It is only the owners and a trusted employee who have the keys to this office area which has a door with a simple key and lock as opposed to a deadbolt. Considering the location of the office near the kitchen where the fire grill is located, a fire extinguisher has been mounted vividly on the wall of the office. There are times when the door remains open during working hours. The computer in the office has protection against viruses and security firewalls for protection of online banking transactions and accounting information as noted by the owner. Furthermore, it is only the owner who is charged with receiving and opening of restaurant mails. However, no precaution has been taken for dangerous mails. No background checks are undertaken for employees before being hired. Conclusion With brick and Stucco concrete used for construction, the building is safe from the likes of hand grenades and pipe bombs. Sound alarms safeguard against unauthorized window and door entries. Surveillance cameras monitor the store, the cash register area inclusive, from all angles. The cash register is protected by the virtue of its location in addition to the indoor surveillance cameras. These indoor cameras offering surveillance for the cash register are mounted high up on the walls to prevent any tempering by customers. The bar installed near the door and the side window as shown in the diagram offer protection for the cash register from the opposite direction. Even so, the windows are easily broken thus exposing the store to vandalism or robbery before the respondent to alarms is at the scene. No cash at hand is held during business hours and even no cash is held overnight at times. Owners make bank deposits thrice a week. Sometimes, cash would be held overnight in a small office area in a safe. The routine operations of the store could be compromised if burglary occurs with the risk of losing profits and business for the following day. However, all windows have been fitted with locks. All the doors have hinges in the interior even though the back door is made of wood and appears too aged and weathered. There is a threat of vandalism from the perimeter fencing of the premises and the landscaping and shed. This also poses a threat to the safety of employees taking out trash. At the front door of the store is a warning to visitors of surveillance which promotes security. A wall covering the outdoor patio protects the other side door. The back door is fitted with a sound alarm for unauthorized entries. Doors are fitted with deadbolt locks with only one employee having the keys. The large lighting systems at the parking lot light up the property and deter criminal activities. The HVAC system venting is designed in a way that it deters people from climbing into it for hiding. In addition, it is difficult to place explosives and dangerous chemicals in the vents. Nonetheless, no planning for emergency situations has been put in place. In addition, there are no emergency drills and employees have not been trained on dealing with emergency situations. While it would be appreciated that fire escape routes have been posted to all employees, they are not exposed to regular fire drills. No system for detecting potential crimes has been put in place. Neighborhood watch is also missing and no form of deterrence exists to prevent intruders from hiding behind the hedging, shed that has grown in the back and trees scattered near the shed. No procedure exists for employees to survey these potential hiding places before the restaurant closes at night. In fact, employees are not even aware of the looming danger at these places. Recommendations The small shed which occurs close to the dumping site, just like the property itself, is bordered by tall hedging. With no external surveillance cameras on the building, this area could attract criminals. Employees using the back door to take garbage out or to go smoke could be victims of such criminals who could use them to force their way into the building through the back door. As such, it would be prudent that the owners install external surveillance cameras and warn their employees of the possibility of crime in this area. Additionally, the back door should be replaced with a newer and metallic door fitted with coded key locks so as to improve on security. Should entry and exit be through the coded key locks, a solution could be found for the false alarms that go off when employees go in or out through the back door. Just a limited number of authorized employees, who should be taken through a rigorous background check, should have the codes to open the door. Regular maintenance and checks should be conducted on the doors to ensure proper functioning of the coded key system. Even though the side door remains unused, it poses the threat of robbery or break-in. In addition to the warning to visitors to keep off this area, the door should have a sound alarm. This side of the building also has a lot of shrubbery posing the risk of intruders from the neighboring Dollar General Store. There should be training for employees on handling such emergencies when they arise. Such drills could be conducted annually or biannually to enable employees better handle hostage situations, armed robberies, terrorist attacks, fires, tornadoes, bomb blasts or natural disasters when they occur. The local Fire Department should be involved in the fire safety trainings. A strengthened relationship between the Fire Department and the employees will benefit the safety and security of all those visiting the restaurant. The resultant familiarity of the Fire Department with the restaurant and its location, in addition to its employees, would be beneficial in curbing fire emergencies. With this regard, the Fire Department should be tasked with the examination of the fire sprinkler system and fire extinguishers. They could also examine the heating system, air condition venting and the electrical system. Even though the air conditioning system seems not to allow for hiding of dangerous chemicals or bombs, employees should be trained on how to handle such eventualities. Additional training targeting both the owners and employees could be on the safety procedures on receiving and checking mails. A manual for standard operations procedure should be developed to explain the procedure to follow in emergency planning and drills and for diffusing any emergency situations. This should also cover procedures for handling the coded key lock for the office door. Whereas the employees are considered as being trustworthy, caution should be taken as leaving the office door open could tempt them to access the safe without authority. The office door should therefore remain shut throughout with only a limited number of employees with access code. This limitation is important because of the lack of background checks on employees before hiring. Even so, the company could consider it critical to carry out background checks for future prospective employees. The safe should not be made so obvious for anyone to see as this tempts break-in by employees and makes it an easy target for criminals. As such, it should be covered with a decorative picture or portrait. This measure to deter the visibility of the safe is important just as is the measure to deter ease of access to the office. In addition, the lock combination for the safe should be changed frequently. To further boost security, it would be important to bring to the attention of owners the importance of logging out of their browsers after conducting online businesses, locking computers when in idle mode and frequently changing their passwords. With regards to lighting, even though the restaurant has adequate lighting, with the windows further enhancing the interior visibility, it would be advisable to install an alarm system to cater for late nights when the restaurant is not open. With the observation of blinds pulled down during some of my visits, it would also be helpful to remind the owners to leave the blinds rolled up at night. A consideration could be taken in for bullet-proof window panes due to the large sizes and the many numbers of windows. The owners should also invest in security guards to man the office. These guards should be able to drive to the Police Department which is about five miles from the restaurant and the Fire Department which is also a few miles from the restaurant. It could cost less to offer the local police officers a meal per day in return for guaranteed night surveillance. It would be beneficial to develop friendship with these local police officers so as to promote their surveillance of the property anytime during the day or night. Another low cost alternative would be to establish a neighborhood watch association. This would involve the managers of the restaurant partnering with other managers from neighboring stores such as Dollar General Stores, Eriksen Chiropractic, Lee’s Famous Recipe, Sonny’s and R.T.’s Sports Bar. A majority of these stores operate way after the restaurant has closed for the day. As such, security would be enhanced should there be an agreement to watch over neighboring property and report any suspicious observations to respective managers or owners. Such approaches have been successful in other situations. Despite the perceived harmlessness of the clientele and employees, it would be important that they undergo screening to deter any ill motives. As many as possible participants should be involved in security matters. Managers, employees, neighboring business operators, the Police Department and the Fire Department can partner in promoting security. Employees will benefit from annual trainings on security and safety. Through annual inspections of fire suppression devices and systems, security systems, the HVAC system and the electrical system, proper functioning of such systems will be guaranteed when need be. Such inspections should be extended to landscaping, windows and doors so as to promote security and safety. The implementation of these recommendations will provide a solution to the weaknesses in Masala Restaurant security. Read More