Physical Security Survey on Bank of Kentucky - Case Study Example

Physical security designing Cover letter To the instructor APS 210: Physical Security Eastern Kentucky University Dear sir/madam RE: REPORT FOR PHYSICAL SECURITY SURVEY ON BANK OF KENTUCKY Following is a security survey conducted on the Bank of Kentucky, below is a report of the security situation of the facility. The Bank of Kentucky is definitely among the largest commercial banks in the region. The survey was conducted based on the course requirement. The survey was conducted within the guidelines provided in the course and also the security conditions presented by the bank’s management. The bank’s financial function in the local region makes it a critical security facility. As identified in the previous reports, compromising the bank’s security will be a major blow to the community and the economy at large. This report is a presentation of the security situation, findings, and recommendations. The report will also entail background details of the Bank of Kentucky, the various security incidences general information required to complete the study. The security loops found in the survey will be analyzed and outlined. Following the expertise gained from this course, various security reinforcing actions will be taken to avert the security. The report will provide security solutions, for both the bank and the surrounding environs. Kindly review this report at your convenience and offer your feedback. Your review forms an important part of this whole activity; therefore, your input to this survey will be helpful to me. Best regards. Yours faithfully, Security Surveyor Purpose Security forms a critical part for any organization’s prosperity. When it comes to banking, the security of the banking building and its environment determines the success of the bank. As I approached the bank management on conducting a security survey on the building, they were concerned that such an activity may compromise the security of the bank. As I explained to management the purpose of this survey, they were quick to allow me pursue the survey as they realized how important it was to them. Since the bank had opened the branch in this location, they had never conducted a security survey to ascertain the security situation of the bank. As I presented my survey proposal, they realized that this survey could be conducted professionally at no cost to them. Therefore, they realized that the survey findings and recommendations could be useful to them, both in the present and in the future. As a student in the physical security class, it is within the course requirement to do a security survey. The chief aim of this is to practice the class learnt knowledge. Once I am done with the course work, I will be going to the job market to deploy and exhibit whatever I have learnt. It is a requirement that I first demonstrate that I have clearly grasped the class concepts before I am awarded a certificate a physical security analyst. This survey offered me a platform to put my class learnt skills in actions and demonstrate my ability to survey the security of a critical facility and provide security solutions and recommendations based on my findings. Conducting this survey in the required manner will help me attain a good grade in this course and also equips me with prior experience before I join the job market. I will be able to determine, through this survey, my effectiveness in completing a security survey of a critical infrastructure. The survey is supposed to be conducted according to the course requirements. The areas of excellence in the survey will show my strengths and my level of understanding of the course content; plus the ability to implement what I have learnt. Weakness will depict what I understood less and help me put more effort so as to excel. Therefore, this survey will represent a personal evaluation of the course. Scope As mentioned earlier, this is a security survey that was conducted on the banking compound and building of the Bank of Kentucky. The survey was commenced with seeking authority to conduct the survey from the banks management and security officers. Once the permission was granted, various areas of the bank’s security were observed and surveyed. The bank’s external environment was the first to be surveyed. This included an analysis of the bank’s neighborhood and its perimeter security. It is habitually recommended that people know their neighbors as a security measure. This eliminates the doubts of insecurity when you know what your next door neighbor and the one across the street engages in. Due to this, I took initiative observe and interview the bank’s neighbors. Neighboring the bank’s parking space is an old building hosting computer, printing and photocopying services. The business was observed and interviewed to ascertain if they pose any security threat. This was also done to the neighbors across the street. Another perimeter survey included observation and analysis of the bank’s perimeter fence. The bank’s security personnel were the next to be interviewed. The interview began with the security guard patrolling outside the bank. His interview sought to determine the nature of his work and his level of expertise as a security guard. Next to be interviewed were the two guards guarding the banking lobby and entrance. The interview questions used in these interviews were related to their area of work. I then moved to the security room where the CCTV monitoring and control is done. I spent time with the security personnel in the control room observing their roles and actions in the control room. I also had a questionnaire that they answered as I observed. The control room also functions as the security office where the head of banking security operates from. I was able to interview the head of security in the office and also accompanied him as he patrolled through the banking building. I also undertook patrols alone to ascertain the various security loops and strengths of the banking facility. I also interviewed a sample of the bank’s employees and the branch manager. Background of the Facility The Bank of Kentucky is undoubtedly a commercial bank of Kentucky origin. It is one of the fastest growing commercial banks in the region as it the market leader. The bank has always worked to meet its targets with the recent target of 100000 customer deposits attained. The bank is proud of its exceptional services to its customers. It also boasts for the wide variety of services it accords its customers with the recent introduction of mobile and banking internet banking. Customers flock at this branch since it is conveniently located within the central business district of the city. Most of the people using this bank are business persons and corporates, government employees, teachers, farmers and students[The14]. The bank is situated at the crossing of the W 19th street and the Madison Avenue. The bank is located on a ¼ acre piece of land. The banking building has two floors. Within the banking compound is another small room that is used as the generator storage room. There is also ample parking space in front of the bank. The main building in which the bank is located forms the perimeter fence of the banking compound separating the bank from the neighboring streets. Bordering the bank’s parking space is a vintage building that is used for various services including computing and photocopying shops. Across the street lie other businesses, mainly hotels and fast food outlets. On the rear side of this building where there is the generator room, there is a bordering access street. Findings Physical security The first security threat to any critical facility is uncontrolled access to the facility. As observed, there is one entrance and exit into the banking compound indicating that the entry and exit of people into the compound has been restricted. There is a security guard who has been assigned to patrol the bank’s compound to ensure there are no perimeter bridging incidences. The bank’s environs, as observed, pose no security threat to the bank’s operations. The next door neighbors are genuine businesses who are honesty neighbors. The businesses across the street are also trustworthy. For any building to be utilized as a banking facility, it must be analyzed on the physical strength and location in relation to security requirements. The building was constructed using concrete reinforced with metal grills. This combination makes it hard for thieves to bridge the walls of the bank. The building is under 24 hour surveillance by both security guards and the CCTV cameras. Every entry and exit is monitored and recorded. This makes it difficult for any unauthorized entry or exit into and out of the bank. The banking building and compound are always under 24 hour guard. The building’s doors have been secured from unauthorized entry from the high level security locks. The bank uses steel reinforced doors on the building’s entries and exits. The office doors are made of glass and timber. The steel doors are locked after banking hours using an alarm system that is triggered once the locks are disturbed. The security company securing the bank has an alarm response unit that responds immediately the alarm goes off. The office doors are automated: locked and opened using magnetic strip cards. Access into and out of the offices has been restricted to card holders. Each card has been restricted to a given number of locks; hence not every card holder can access the areas considered critical to the bank. It was observed that the bank building’s wall forms a majority of the building’s banking compound. The bank is positioned at the joining of the W 19th street and the Madison Avenue, showing that the banking walls are in direct contact with the streets. This was a major security threat to the bank as the wall can easily be bridged from the street. For instance, if a truck loses control, it may branch into the banking building. This poses a security threat to the life of those working in the bank and customers. If thieves decide to use this channel to rob the bank, they are likely to succeed during the non-banking hours. The CCTV surveillance employed for the bank’s security was a good strategy. As observed, the surveillance camera footages were recorded on disks that were stored on site. This posed a security threat in event of fire or any other malicious destruction of the tapes. Guard security The bank has adequate security guards as per its size and function. The security guards have been placed strategically to secure the building from all kinds of threats that are likely to emanate. The bank security is provided by a local security company that hires and trains qualified security personnel. The security officers working at this facility demonstrated greater levels of skill as far as security matters and handling security incidences is concerned. The guards were well equipped to enhance their security skills. For instance, they had the best attire that allowed them respond to any security incident at all times. They were in helmets and other protective gears to ensure they were safe in event of attacks. Some were equipped with hand guns depending on their area of patrol. As observed, the guard security was well deployed but they required more weapons to handle extreme criminal activities. As observed, not all the security guards were equipped with weapons, for instance, guns. As explained in the survey, there was an incident of attempted robbery with violence that was successfully averted with the help of the police. Had it not been the police’s presence within the locality, the gang could have easily overcome the security guards. There was only one guard patrolling and controlling movement of persons and cars in and out of the banking compound. This guard was not able to patrol and cover all the sections of the compound. This posed a security threat. Office security The general office security of the bank was assessed to be good. There was an employee identification system; each employee had a name tag on him/her at all times when in the banking premises. Each employee was assigned a key card for access of the offices according to clearance levels. Each lock recorded the key card used to access it for ease of identifying who was in the office and the time. The bank’s data is well secured as the bank uses computerized banking. All the banking information is considered private and confidential hence it is protected at all times. All the computer systems have been secured using encryptions and passwords to control access. The banking information is stored online hence it can be retrieved in event of system damages. There is a server room where the computer system is controlled from. Since this is an important security area, only the branch manager and the information technology manager have access to this room. Conclusion Any banking facility is a high security area; this facility surveyed was also highly protected. The Bank of Kentucky is among the highly secured banking building in the region due to its critical function in the region. As observed, all the required security procedures have been followed except for the few security loops identified. It will be prudent to conclude that the security of the bank is almost excellent. If the management could seal the few security loops identified, then the bank will be fully secured from any insecurity occurrences. Recommendations 1. As mentioned earlier, the all the security guards on the bank’s vicinity should be armed for rapid response to insecurity incidences. It was also witnessed that the number of the patrolling guards, outside the banking building, were not enough. There ought to be at least one security guard at the entrance into the compound checking those entering the bank premises. This will help identify and prevent malicious gangs from effecting robberies as observed in earlier incidences. 2. The security cameras installed should be increased in number to cover most of the building and its environs. Once recorded, the CCTV footages should be stored on site and also backed up either online or sent to an offsite storage device to safeguard the footages in case of accidental or incidental losses. 3. The building’s perimeter was determined to be vulnerable. The bank should consider erecting a perimeter fence around the compound. On the side bordering the road, there should be barriers erected alongside the walls of the building. These barriers will prevent incidences of vehicles losing control and hitting the wall. The bank management should also consider constructing a gate that controls entry and exit into the banking compound. 4. Due to the changing times, the security personnel and the bank’s employees should be trained on various emerging issues in security. As times change, criminal come up with new ways of doing their activities. Continuous training will ensure the security personnel are aware of these methods and ready to deal with any security incident. The banking staff will also be aware of these changes and know how to respond in event of such occurrences. 5. The banking systems should be analyzed from time to time to ascertain any internal and external threats and secured with the latest available security measure. Works Cited The14: , (The Bank Of Kentucky, 2014), Read More