Gated communities are some of the most secure and secluded places to live, and people looking for new apartments usually prefer getting them there. A house in a gated community can give the people a sense of complete safety and security. But to achieve this sense of security, the security managers of the community need to follow several gated community security procedures. Only then a proper security system can exist, and the residents won’t complain about any laps in the security needs.
Now, as far as the gated communities’ security procedures go, there are several must-follow rules that the managers must look into to make the community secure. There are also some comparatively less important ones that add to the overall security effect and aid in keeping the residents safe.
GATED COMMUNITY SECURITY PROCEDURES
Make Sure That The Gate Is Being Monitored
One of the essential gated community security procedures is that to ensure proper gated community security, the community’s main gate should always be functional, and the security manager should always be aware of its open or closed status. The security cameras at the main gate should also be working perfectly fine so that the manager can keep a keen eye on all types of movements of the residents and the visitors through the gate.
Moreover, a security guard should always be present at the gate to check the ids of the residents and prevent the entry of any outsiders or trespassers. To achieve this effect, the manager can take the services of on-site gated community security guards or can also choose to use virtual guarding to get better security checks.
Assign Security Guards
In addition to the guards present at the main gate, proper teams of security guards should also be available in different areas at all times to monitor each area of the community. The security manager should assign specific tasks to each team to cover all security checkpoints.
For example, if one team is checking the entry points of the community, the other one should be monitoring the exit points. If one team is in the public areas of the community checking resident activity, the other one should be in the control room monitoring the security cameras. Proper teams of security guards should also make regular security patrols through the community and the guards should work in different shifts to cover different areas of the day.
Implement Virtual Guarding With The Use Of Technology
As we have already said, using on-site security guards in combination with virtual guards can be the best practice for community security. The virtual guards can communicate closely with on-site guards to provide a sound security environment.
Virtual guards can keep an eye on the main entrance gate of the community, can check for residents’ and visitors’ ids, and can also monitor the community’s security cameras after proper access.
Virtual guarding can be very useful when there is a shortage of onsite security guards, or when there are gaps in the security parameters during shift changes. Since the remote guards monitor the community all the time, they ensure that there is no security breach during these shift-change moments.
Thus to allow a safe gated community with security control, the security managers should always try to include virtual guarding in the community’s security plans.
Encourage Communication Between Residents & Security Staff
One of the best ways by which the security guards become aware of the security status of the community is by hearing about it from the residents themselves. Sometimes the guards can become over-worked or under-numbered, and all the areas of the community can not be checked completely.
The security managers can avoid this problem when there is proper communication between the security personnel and community residents. The residents live in all parts of the community and are aware of all the activity in the area close to them. Through proper communication, residents can inform the guards of any suspicious activity they notice in different community areas.
Consider Round-the-Clock Security Patrolling
Often, the security guards spot illegal activity in the community when they are patrolling various areas of the community. This is because the trespassers are often unaware of the presence of security guards in secluded sites, and think that there is no one to keep a check on them.
Through their patrols, the security guards break this notion of the trespassers because they can catch them red-handed and stop them in their mischievous pursuits. Such patrols become even more important late at night or early in the morning because that’s when the chances of illegal activities are very high.
Thus, the guards must do round-the-clock security patrols so that they can maintain a proper check and balance of the community.
Mistakes To Avoid At Your Gated Community
Certain mistakes and lapses of judgment by the security managers can sometimes put the precious lives of the residents and the security staff in danger. Some of the most common ones which can pose a threat to the security of the gated community include:
Incomplete Security Assessments
Whenever the managers don’t put a lot of thought process into the security procedures of the community, unfortunate activities can happen, and the community’s security can get compromised. Assessing the security profile of the gated community and identifying and eliminating the weakness can be the best practice for keeping any threats at bay.
Unclear Roles And Responsibilities
One of the primary reasons why the guards can not handle different emergencies is that they are unaware of their roles in such situations. The guards and other security staff can only perform their duties the best when they are properly aware of them. Thus the managers and the hiring staff should always explain the duties to security guards and inform them of their proper roles.
Negligence In Controlling The Access Points
The guards should always closely check the community access points to prevent any unsolicited visitors from entering. When the guards don’t maintain such a check, many uninvited guests can enter the community and cause havoc, as they can commit serious crimes like burglary, theft, and assaults. The guards must closely monitor all access points to keep the community safe from these crimes.
FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions]
How does the gate work in a gated community?
The gates of the gated communities are under the control of the security guards and only they can open or close them. The guards also check the id of the visitor or the resident before letting them inside the community. The guards do not open the gate for any unknown persons.
Are gated communities more secure?
Yes. According to a report published in The Oxford Handbook of Environmental Criminology, the incidence of crimes in gated communities was 33% less than in non-gated communities. Thus we can say that in terms of security, gated communities are better.
What do you mean by gated security?
Gated security means using gated enclosures and security guards to check the entrance and the exit from a community or a residential area. In such communities, the guards check the ids of the residents and other visitors before letting them in.
Final Thoughts
Gated communities are becoming very popular due to their secure environment and safe living conditions due to the increasing number of crimes in the outside world these days. But to make and maintain this sense of security, the security managers of these communities must also follow several gated community security procedures. Since a proper security system depends on the collaborative efforts of the residents, security personnel, and management of the community, the residents of the community must always take necessary precautionary steps. Only then can they see their gated community safe, secure, and flourishing. To hire security guards for gated communities contact the best security guard company in San Diego.
