Safety and security are one of the primary reasons that people choose to live in a community with an HOA. When it comes to HOA community security, live security guards are often hired to offer protection. While this is better than nothing, there are many disadvantages to hiring a live security guard.
First of all, it’s important to remember that live security guards are human and, therefore, can only be in one area at a time. Therefore, if they are on one side of the community, the other side is not protected and vice-versa. Also, live security guards get sick and call out or don’t show up for their shift. Sometimes, they fall asleep when working because nothing is going on, so they get bored.
Therefore, while a live security guard is better than nothing, it’s best if you have virtual security guards instead.
Advantages of Virtual Security Over Live Security for Communities
If you’ve ever entered a gated community, you’ve probably encountered some form of security at the gate. There is often a live security guard that checks and validates guests upon entry. There may be an automated gate with a variety of methods for entry, such as a keypad that requires residents and visitors to swipe a card or enter a code to gain entrance or a phone system where visitors can call the homeowner that they are visiting, and the homeowner will open the gate.
The number one reason communities choose virtual security over live security is that it reduces costs. Live security guards can get expensive quickly because even the smallest community needs more than one guard to effectively cover the grounds. Large HOA’s may need several live security guards to maintain security. A virtual security guard reduces costs without sacrificing security as one is likely to be enough to monitor the entire community.
The second reason communities choose virtual security guards over live security guards is that they have enhanced capabilities. Live security guards are human. When compared with a virtual system, they simply cannot complete. Take night vision for instance. A live security guard may struggle to see clearly at night and likely can’t see nearly as far as a virtual system. A virtual security system not only can see clearly and at a much greater distance, but it can also zoom in or otherwise enhance their view. This means that virtual security guards can get a better picture of your property at night all while potential criminals or violators are unable to escape being seen.
Third, a trained virtual guard can control the entire system easily- even more so than having several guards on the property. After all, since the virtual system provides a birds-eye view of your property, it’s easy for a trained virtual guard to identify a crime before it happens than having several guards patrolling on the ground that may not see someone sneaking in.
Fourth is the liability risk. You may not realize it, but a live security guard poses significant liability risks to your community. A live security guard may be attacked by a criminal or may inadvertently injure the suspected criminal when attempting to stop a crime from occurring. A virtual guard can get information without putting anyone, themselves included, in danger.
A virtual security guard also has an increased chance of stopping crime by seeing the suspicious activity from the start and alerting the police. All in all, this reduces the liability risk for your HOA.
Finally, a virtual security guard provides better coverage for your property. As mentioned, a live security guard is better than nothing, but they can only patrol one area at a time, which means if they are on one end of the property, something could be going on in another area, and they wouldn’t know it. However, a virtual security guard can see multiple areas simultaneously, which means your property is covered, and crime will be detected before it happens, not while it’s happening, or worse, after it happens.
Get Your Consultation Today
At Securiteam, we have various security options, including a virtual security guard. We know that protecting your HOA community is critical, and it’s a 24/7 endeavor. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to pay for security staff. Our state-of-the-art virtual security guard will ensure that your community is always protected.
Contact us today for your free assessment. We would love to discuss your security needs and help you develop a plan that will work for you.