As a leader in your community, you have a responsibility to ensure it is safe and secure. After all, an increase in crime - or nearly any crime incident - in your community will significantly lower home values.
By working with your board members, HOA manager, and residents, you can take proactive steps to make your community safer and avoid critical coverage, like this story, that paints a bleak picture of your neighborhood.
And often, the most effective step you can take is hiring a professional security agency to bolster your security efforts.
A neighborhood watch is a good starting point, but it can’t replace professional security
As public police forces are spread thin for a myriad of reasons, the onus is often on HOAs to address many or all of the security challenges for their communities.
HOAs are responsible for establishing community security procedures, keeping residents updated on all security issues that could impact them, and actively safeguarding against threats whenever possible.
For some boards and community managers, addressing security begins and ends with a neighborhood watch program.
A neighborhood watch could help deter crime and allow residents to feel safer, but its limitations and potential for legal headaches may make it ultimately ineffective on its own.
As a volunteer program typically made up of residents, a neighborhood watch will not have the training, experience, or equipment to match sophisticated criminals. In extreme cases, it may put residents at risk and increase your liabilities if things go badly.
While a neighborhood watch can be useful, wouldn't you feel more secure in your community with a professional security firm watching over you and your loved ones?
What are the benefits of hiring a professional security agency for your HOA community?
Hiring a professional security agency is a critical decision that should involve input from everyone in the community. Good communication and transparency are essential to ensuring the widespread acceptance and adoption of any community initiative, and security should be no different.
Here are some potential benefits of working with a security agency that all stakeholders should know in advance to make the best decision for your community.
1. Understanding threats
We mentioned earlier how one of the drawbacks of relying on a volunteer neighborhood watch is that it could increase your liabilities if something goes wrong. This is true even if the threat isn’t real.
A real threat is a dangerous event that requires immediate attention, as someone’s life or health could be in danger. An assumed threat may cause anxiety or fear, but it usually leads to nothing.
Trained professionals will be able to distinguish more easily between real threats and assumed threats. This enables them to avoid unnecessarily putting themselves and the community at risk.
Identifying real threats is challenging, as personal beliefs and experiences often shape perceptions of risk. A professional security company should have comprehensive training and procedures to help their patrols accurately assess threats and mitigate personal biases.
This will lead to safer outcomes and fewer incidents that could impact your HOA legally.
2. Access to the latest technology
Buying a few security cameras from Amazon is easy, but a professional company will have significantly better detection and protection technology.
If you can buy a camera from Amazon, criminals can, too, which means there’s a good chance they’ll know how to bypass these simple surveillance systems.
Stories about emerging surveillance technology like AI and robotics are encouraging. Security companies, including Berman Security Agency, will have tested and invested in the best options, including command centers, AI cameras, and access control systems, to keep criminals guessing and your community safe.
Another concern over technology is ethical use and balancing security with civil liberties. One of the biggest debates over security technology and civil liberties over the past few years involved using license plate readers in some HOA communities, public towns, and cities.
While there was some evidence of crime statistics going down after the readers were implemented, there was also community pushback led by privacy advocates who cried foul over the potential for abuse and privacy concerns.
A professional security company can work with your board, community manager, and residents to balance safety and privacy while leveraging the best technology available.
3. Quicker responses
Recent studies have shown that a faster response time increases the likelihood of an arrest. This is attributed to various intuitive factors, including eyewitnesses being better able to identify a perpetrator the sooner they are questioned.
With trained professionals watching out for your community, they can act quickly with established procedures.
Some ways security agencies can accomplish this include mobile patrol services conducting regular walk-throughs of all entry points and common areas, establishing a command center for 24/7 monitoring, and ongoing training and assessments.
A security agency will have professionals with the experience and equipment to identify real threats, act fast according to their training, and contact the authorities when necessary to address those threats in the safest manner possible.
4. Smoother prosecution
From large metropolitan areas to gated communities, it’s essential to have strong public-private security partnerships to increase safety and security.
Public police forces often communicate with private security on potential threats and suspects to help them investigate and prevent future crimes.
Not surprisingly, trained professionals understand how to work with law enforcement and prosecutors on identification and other aspects to make their jobs easier.
As police forces struggle to maintain their numbers, a professional security agency can utilize its human resources and surveillance capabilities to assist them and ensure criminals don’t get away with any crimes they commit against your community.
5. Deters crime
Even though criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated with their tactics, they don’t want to work too hard or spend a lot of time casing targets. Even visible signs about professional security and monitoring make criminals think twice before entering.
In one University of North Carolina study, 25% of burglars would walk away without further investigation if they saw a surveillance or security sign on the lawn.
When patrols are out and visible, deterrence is even more effective. In an English study, 41% more patrol visits and 29% more minutes spent by security agents led to a significant 16% reduction in victim-generated crimes and a 49% increase in police-generated detections.
Criminals know that an increased presence of security and surveillance makes them more likely to get caught, which may be enough on its own to deter crimes. And if not, trained professionals have the capabilities and experience to stop them.
If you are interested in learning more about our security services or have any questions about the benefits mentioned in this article, please contact us. We are happy to share our knowledge and help your HOA strengthen security in your community.
You don’t have to go at it alone or rely on a volunteer watch. From professional human security patrols to next-level surveillance technology, we have the resources to make your community safer.
