US DOJ Sues to Block ASSA ABLOY?s Proposed Acquisition of Spectrum Brands? Division
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block ASSA ABLOY AB?s (ASSA ABLOY) proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of the Hardware and Home Improvement division of its rival, Spectrum Brands Holdings Inc (Spectrum). ASSA ABLOY and Spectrum are two of the three largest producers of residential door hardware in the concentrated, $2.4 billion U.S. industry. If the merger were to go through the DoJ says that Assa Abloy would have a ?near monopoly? on premium mechanical door hardware and more than a 50 percent share in smart locks.
NEC Expands Team To Focus on DOJ Biometrics and Facial Recognition
NEC Corporation of America (NEC) has appointed Paul DiPietra to its Advanced Recognition Systems Division to serve as the Senior Account Manager for the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Law Enforcement. DiPietra will be the primary liaison for NEC with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Courts and other federal agencies that seek to use biometrics to help prevent crime, solve cases and protect public safety.
SIA Applauds Funding of School Safety Grants Program
President Donald Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 which among other provisions would reauthorize and restore funding for school safety grants administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The new law provides $25 million immediately for school security technology and equipment in addition to emergency communications systems and other coordination with law enforcement to enhance response capabilities. Administered through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), $33 million is authorized annually for the program beginning next year.
DOJ Body-Worn Camera Policy And Implementation Program FY2017
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for the FY 2017 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program. This program furthers the Department?s mission by supporting the safe and fair administration of justice.
Report: School Security Equipment Market To Surpass $720M By 2014
As the nation gets ready to mark the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting this week, IHS announced on Wednesday that it is forecasting strong growth in demand for security equipment in U.S. schools over the next several years. According to the research firm, the market size for security equipment in schools will reach $634 million this year and is expected to surpass $720 million by 2014. IHS said that high-profile shootings like Sandy Hook have a “partial impact” on school security spending as there is typically a spike in spending and budgets following these tragedies. “These events force schools to review their existing policies and create threat assessments as well as new policies and procedures. There is no set standard for what schools need to do to prevent these tragedies,” Blake Kozak, senior analyst for access control, fire and security at IHS said in a statement. “Perhaps the key here is to have ongoing discussions and security reviews long after such events fade from media coverage. For example, continued knowledge sharing between school districts and universities to find best practices.” Funding remains one of the biggest barriers of growth when it comes to expanded use of security equipment in schools. IHS said that the U.S. Department of Justice awarded $45 million in Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants this year to schools that planned security enhancements. Video surveillance is expected to be the focal point of school security spending in the years to come […]
Source www.securityinfowatch.com
ADT Commercial Announces New Appointments to Enterprise Security Risk Group
ADT Commercial announced the hiring of three senior-level security professionals to join ADT Commercial?s Enterprise Security Risk Group (eSRG). The new members of the team boast wide-ranging experience in Fortune 500 companies, healthcare and law enforcement to help commercial organizations as they focus on business continuity, resiliency and adopting best practices in disruptive and uncertain times.
Real Talk About School Security
It?s graduation time for high-schoolers and college students alike. The streets here are awash in young people in suits, prom dresses, and graduation garb. I love to see those fresh faces full of excitement, and a little apprehension, about the future. But it is not lost on me that, in response to recent events, while so many young people are experiencing this important rite of passage, many of us are having —or not having— difficult conversations about school safety. For anyone avoiding the conversation, it might help to know what the research about gun violence in schools is telling us. The current debate around school safety is centered on mass shootings. But research to be published later this year by Professor James Alan Fox and doctoral student Emma Fridel shows that mass school shootings are rare events. They have found that, on average, mass murders in the U.S. occur between 20 and 30 times per year while, on average, only about one of those incidents takes place at a school.
PSIA Demonstrates Commercial Implementation of PLAI Specification
The Physical Security Interoperability Alliance’s (PSIA) will demonstrate an important use case of its Physical Logical Access Interoperability specification (PLAI) at ASIS 2017 – Access Control. Another technology that will be demonstrated at the ASIS event will be a commercial PLAI Agent, developed by Software House. The PLAI Agent acts as an enterprise communication hub —essentially a digital traffic controller— for information coming and going between different PACS systems.
Data Storage As A Platform For Better Security – Protecting Points Of Entry At Airports And Borders
With Homeland Security and Public Safety organizations exploring new ways to use big data and data analytics, data storage is no longer just a place to save information; it?s an enabler?a platform that can help government and law enforcement officials achieve better airport and border security. – Quantun’s Wayne Arvidson discusses video surveillance long-term retention storage strategies.
Privacy Advocates Warn of Potential Surveillance Through Listening Devices Like Amazon Echo, Google Home
Privacy experts are keeping a close watch on the case of a Bentonville, Arkansas, man who was charged with murder after prosecutors obtained a warrant to receive data from his Amazon Echo, a voice-activated device that is always listening and often recording. James Andrew Bates says he?s innocent of the murder of Victor Collins, who was found strangled in Bates?s hot tub. Prosecutors hope to search audio recordings on Bates?s Amazon Echo for clues. So far, lawyers for Amazon have refused to comply with the warrant, but the case has drawn national attention and alarmed civil liberties groups. We speak with Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
Will Auto Insurance Companies Utilize Questionable Baltimore Surveillance Tech?
As the Baltimore Police Department considers whether to continue using a private aerial surveillance program to fight crime, the man who owns the technology is looking to court other clients in private industry. Ross McNutt, president of Persistent Surveillance Systems, said he is considering marketing his company’s ability to collect aerial footage of the city to auto insurance companies, to help them determine which drivers are at fault in accidents and whether claims are valid.
Unique One-Press Classroom Deadbolt Avoids Door Barricade Dangers
Securitech, the industry leader for innovative, purpose-driven locking devices, is promoting safe classroom security and warning of the dangers of door-blocking devices that cannot be opened from the outside by first responders. According to the National Association of State Fire Marshals, some of the proposed solutions for securing classroom doors in the event of a threatening situation ?may compromise aspects of life safety.?
Implementing a Body-Worn Camera Program: Recommendations and Lessons Learned
Police leaders who have deployed body-worn cameras say there are many benefits associated with the devices. They note that body-worn cameras are useful for documenting evidence; officer training; preventing and resolving complaints brought by members of the public; and strengthening police transparency, performance, and accountability. In addition, given that police now operate in a world in which anyone with a cell phone camera can record video footage of a police encounter, body-worn cameras help police departments ensure events are also captured from an officer?s perspective.
Allegion Warns Against Quick-Fix Lockdown Practices
Allegion Educates School Administrators On Value Of Proven Campus Security Solutions. With Safe School Week Message: Avenues Available to Fund Door Hardware Upgrades to Better Protect Teachers and Students. Allegion PLC (NYSE: ALLE), a leading global provider of security products and solutions, is celebrating this year’s Safe School Week (October 19-25) by encouraging its security/architect […]
Charleston Police Chief Makes Pitch For Body Cameras Police Officers
Officer R.M. Medlock with the Summerville Police Department wears his body camera that he activates during every stop he makes as part of the traffic police unit. Charleston police officers soon could be wearing body cameras to record all of the their interactions with citizens, a practice that has sparked privacy concerns with the American […]
Iris ID is the Lead Supplier of Iris Biometric Technology for Participants in the FBI Iris Service
Iris ID has been supporting the FBI since the initial pilot of the Next Generation Identification (NGI) Iris Service in 2014. The Iris Service affords law enforcement and criminal justice community’s economies of scale by utilizing highly efficient iris biometric technology, which is fast, accurate and contactless. As a biometric, iris is regarded as the most accurate modality over either fingerprint or facial recognition and is second only to DNA.
Security.World Q&A with Chris Fowler, Director of Emerging Technologies at ADT Commercial
We’re seeing a rise in violent incidents at businesses and storefronts across the country. What types of industries/workplaces are most impacted? Workplace crime and violent incidents can happen anywhere within any organization. We are particularly concerned about the safety of front-line workers – from retail to public transportation to financial services. Employers must step in with better policies and tools to protect their greatest asset: their workforce.
CPI Security Wins Deceptive Sales Practice Lawsuit Against Competitor, Vivint Smart Home
CPI Security won a significant civil lawsuit today after an eight-person jury in the U.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina Charlotte Division unanimously found competitor Vivint Smart Home responsible for using deceptive door-to-door sales practices to mislead and confuse CPI customers, so that Vivint could take over their alarm systems. The jury awarded CPI Security more than $189 million in damages.
Iris Recognition Technology from Iris ID Allows Law Enforcement to Verify Identities with Up To 99% Accuracy
Iris ID to report growing adoption of its iris recognition technologies amongst the nation?s top local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Most notably, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) implemented Next Generation Identification (NGI) Iris Service utilizing advanced iris technology from Iris ID to allow law enforcement and corrections officials to capture, catalog, and rapidly compare iris images across a massive database to identify enrolled individuals with up to 99% accuracy.
D-Fend Solutions Expands Operations in North America to Meet Increasing Demand for its Counter-Drone Solutions
D-Fend Solutions announced the expansion of its North American headquarters in McLean, Virginia. This announcement follows D-Fend Solutions? strategic focus on North America, its continued growth in the region during 2020 and the strong adoption of its flagship product, EnforceAir , by North American military and special forces, national and homeland security, law enforcement, airports, border patrol, VIP executive protection, and event and stadium organizations.