Security Track: Patrol, Access Control, Evidence and Emergency Response · Module 2 of 4 · about 15 min
Access control, cameras and alarms
Good security starts with layers: fences and lighting at the edge, controlled gates, locked buildings, badged doors and protected rooms inside. CISA's physical security guidance for critical infrastructure is built on this kind of layered approach.
Access control systems decide who gets through which door and when, and log every swipe. The weak point is people. Tailgating, where someone follows a badged person through a door, beats most systems. Challenge it politely every time.
Cameras deter and record, but only if they work. Check that each camera has a clear view, correct time stamp and enough storage, and that someone actually watches or reviews footage. A wrong clock on the recorder can make footage useless as evidence.
Alarm and fire systems follow codes. NFPA 72 is the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. Security officers usually respond to alarms, so know your procedures for each alarm type and never silence or bypass a fire system without authorization.
Sources
Module quiz
5 questions, 4 correct to pass. You'll see what you missed and why, and you can retake it.