Security Audit

Read about some of the most important steps that can be undertaken to prevent premises liability and some questions to consider to determine the level of security preparedness of your building or facility

The following is excerpted with permission from Spotlight on Security for Real Estate Managers, Second Edition, copyright 2005 by the Institute of Real Estate Management.

The most important steps that can be undertaken to prevent premises liability are:

1. Identify the level of criminal activity at the site and in the neighborhood. The evaluation should include a three-year history, with periodic annual reviews. The radius or area to be reviewed will vary from site to cite. Consult a security expert for a site-specific recommendation for your property.
2. Conduct a security survey or audit that identifies the assets to be protects, threats and/or vulnerabilities (i.e., risks), and recommendations for security imporvement. Results of the security should be submitted in the form of a written report and used as the basis for a plan of action.
3. Look at the big picture. Security is more than the guard gate, perimeter fence, wall construction, closed-circuit television (CCTV), security patrol, or detection technology. A security delivery system is an integrated approach for the protection of people, information, and property using access control, surveillance, management, and territorial strategies.
4. Do as your say, say as you do. If you start a security program, complete it. Installation of CCTV but having no one watching the monitors, or having broken equipment and not repairing it, or not having trained staff to respond to emergencies creates an illusion or false sense of security. Apart from the real-world consequences in the event of a criminal incident, the illusion can be very damaging in court.

In order to determine the level of preparedness of your facility, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you maintain good relations with the local law enforcement agency?
• Do you maintain active membership in associations that have strong national standards for their members such as the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, or the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS)?
• Have you established policies and procedures for notifying residents and/or tenants about the development of crime and security problems?
• Do you document all security or criminal incidents and keep these records on file for the duration of the statute of limitations for negligence in your local jurisdictions?
• Do you have a clearly stated security mission that includes job descriptions, shift descriptions, and essential functions?
• Is sufficient training on property security practices at the site given to both security personnel and non-security staff members?
• Do you review, update, and document all policies and procedures at least once a year?
• Are all employees issued their own copy of the policies and procedures manual and required to sign an acknowledgment of having received and reviewed it?
• Can you ensure that all locks and locking devices are sufficient in quality and number to protect residents and/or tenants from an authorized entry?
• Are locks on doors and windows inspected at least once a year and again whenever a resident or tenant vacates the space and a new occupant moves in? (Locks should be changed or the cylinders rekeyed when tenants move out.)
• Are intercom, security alarm, fire safety, CCTV, and other systems tested inspected, and documented periodically - at least once a year?
• Are lighting levels even and consistent in all exterior parking areas, walkways, and entries?
• Is all perimeter fencing maintained intact and in good condition generally?
• Do residential units have viewers (peepholes) installed in all entry doors?
• Are all vacant building spaces and units kept secured at all times to prevent unwanted criminal activity?
• Are all keys properly and continuously controlled in their distribution? Is an inventory of all keys kept in a secure location? Is there a key control policy and procedure that is followed?
• Is foliage around the grounds and building perimeter trimmed to eliminate hiding places and allow exterior light fixtures to illuminate the area adequately?
• Are all roof, basement, utility space, and mechanical room doors secured to prevent unlawful entry?
• Are installed security bars, grilles, or screens designed to allow fire egress in the event of an emergency?
• Is the building entry designed to screen visitors and other persons who do not belong on the property?
• Are all utilities, power supplies, telephones, air conditioners, generators, and gas containers located and installed in as secure a manner as possible?
• Do all advertising and marketing materials that represent the level and type of security at the site do so accurately and adequately?
• Do rental agents, managers, or staff misrepresent the level of security or history of crime at the site?
• Are disclaimers and warnings included in lease agreements and contracts and appropriate warning signs posted in areas of risk, such as swimming pools, parking areas, mall areas?
• Are all residents and tenants kept informed of changes in security and criminal events that require warning?
• Are all employees screened and tested, and their backgrounds checked, prior to employment?

These will be the first questions asked by a security expert in the event of a personal injury or premises liability lawsuit. How many of these questions were you able to answer YES?

Click here to purchase the full publication.