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Studio Security Newsletter

Dan Daley, editor

Issue #2 — August, 2000

Security Starts With You

Most burglaries and thefts, like accidents, are preventable, and an ounce of prevention goes a long way. A security check of your facility is fairly simple, and while it's recommended that you have a professional do one at some point — and security companies vying for your business will often do one for free — you can do a pretty effective one yourself to get started.

Check the perimeter — the outermost edges of the facility is where any unauthorized entry starts. Check all exterior walls and entryways. This includes fencing, gardens and other perimeter establishments. It also includes things you might not think about, including chimneys and ductwork. Stories about crooks getting caught in them while attempting burglaries are comedy staples of newspaper reports. But it's not funny when they actually succeed in getting in. Doorways and windows should be locked from the inside, but definitely check local building codes regarding how easily they can be opened from inside in the event of an emergency.

Install an alarm — but use the kind that terminates to a central location in the studio, such as the reception desk, and shows via red and green LEDs which exterior doors and windows are open. Video security cameras trained on these locations are even better, and you can put together a system pretty cost-effectively with components from places like Radio Shack. And it's not like you don't have someone on the premises who can do wiring.

Implement a sign-in/sign-out policy — keeping a log of who has come into the building on a 24-hour basis is prudent for any number of reasons, and should include employees, clients and freelance technicians, as well as posse and entourage members.

Locate small, easy-to conceal-and-steal items in a central location and away from client areas. Putting the microphone cabinet in the lobby is not a good idea, but you'd be surprised how many studios do just that. These items should have a separate sign-in-sign-out log. It goes without saying that all of these items should be engraved with the studio's name and their serial numbers logged elsewhere. These are just a few suggestions.

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