Archive: December 2009
Ready to embrace teamwork in 2010?
December 31, 2009Daniel Gelinas
I got a call from Rapid Response events coordinator Brian Beckwith last night. He was calling to let me know he was going to email me a press release on the next User's Group. What a nice guy... and some kind of Ninja or something, if memory serves... Brian you can set me straight if I got that wrong. Seems the Rapid Response Users' Group 2010 has been slated for Aug. 1-4 and will once again be held at the beautiful Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y.
The 2009 RRUG was a huge success according...
Duluth, Minn. enacts new alarm ordinance
December 30, 2009SSN Staff
DULUTH, Minn.--A Dec. 28 story from NBC affiliate KDLH News 3 reported the Duluth Police Department hopes a new ordinance governing security alarms will reduce the number of false alarms they respond to each year.
Effective January 1st, 2010, alarm system users with more then two false alarms in a one year time period will be assessed a false alarm fee.
The fee schedule is: $100 for the third false alarm, $200 for the fourth, and $300 for the fifth. Each additional false alarm will increase the fee...
Spartanburg County axes constitutional-right violating ordinance
December 29, 2009Daniel Gelinas
SPARTANBURG, S.C.—In a time when most municipalities are looking to save money and crack down on wasteful false alarms, the Spartanburg County Council on Dec. 21 took the unusual step of rescinding its recently enacted false alarm ordinance. According to county officials the move is the result of the potential for civil rights violations in the original ordinance, which was to go into effect Jan. 1.
“We had an ordinance in place, but were told that it had no teeth … We knew that we...
FBI reports major fall in crime, but not for everyone
December 29, 2009Leischen Stelter
PLATTSBURG, Mo.—A preliminary report released by the FBI last week indicates a significant drop in crime in the first half of 2009, despite perceptions that a poor economy has contributed to growth in overall crime.
Using data from the 11,728 law enforcement agencies who contributed to the report, the FBI found there has been a 4.4 percent reduction in the number of violent crimes as well as a decrease of 6.1 percent in property crimes for the first six months of 2009.
However, not all cities...
SSN Top five stories of 2009
December 29, 2009SSN Staff
YARMOUTH, Maine—What were the biggest stories of 2009 at Security Systems News? If it had to do with layoffs, door-knockers in general and APX Alarm specifically, all things Pelco, a new start-up called 2GIG Technologies, or GE Security, you were clicking and reading.
The editors of Security Systems News took a look at the stories that got the most reads and picked out five categories of stories that were sure to attract your attention this year. Below is a look at what interested you most...
Botched terrorist attack indicates need for additional layers of security
December 29, 2009Leischen Stelter
DETROIT—A narrowly thwarted terrorist attack aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day raised serious concerns that about security measures implemented by the Transportation Security Administration.
A 23-year-old Nigerian national, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, attempted and failed to ignite a vial of Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate, a highly explosive chemical, aboard Flight 253.
There were immediate queries about how he managed to get past security, especially...
FLIR makes $20M buy
December 29, 2009SSN Staff
PORTLAND, Ore.—Thermal-imaging camera manufacturer FLIR Systems announced Dec. 28 that it paid $20 million cash for the stock of Directed Perception, a provider of pan-tilt motion control systems for commercial and military markets.
Directed Perception, based in Burlingame, Calif. makes high-performance pan-tilts in security and surveillance, maritime, military, robotics, and scientific instruments markets. The company expects to offer commercial and military customers lower cost, improved...
Argyle Security recapitalizes with $10.45M
December 29, 2009SSN Staff
SAN ANTONIO—Argyle Security executives say their balance sheet has been strengthened thanks to a $10.45 M investment by MML Capital Partners, a $1.7 billion investment firm, and Argyle's largest stockholder.
The investment repays “a significant portion of our indebtedness, including the portion of our subordinated debt with the highest interest rate,” said Bob Marbut, Argyle CEO, in a statement. “In addition, our on-going financial covenant requirements have been improved...
The Security Industry Association needs your help
December 28, 2009Daniel Gelinas
I got an email today from the Security Industry Association. Apparently they're getting ready to compile a study of security project management and are asking for help from anyone in the security industry (not just SIA members) engaged in overseeing security projects and managing people.
Interested participants should check out SIA's release at their website.
Join in and help SIA protect and advance its members' interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation on Capitol Hill and throughout...
How to build a laser security system (it's easy!)
December 28, 2009Martha Entwistle
Yes, folks, I'm on vacation. And so should you be. There's really no reason to be working between Christmas and New Year's unless you work at my local liquor store. In which case you need only come in for the 15 minutes necessary for me to pull up, grab more Jameson, and leave.
Since you're on vacation, like me, you've probably got some time on your hands.
Here's a nice project to do with the kids. I'm sure you've got a circuit board and a LM741 microchip lying around since you're a security guy...