On The Editor's Desk

‘Twas the week before Christmas, and over our house, four drones were stirring, with suspicions aroused. Like many of you who live in the northeast, these mysterious drones that continue to invade our skies are leaving me in an unsettled state of mind during the holiday season. And why federal authorities took so long to investigate the source of these drones really does not have me feeling festive heading into what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. This modern-day...

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and reached their destinations safely, without having to stow yourself on an airplane. Yes, New York City is once again the dateline for the latest security fiasco in the place I call home. This latest security escapade took place at JFK Airport on Nov. 26, when an unidentified 57-year-old Russian national miraculously made her way through multiple security checkpoints without valid travel documents or a boarding pass and somehow snuck her way on to a Delta...

After more than 14,000 miles in the air, three cities, three hotels, four train rides and four cab rides, I would say it was well worth the trip. My first journey across the world to Japan was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a mixture of business and pleasure that made for a truly unforgettable week in the “Land of the Rising Sun.” The reason for my trek across the International Date Line and all states, countries and bodies of water along the way was the inaugural Global Press...

More security - or in this case, lack of security - news this week coming out of NYC, and this one falls in the category of “Can’t make this stuff up” regarding the facility where New York’s Finest recruits are trained. This inexplicable blunder took place in the wee hours of the morning on Nov. 2 at the entrance of the state-of-the-art building that houses the New York City Police Academy, which stands a mere three miles from my home. Vandals not only desecrated an...

More security-related news coming out of New York for this week’s blog - this time on the state level - and significant enough that security integrators and small business owners in NY State should really take the time to read about these important developments that will help protect employees and merchandise. Let me go back to April of this year, when the New York State legislature passed its annual budget measure for fiscal year 2025 which addresses multiple priorities and...

New York City, or more specifically the embattled Mayor Eric Adams of the city I call home, has been dominating the headlines in recent weeks, and for all the wrong reasons. You see, Mayor Adams was charged with federal bribery, campaign finance, and conspiracy offenses in an indictment released on Sept. 26 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York. Since the indictment was unsealed, mayoral staffers left and right have either resigned, been fired, and even jailed, which...

So, after two days of meetings, educational sessions and special events at an event filled with thousands of security professionals, GSX 2024 may not be the safest place to be after all. Here in sunny, hot and humid Orlando, Fla., we are wrapping up the annual end user-based show with the threat of a hurricane. Guess it’s not a surprise given we are in hurricane season down here, but can’t Mother Nature spare us and allow everyone to get out of Orlando safely before the storm hits?...

How did I spend the morning of Sept. 11, 2024? Doing the same thing I’ve done the previous 22 9/11s, as I’m sure many other friends, relatives and colleagues have done to remember those we lost on that fateful date 23 years ago. I turn on the TV to hear the beginning of the annual calling of names of the nearly 3,000 who perished in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. About an hour into the calling of the names, I hear one name that just triggers the feelings of sadness and...

If James Brown was considered the hardest working man in show business, John Nemerofsky may be the security industry’s equivalent to the “Godfather of Soul.” To list John’s accomplishments in his more than 25 years in the security industry would take several paragraphs. Instead, let’s focus on John Nemerofsky, the man – one of the hardest-working individuals I have come across in my nearly four years working for Security Systems News. I’ll start with...

“Root, root, root for the home team” is a famous line from Take Me Out to the Ballgame, one of the most iconic sports-themed songs ever made. These days, it seems the roles have been reversed, thanks to recent corporate sponsorships of professional sports teams by home security companies. My idea for this week’s blog came about while I was watching my beloved New York Mets take on the Miami Marlins over the weekend, when I noticed that the Marlins players were wearing an ADT...