The Balancing Act: Security vs. Convenience and Cost Louise Walker, David Walker and Associates Security Services Group 408-947-1500 When you’re being chased down the street by a knife-wielding lunatic, you’ll promise everything and pay anything to get someone to stop him. During an imminent or ongoing threat, security is an absolutely priceless commodity. The rest of the time though, it’s mostly just annoying and inconvenient. Where is the happy medium between security, convenience, and cost? Is there any such thing as sufficient security to prevent trouble that isn’t inconvenient or prohibitively expensive to implement long-term? Because no amount of security is enough when you’re scared, and any security is too much when you feel safe, choosing the correct amount of ongoing protection is challenging, indeed. Everyone has a different threshold for personal safety. A few people value freedom and convenience above all else while some give personal safety top rating. Most people, however, vacillate somewhere between these two extremes depending upon their immediate threat level. People must evaluate their personal threat level versus their tolerance to inconvenience and achieve some sort of balance. Like a triangle, this balancing act is actually three-sided; the opposing sides are security, convenience, and cost. The triangle can be applied to security at any level from the Homeland Security Act to your business, your house, or even just your person. Let’s start with security. Setting cost and convenience aside for now, how much security do you think you really need to be and feel safe? Has someone been threatening you or a family member? Do you live in a bad neighborhood? Do you possess items that thieves can’t resist? Are you elderly or physically restricted? Filthy rich? One or more of these categories would put you at a higher than normal risk. The security industry calls this “executive protection”. Try to be objective in assessing your threat level. There are many different changes that can be made to your home or office. You can employ one, all, or any combination of them to achieve a level of security that meets your threat level. Physical security - wrought iron bars over doors and windows, monitored alarm systems, a guard dog, a firearm, exterior lighting, exterior cameras, and perimeter fencing are some of the most common security systems. Let’s go back to the triangle. Which system(s) are within your tolerance for inconvenience and cost but still provide adequate protection? Cost can be tricky; beware of ongoing expense because that really adds up over time. Special deals on alarm systems can sometimes be had for under fifty dollars installed. Sound cheap? Not after you’ve signed the contract for three years of monthly monitoring fees – that’s where the alarm companies make their profit. The system downside is that the bad guy gains access via a door or window before the alarm sounds. That’s a little too late if you’re inside. The other listed system with high ongoing fees is a guard dog. If you want a dog anyway, then it’s not so bad. A good dog will cost a couple of thousand or more and expenses add up over time with food and vet bills. The dog also usually comes with a bill for perimeter fencing because he is most effective when he can roam freely in both front and back yards. The two big advantages of a dog is that it warns of, and prevents intrusion before the bad guy ever steps onto the property, and it’s portable; the dog can go wherever you go. The one-time-expense systems that are ultimately the least expensive are bars, camera(s), lighting, and a firearm. Lighting is probably the cheapest. Systems begin under a hundred dollars and can be installed by the homeowner. Motion sensor-activated models give a sudden, blinding light that can startle a potential intruder. A few hundred dollars can buy you a camera system or a firearm. A camera at the front door is really handy for confirming who is there. Combine it with a little intercom and you stay safe and snug inside. Bars not only deter entry but they give a good solid sense of security. That eighth-inch pane of glass doesn’t really protect anything, does it? Keep the doors and windows open on those summer nights and sleep like a baby. Cost will depend on the size of the home or office. When a bad guy is prowling around there is positively no better feeling than holding on to a good old-fashioned shotgun. Get some quality instruction and a flashlight attachment so that you’re sure of what you’re pointing at and never be terrified again. The last side of the triangle is convenience. Assess all of your options with consideration towards your willingness to live with them. Alarms do nothing unless they are set – every time you leave the house and again when you get back home. Don’t just walk out the back door or open a window without shutting it down first. Dogs are a huge responsibility each and every day. Perimeter fences are useless if you forget to close the gate...and lock it. Lighting, cameras, and bars pretty much just hang there doing their job without any input from you. A firearm can also be very convenient unless there are children in the house. Will you remember to lock it up safely? Forgetting just once can be disastrous. The best security system in the world is a useless waste of money if it isn’t utilized properly. Protection of your person, your family, home, or business is complicated and more than a little confusing. The triangle of security, cost, and convenience can help break down each critical element for your consideration. Separating the elements and weighing them against each other will assist you in making the best possible security decisions. Who knows? Perhaps if you succeed in your efforts, the knife-wielding lunatic will go pick on someone else.