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BUSINESS NEWS

"Lifelong learning” is one of today’s catch phrases, and security practitioners are among the most ardent learners. Associations such as ASIS International offer classes year-round to help professionals keep abreast of the latest and best practices. Businesses offer courses in their own training centers and on the road so that their customers can get the most from their products. Check out the ASIS and Industry Events listed at left for learning opportunities, and read on to see some other examples.

Bosch Security Systems has opened a new training and demonstration center in San Jose, California. Like the company’s other centers in Pennsylvania and New York, the facility will offer training courses and demonstrations of its security products.

Meanwhile, SimplexGrinnell is taking its Fire and Life-Safety Road Show Series to 33 cities in the United States and Canada this year, offering 28 one-day symposiums and five two-day expositions. Sessions address the latest codes, trends, and technologies in fire protection. For a schedule, seewww.simplexgrinnell.com/2005expo.

IQacademy is a hands-on learning experience sponsored by IQinVision that explains IP video and the company’s products through lectures, demonstrations, and discussions. It takes place at various U.S. and European locations. For more information [email protected] in the United States [email protected] in Europe.

Palisade Corporation has opened Palisade Asia-Pacific Pty Limited, a new office and training facility in Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia. Located near Sydney, the office will provide sales and technical support in addition to training for customers in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and other countries in the region.

PARTNERSHIPS AND DEALS

Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. Is providing its security solution to the Boston Celtics basketball franchise.

Andrews International will provide contract security services, as well as consulting and investigations support, to Countrywide Financial Corporation.

Mercantile National Bank is using cameras from CoVi Technologies to help protect its branches and ATMs. The security system was installed by B&N Safe and Vault.

CREDANT Technologies has joined the Network Admission Control program, an industry effort to enforce security policy compliance on all devices seeking access to network resources.

NetOp Desktop Firewalls from CrossTec Corporation are protecting computers for Overseas Express.

DataPower has joined the Liberty Alliance Project, which seeks open standards for federated network identity.

Delta Scientific barricades are protecting Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant, and Pilgrim Nuclear Station.

The Las Vegas Silverton Hotel Casino has chosen a network video management system from DVTel Inc. as part of its security system upgrade, which is being managed by Augusta Electrical Systems, Inc.

Entrust, Inc. has become a sponsoring member of the Anti-Phishing Working Group.

The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center and iDEFENSE have announced a partnership to help financial services organizations combat cyberthreats.

Columbus Children’s Hospital Inc. has selected Galvanon solutions to provide support for the Trial of Automated Risk Appraisal for Adolescents Project, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Integrated Solutions International, L.L.C., has purchased more than 1,300 software licenses of ID-CHECK technology from Intelli-Check, Inc., for use in its age-verification solution.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is using an IPvideo surveillance system based on software from Milestone Systems and installed by Dynamark Security.

Nortronics Corporation has installed access control and intercom systems for tenants in the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, and Grand Central Towers, among other New York City buildings.

Digital camera software from One Step Data, Inc., provided evidence that led to the prosecution of a robber at Jenny Bec’s, a children’s toy and furniture retailer.

Pacom Systems and Dedicated Micros have entered into a partnership to allow operators to seek video verification when responding to alarms.

Consolidated Banking Services has selected Pacom to expand its integrated security and surveillance capabilities.

Lenses from Rainbow CCTV are being used by Tyco Integrated Systems for license plate recognition at Dover, England.

Rainbow’s zoom lenses are helping monitor teaching facilities in the university and city of Cambridge, England.

California State University, Fullerton, is using bioLock software from realtime North America Inc. for research in biometrics.

Savi Technology and LG CNS have formed a strategic alliance to bring Savi software to LG CNS customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

SimplexGrinnell has been selected by Hilton Hotels Corporation to provide fire alarm systems to five of its premier hotels, including the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

Banca Nazionale del Lavoro in Italy will use the Digipass token from VASCO Data Security to secure customers’ Internet and telephone transactions. Actalis is providing the authentication and security service.

Volkswagen Bank of Germany is also using the VASCO Digipass to secure its online banking.

The United Nations Development Program is using card management software from ScreenCheck VB with an ID card application developed by BioID Technologies SA and a printer from Zebra Technologies to identify ex-combatants in Central Africa.

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded a grant to Cambridge Biostability Ltd. to work with the DynPort Vaccine Company to create a vaccine against botulism.

Controlled Access LLC has won a contract to provide access control and video surveillance for a new toll road—California State Route 125— which is under construction. The team of contractors is led by InTranS.

Delta Scientific is providing mobile barricade systems to the Los Angeles Police Department for protecting its headquarters during periods of heightened alerts.

Extreme CCTV and Dedicated Micros are working with Executive Technologies Corporation to provide security for a U.S. Navy base.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has funded a second phase of a wireless vehicle security program at JAXPORT by I.D. Systems.

Monitors, projectors, and projection screens from JVC Professional Europe Ltd. Have been installed in the security control center at Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.

L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems, Inc., recently delivered two mobile x-ray cargo screening systems to the Italian Border Police Service.

Lowry Computer Products has been awarded a purchase agreement from the U.S. Army Contracting Agency for its RFID electronic product code tags.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has received an order to provide security solutions to U.S. Air Force bases in Southwest Asia.

Motorized zoom lenses from Rainbow CCTV are being used on the British Royal Navy’s new destroyer.

SecuraComm Consulting Inc. has won a five-year contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Volpe Transportation Center, for securing various transportation modes.

Smiths Detection has been chosen by the TSA to field test two explosive-detection walkthrough portals at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

SSH Communications Security Corporation announced that the State of Washington has chosen its Tectia solution for a new digital archiving system.

Universal Guardian Holdings, Inc., is providing its Cobra StunLight nonlethal flashlight/weapon for a pilot program with the Lake Forest (Illinois) Police Department.

Mayor Laura Miller of Dallas recently announced that the Dallas Ambassador Program has been replaced by the Downtown Safety Patrol. The private security officers are hired, trained, and supervised by Dunlap Security and Investigation and funded by the Downtown Improvement District.

MARKETING AGREEMENTS

ASSA ABLOY Group companies ESSEX Industries and YSG Door Security Consultants have united into a single entity—ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions—to provide sales and marketing support for the company’s doors and hardware.

Cernium, Inc., is partnering with RFI Communications & Security Systems to market Cernium’s intelligent video system.

Juniper Networks has announced its Federal J-Partner Program for integrators, resellers, and service providers serving the government market.

The Pelco Mobile Product Showcase, designed for product demonstrations, training, and trade shows, was so successful that the company has added two new vehicles this year. The vehicles will travel to all regions of the United States and Canada; the company is considering launching a new showcase for Europe.

LEGIC Identsystems Ltd., has announced several license agreements with original equipment manufacturers and middleware partners, including Integrated Engineering, AXS/TMC, Hectrix, and Deister Electronics.

PepperBall Technologies, Inc., has named Vizer Group as a sales representative firm for institutional markets.

SimplexGrinnell has launched a new advertising campaign under the theme “Be Safe.”

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS

ADT Security Services has been recognized as a Breakout Winner for its RFID services by readers of Consumer Goods Technology magazine. It was also recognized as one of the Best-in-Class providers of RFID.

The Netilla Security Platform from AEP Networks won the Best VPN Solution Reader Trust Award at the SC Magazine awards ceremony.

Axis Communications has received the 2005 Frost & Sullivan Market Leadership Award for network video.

The Washington Building Congress presented its 2005 Washington Craftsmanship Award in Special Systems to the Bordes Group for planning, design, and installation management services provided at the General Dynamics Corporation headquarters building.

Britestream Networks announced that its SSL security NIC solution has been certified “Ready for IBM Tivoli Software.”

The Emergency Interoperability Consortium has announced that some of its member organizations have received Department of Homeland Security awards. Among them were Apex Innovations; Appian Corporation; Battelle; Blue 292, Inc.; the ComCARE Alliance; DICE Corporation; Emergency Services Integrators; E Team; Fire Monitoring Technologies International, Inc.; the George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute; MyStateUSA; Proxicom; SDI; Towson University Center for GIS; and Xybernaut.

Gryphon Networks was named as a recipient of a 2005 IP Contact Center Technology Pioneer Award by Customer Interaction Solutions magazine.

Lantronix, Inc., has received Federal Communications Commission certification of its WiPort wireless embedded device server.

MDI Security Systems has received advanced-encryption-standard certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology for its SAFEnet Enterprise Security Suite.

The Central Station Alarm Association has awarded Five Diamond Certification to Monitronics International, Inc.

SC Magazine has honored New Horizons for its IT security training program.

Recognition Systems has announced that its FingerKey DX biometric readers have passed the requirements of the Underwriters Laboratories Standard Access Control Systems, UL 294, as well as those in the Canadian National Standard for Miscellaneous Signaling Equipment.

The Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence has awarded its 2004 Achievement Award to Yale Commercial Locks & Hardware.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

American Investigative Services is a new company offering specialized services including fraud investigations, corporate security, accident reconstruction, safety inspections, intelligence gathering, and background checks.

The American Society of Safety Engineers has launched a new Web page that consolidates key workplace safety standards information.

The United States Association of Professional Investigators (USAPI) is a new group that will provide education, training, and benefits to its members, and will initiate a certification program for different specialties within the investigative professions.

ASSA ABLOY has opened its Global Technologies Division headquarters in Providence, Rhode Island.

Axis Communications has opened a Canadian sales office in Toronto.

Central Command Inc. is offering its Vexira Antivirus solution to schools at a reduced rate along with free educational materials for teachers.

Digital Descriptor Systems Incorporated has purchased CGM Security Solutions, Incorporated, which will now be known as CGM Applied Security Technologies Incorporated.

The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc., has released the 2005 Resource Guide for Today’s Information Security Professional, Americas Edition, a free guide to IT security organizations, publications, and other resources in North, Central, and South America.

OCS Security will provide a free Kinderprint Child Identification Kit to parents who request one [email protected].

Offshore Systems International has entered into an agreement to purchase Mapcon Mapping Consultants Inc.

Optelecom, Inc., has signed a letter of intent to acquire NKF Electronics B.V., which will double operations and revenue.

Palisade Corporation has moved into a new headquarters in Ithaca, New York.

PEI Systems, Inc., has opened a new office in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Postini has opened two new data centers, in London and Amsterdam.

OSI Systems, Inc., has consolidated its Rapiscan, Metorex, Ancore, and ARACOR businesses to form Rapiscan Systems.

UPM Rafsec has opened a new sales office in Beijing, China. United Technologies Corporation has announced plans to acquire Lenel Systems International, Inc.

ASIS NEWS

ASIS President Corrects Press Conceptions on Private Security

ASIS International President Daniel J. Consalvo, CPP, responded to an article by Chief Washington Correspondent Brock N. Meeks that was published online by the MSNBC news network. The March 9 article, titled “Are ‘Rent-a-Cops’ Threatening Security?” was critical of the background investigations and training of private security officers, as well as of the low salaries they are paid, which leads to high turnover.

The article stated that, “In the aftermath of 9/11, private security officers are being asked to step into the breach and fill the gaps in the nation’s homeland security plans. But experts warn that most of this two-million-person workforce receives little or no training, aren’t subjected to rigorous background checks for previous criminal behavior and are paid so poorly that many quickly leave for better paying jobs.” Brock later asserted that national standards for private security officers do not exist.

“He is wrong on both points,” corrected Consalvo, who noted that the author’s premise “was flawed from the beginning, and his reporting fell short in detailing the many measures the industry has undertaken to improve and standardize its service.

“The security industry as a whole recognizes the importance of proper training, and advocates for more and better training of security professionals in a variety of job-related areas,” wrote Consalvo. Earlier this year, ASIS released its Private Security Officer Selection and Training Guideline that set forth minimum criteria for the selection and training of private security officers, which also may be used to provide regulating bodies with consistent minimum qualifications, he explained. (The guideline is available free online atwww.asisonline.org.)

Consalvo notes that several states, such as Virginia, California and Florida, have increased their officer training requirements and have passed legislation requiring that at least a portion of the training be in antiterrorism training or terrorism awareness.

He supplied the example of Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services, which established a certification program in 2003. It includes specific training in recognizing and dealing with weapons of mass destruction, crime prevention through environmental design, and security assessments of large facilities.

“Similarly, the industry strongly favors better screening of applicants for security officer positions to reveal any possible criminal history, and has been a leading proponent of legislation allowing for more extensive background checks,” Consalvo said. He noted that ASIS hailed congressional passage and the president’s signing of the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 last December, which incorporated language of a previously separate bill on background checks.

The new law, which ASIS lobbied on behalf of, now authorizes employers to request FBI criminal background checks on persons applying for or holding positions as private security officers. “What’s more, the law overrides states with weaker background-check rights,” Consalvo noted.

In addition to the background check and training issues being addressed internally by the industry and legislation, there are now more private organizations requiring that the contract security officers they employ be sufficiently screened and properly trained, he added.

Consalvo concluded, “In terms of the officer pay issue Mr. Meeks raises, unfortunately, progress is seldom made in quantum leaps. It stands to reason, however, that as the caliber and qualifications of security professionals rises—through more thorough background checks and increased training—so too will the wages they command.”