WITHERSPOON
SECURITY CONSULTING
Security
Solutions for the 21st Century
PARKING LOT AND GARAGE SECURITY
By
Ralph Witherspoon, CPP
Witherspoon
Security Consulting
22021
Tel. 440.779.3803
Security professionals have long known that locations where people and their valuables are together are often favorite targets of criminals. Such locations include parking lots and garages.
That fact has
recently been confirmed by a study conducted by Liability Consultants, Inc. of
So, can parking lot and garage owners provide reasonable security for their customers and employees against these type crimes? In a word, Yes!
GARAGES
In many garages, access to the garage can be controlled or closely monitored. A parking attendant can view the occupants of cars entering and leaving, and a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera can record license numbers and driver’s faces… both major deterrents to criminals.
To limit access to garages, ground-level doors away from any parking attendant must not be accessible from the exterior of the building, nor should there be any openings in the building walls within fifteen feet of the ground through which a person could enter. Where possible, vehicle entry and exit should be limited to a single entry point, or to adjacent entry / exit points.
The threat to persons and property in covered/enclosed parking garages can be very high. Isolated floors and locations often make effective surveillance or monitoring difficult, however, live (and recorded) CCTV monitoring can reduce the risk (Note: if the CCTV cameras are not monitored live and only recorded for later review, signage should state this so that customers do not rely to their determent on cameras they think are being monitored, and which will produce immediate help for them). Adequate lighting not only helps people recognize and avoid dangers, in many cases it deters criminals by creating a fear of detection, identification and apprehension.
When CCTV is used, good-quality color cameras that operate well in low light, along with high-resolution color monitoring/recording systems are essential. Black-and-white monitors offer poor detail definition, a critical issue when attempting to identify suspects or potential problems. A penny saved here may equal many dollars lost later!
Interior garage
lighting should be a minimum of 6 foot-candles (66 lumens) throughout
the garage, 24-hours per day. Sunlight seldom enters garage interiors, and
cannot be relied upon for lighting. However, to enhance safety and security, I
recommend a maintained level of at least 10 foot-candles in the parking areas
(over cars), and at entry/exit points, drive lanes, stairs and elevator
lobbies. If the facility has a history of significant serious crime, a higher
level of illumination may be needed. Energy-efficient metal-halide lighting
provides reasonable color rendition for CCTV and direct viewing.
Interior garage walls and ceilings should be painted with a glossy or semi-glossy white paint to increase light reflection. This also increases the ability of parkers to observe movement and potential threats. Pillars and ramp corners should be painted in contrasting colors for driving safety.
Interior and exterior stairwells should be visible, either through the use of “no walls” on the stairwells, or the use of see-through glass walls. This “open” approach deprives criminals of places to hide and assault their victims, while providing customers early warning of potential danger. In either case, stairwells should also be continually well lit (and checked daily to ensure that all light fixtures are working).
Emergency call
boxes, “panic alarms” and intercom systems often have large, red
mushroom-shaped buttons. When pushed, the buttons activate an intercom
connected to a security office or the parking garage attendant who can provide
directions, or summon aid. When a CCTV camera also monitors the alarm box or
station, the parking attendant or security officer can view the scene to assess
the situation and more accurately respond. Boxes should be mounted at least
five feet above surface to ensure visibility, but in compliance with
Uniformed security officers on continuous patrol of all the levels of a garage, while costly, can be a significant deterrent to criminals, and a reassurance to customers and employees. The prior crime history at the garage and in the immediately surrounding area will dictate if security officer patrols are needed. A patrol tour tracking system should be used to ensure that all officers are in-fact patrolling when and as required. The officers are also available to provide an escort to a car if required.
SURFACE LOTS
Similar approaches can be used with surface lots. If the lot can be surrounded by a fence or wall, that is ideal. If not, lesser demarcation of the lot boundaries with partial fencing, hedges, planters or shrubs, etc. can provide a psychological barrier to criminals, and a clear indication of where the “private” property begins.
Where appropriate, the use of a parking lot attendant can also serve as a deterrent, if the attendant is able to view the lot. NOTE: If a customer standing next to their car in the lot cannot see the attendant in his booth, neither can the attendant see them! With no CCTV for remote viewing on large lots - the attendant’s booth facing out toward the street, and with his head stuck in a book or portable TV - some attendants don’t see much of anything, and don’t provide much, if any, security by their presence.
A key element of security in many surface parking lots is visibility, for employees, customers, and passers-by. Within the lot, trees and shrubs should not obstruct viewing. Tree branches and leaves should be not lower than 10 feet above the lot surface, and shrubs and bushes on the interior of the lot should not be higher than eighteen inches above ground or curb level so as not to obstruct vision, or provide concealment for a robber or rapist.
A significant part of visibility is lighting. Lighting should enable parkers and employees to note individuals at night at a distance of 75 feet or more, and to identify a human face at about 33 feet, a distance which will allow them, if necessary, to take defensive action or avoidance while still at a safe distance. Although some standards specify less, I recommend a minimum maintained security illumination throughout open parking lots of not less than 3 foot-candles measured on the pavement. Lighting on adjacent sidewalks, footpaths and grounds, and at entry and exit points should be at least 6 foot-candles for safety, and for adequate direct observation by employees or CCTV monitoring. Energy-efficient metal-halide lighting offers good color recognition.
Many of the other
measures recommended here for garages might, depending on their specific
configuration and needs, be used on surface parking lots. When making changes,
especially in garages, owners and operators should insure that they are in
compliance with
This brief article cannot hope to answer all security related questions on parking lots with thousands of different configurations and operating requirements. It does, however, provide an introduction to those security measures and approaches that will help owners and operators provide a reasonable level of security at their property.
If in doubt about these issues, it is recommended that operators or owners consult with a professional independent security consultant, and/or their attorney.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on generally accepted security principles, and on data gathered from what are believed to be reliable sources. This article is written for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be used as a primary source for making security decisions. Each situation is or can be unique. The author is not an attorney, is not engaged in the practice of law, and is not rendering legal advice. Readers requiring advice about specific security problems or concerns should consult directly with a security professional. The author of this article shall have no liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss, liability, or damage alleged to have been caused by the use or application of any information in this article, nor information contained on this or any linked or related web site.