Reducing manpower intensive tasks through automation of security technologies

Security in today's government and commercial environments is changing. The willingness to provide manpower against security threats is diminishing. Risk management is preferred to risk avoidance. In order for management to ensure that the appropriate security is provided while downsizing or right sizing protective services and other security personnel, automation of security technologies is a necessity. Several manpower intensive tasks and processes are: facilities access control, issuance of staff and visitor badges, provision of information for visitors, access control to interior facilities, and the issuance of office keys. Reduction of the required manning for these processes is enabled though the automation and integration of various security technologies including biometric identification systems. This paper provides a background on manpower intensive tasks and processes, security technologies that may be employed within them, resource reduction capabilities, and a customer's experience with the use of the technologies within a large Government environment.