Earning his Spurs - Pitchcare

“Whilst security is
essential, too much of
it is needless and,
ultimately, a waste of
money”
John Deere are fitting
‘CESAR’ tracking
systems to some of
their tractor range
over secured,” says Halliday,
who also works for
independent firm, SGW
Security Consultants.
“Companies will want to sell
as many products as they can,
so they tell clubs that their
products are what they need.
It’s important to get impartial
advice from someone who has
no vested interest in any one
company’s products or
services. Whilst security is
essential, too much of it is
needless and, ultimately, a
waste of money.”
An assessment can be done
on any size of open space,
private building, residential
building, university grounds
or local authority sports
pitches, she explains, and a
list of security consultants can
be found via the BSIA website
on www.bsia.co.uk.
Halliday explains what
clubs can expect from their
assessment. “We start by
surveying the whole site,
looking for any weak spots or
vulnerabilities. Once
completed, we consider the
methods that might be best
suited to guard against those
weaknesses.”
“One of the main issues for
security is guarding the
perimeter, which is often the
best access point for thieves
as people can come and go
freely throughout the day.
Professional thieves will often
know at what times a target
site will be busy or quiet, so
the club needs to also know
this information.”
“If CCTV is in operation
you have to be careful of the
blind spots and that cameras
are targeting the right areas.
People will often put cameras
all over the place without
thought for their
effectiveness. Unless they’re
monitored regularly, they’re
of little use.”
Another problem with
cameras, explains Halliday, is
that people aren’t scared of
them anymore as they’re seen
all the time. However,
recently introduced software
called Viseum is aiming to
offer a new dimension to
CCTV operation, and works
by having an array of cameras
grouped together with one
major camera centrally
positioned.
The smaller cameras survey
the whole area, whilst the
main camera will focus in on
an individual, if needed, and
follow him or her if
something suspicious is
detected.
Typically, a two-day indepth
assessment, including
recommendations by a
professional surveyor, would
cost between £1,500 and
£2,000, although surveyors
wouldn’t generally
recommend a specific
installer, preferring to remain
independent.
SPORTSGROUND SPECIALISTS
Natural & artificial sports surfaces
Design & construction
Multi-use games areas (MUGA)
Floodlighting, fencing, hard & soft landscaping
Bratch Lane • Dinton • Salisbury • Wiltshire SP3 5EB
Tel. 01722 716361 • Fax. 01722 716828
www.mjabbott.co.uk
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