For condo boards the onus is on you and your managers to maintain the integrity of the building. This goes beyond the bounds of routine maintenance and reserve fund projects. The following list contains several areas your condo board can focus on to heighten your security standards. (If you’d like to learn how owners and residents can pitch in, read Part 1!)

Calgary Police site assessment

The CPS offers a free service where they will attend a meeting at your building and give specific advice to better secure your condo. Have your condo manager contact the Community resource office at your local District office to book a time.

Access Control

A growing trend for buildings is to change all access points to a fob operated system. The advantages over keys are many. First off, a fob can be remotely canceled at anytime by your condo manager. As soon as a fob goes missing and is reported, your condo manager will program it as inoperable, thus ensuring the safety of the building. Fobs can also help gather information for investigative purposes. Each fob has a unique code that is stored each time it opens a door. You can use this data to view who has used a specific door at a specific time. The board or condo manager documents all fobs given out, linking them to their specific owner.

Security Cameras

Traditionally cameras are excellent at providing video evidence and acting as a deterrent for crimes. However as times change so has the camera industry. Hikvision offers an impressive line up of cameras that have various layers of security features, including HD low-light video, motion-triggered tracking, and a wide array of programmable settings that will send push notifications to your phone when a certain set of conditions are met. Reviewing your condo’s current camera set up may be less costly than you would imagine. Upgrading a few pieces at a time is made easy now with hubs that are both analog and digital compatible.

Security Guards

A static or mobile guard can be an excellent way to add another layer to your security system. Consider having a mobile patrol set on a randomized rotation to add a presence to your building. A static guard over the weekend is also an effective addition. When picking a company ask for a copy of their reports. A higher end company will employ guards who are detailed in their patrols and offer insights throughout their reports; these can be very helpful on addressing any security risks that may have been overlooked.

Locks and Doors

A way to instantly increase the security of your building is to change out all old locks, and add deadbolts to storage room doors. Using security plates can prevent against criminals trying to pry their way through your doors.

Storage Room Security Audit

Use your preferred contractor and do a storage room walk through. Highlight all security risks such as improperly installed chain-link and ineffective locks. Remember to look into placing material over the top of the lockers, this will prevent any intruders from simply climbing over and removing the items.

Work With Your Condo Manager

This guide can be used as a tool to implement the right security solutions for your building. As is most often the case the proper communication between your managers and the board will create an effective platform to address all concerns within your building.