Home buyers and renters are attracted to communities with active security programs. The shared goal of any multi-family community and the residents within, like condo or homeowners associations (HOAs), is to protect the value of both individual homes and common area amenities. Many associations engage security guards or doormen, surveillance cameras, alarms and auto-locked entrances to restrict access to the community and deter crime. And many are upping their game by utilizing Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) and blue light emergency communication systems to create a true multi-dimensional approach.
One of the main concerns of HOAs is keeping their residents safe. Professional security services like Knightscope can reduce the risk of incidents, which could cost the HOA a significant amount of money in legal fees and settlements. Here is Knightscope’s 4-step recommendation for improving security in residential communities to help construct the next generation of the neighborhood watch.
The most essential duty to perform in neighborhoods is to deter crime and unlawful behavior. Provide around the clock physical security with a K5 ASR or multiple K5 ASRs to generate roving HD video surveillance at eye level. Hanging proper signage on the perimeter, as well as inside a gated community, advising that your security robots are recording 24/7 will help further reduce loitering, illegal drug use, trespassing, vandalism, abandoned vehicles, auto theft, catalytic converter theft, vehicle break-ins, burglaries and more. Strobe lights and patrol sounds can be activated along hot spots of vagrant encroachment or trespasser activity, and then returned to patrol silently and without strobes when patrols pass closer to private residences. Having active technologically advanced “guards” that never sleep, never complain and are always diligent gives residents a greater feeling of safety.
Adding Knightscope’s K1 Blue Light Towers in remote areas of the community, parking lots or parking structures, with full wireless functionality and no digging or trenching requirement, provides highly visible and familiar points to access reliable communications that provide needed comfort when cell phone service is scarce, or the phone’s battery has died.
Patrolling private roads or sidewalks with the K5 can provide comfort to the community knowing that their neighborhood is being safeguarded 24 hours a day. The K5’s Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) helps with real time alerting for vehicles on your watch list that are prohibited to be on the property, including individuals with active restraining orders or those to whom criminal trespass warnings have been served. By programming the ASR’s duress button to call either security personnel or a designated person on site, you can provide that extra level of safety for residents. With 360-degree eye-level HD cameras that see in both daylight and at night, users are able to capture incidents from much better angles as opposed to the traditional bird’s eye view of a building mounted solution. This leads to a more natural desire to comply with HOA rules and policies and can provide for much more usable surveillance evidence to law enforcement in the case of a criminal investigation.
In residential communities with limited space, parking is often a major issue and HOAs typically impose strict rules on who can park where. ASRs can help enforce parking restrictions and manage traffic in the community using ALPR and broadcast messages that provide friendly reminders of the guidelines. They also serve as a visual reminder for drivers to slow down and keep a watchful eye for pedestrians. And K-1 Blue Light E-Phones placed near the stairwells can connect those pedestrians with much needed assistance when there is a threat, maintenance issue (report a light out, for example), or even a flat tire.
By scheduling patrols of restricted areas, you can have the K5 send an Alert with the People Detection Automatic Broadcast Messages activated. K1 Hemispheres can provide eye-level video of all activity at a specific location, such as mailrooms and bike racks. If a curfew is in place within the community, messages can remind residents or guests of the policy. ASRs can also record and alert for persons that may be in restricted areas during certain hours such as Swimming pools, the Main Office, and Community Centers. Automatic broadcast messages can also occur in these areas to help deter policy violations.
Through the utilization of a team of ASRs, you can have a safer and more secure community and maintain, if not elevate, the value of your property. Want an even safer community, you can upgrade to Knightscope+ and allow us to take some of the workload off your shoulders. We can do the remote monitoring on your behalf and allow you to concentrate more on your job. And please don’t forget to partner with local law enforcement. HOAs shouldn’t have to act alone when it comes to security in the community. Associations should build a strong working relationship with local law enforcement to help prevent crime. Invite the law enforcement liaison to your meetings. Don’t bring up frivolous complaints and don’t waste their time. Trust in their judgment. After all, they have more experience than you do.
As a matter of fact, Knightscope’s team consists of both law enforcement and security professionals with decades of experience – and it is free for you to access. Let our experts conduct a security assessment with you to identify areas of the community that are vulnerable to risk. We will carry out a thorough assessment to pinpoint trouble areas and make recommendations for minimizing those risks. Book your discovery call today.
