Interesting article. Calgary is the 4th largest city in Canada. Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver precede Calgary.
City Physical Security Manager Interview
Published Mar 14, 2019 16:01 PM
This physical security pro is the Physical Security Manager for the City of Calgary. He is a criminologist by training with an ASIS CPP credential. He tells IPVM that managing surveillance and security for Canada’s 3rd most populous city has a number of unique challenges.
Based on our interview with Calgary Physical Security Manager Brad Labrenz, we look at the following topics:
- Integrator/customer reckoning
- Tools should fit the customer, not the other way around
- Cooperation with Police
- Not always lowest bidder
- What camera and VMS brands do they use
- Integrators often talk the talk, but can't walk the walk
- Continuous new product evaluation
- Rigorous about privacy
****: *** **** **** *** **** the ******** ******* *** *** ****?
*’* *** ** *** ****. *’** only **** **** ***** ******** ** 2018. ****’* **** * **** *** job. ***** ** ****, * *** in *** *** ********. * **** have **** * *** ** **** in *******. *’** **** ******** ** the ******** ******** *** ****** ** years. *’** **** ***** ********/*** *********** since *** **** ********. * ****** in **** ********** ***** * ******** my *********** ****** ** **. **** I ****** *** *********** ***** **** when * **** ** *** ****** industry ** ********, ********** ******** * Casino **.
****: *** *** *** **** **** that ***?
*** ******** ** ********, *’** ********* known *** *** * ****** ** years ** * *********. *** *’* a ************* ** ** *********. * knew *** ******** *** ** ********** me ** ***** *** * ***. Things ****’* ****** ***** ** *** oil ******** ** *******. ****’* *** the ******** **** *****. ** *** a ***** ******** ** **** ** move **** ***, ******. *** *** change ** *** *** ***** ** difficult, *** * ***** ** *** end ** *** *** ***** ********.
****: **** ***** ** ************* *** Human ********* ** *** ******?
* ****** **** ***** ****** ********* security. * ****** **************, ******** ********—** actually **** ** ****, ********* ********** and ******** ********—********** ***** ** *** guard ******* *** *** ********** ******** Center **** **** * *** ** the ******* **** ** *******. *** I ****** ********. **** ** * lot ** *** *******, **** **********, proactive *****, **** **** ** *****.
****: **** ***** * ************ ******* throughout *** ****, ** *** **** manage ****?
*** *** ** **. ** ****** some ** **. ** **** ***** from ******** ********. ***** *** *** cameras **** *** ******** ***** *********. The ******* ** **** **** ***** normally ** **** * ********** *** do ** ********** *** **** *** part ** *** ********** **** ***** be ******** ***** ** ****** ******* linked **** *** ********** ******** ****** where ****’** ********* ** * ****.
****: *** ** *** ******* ********* together? *** ** *** ******* *** communicate?
****’** *** ********* *** ********* ** the ********** ******** ******, ***** ** the ******* ******, *********** *** **** it’s *** ****** ** ** *******.
****: **** *** **** ****** *** pushback **** *** ****** ** ***** rights ****** ***** ******* ** ****** places?
**. ** ****, ** **** ** front ** *** ******* **** **** and **** ********, *** *********** *******, but ** ******** *** **** ********** for * **** ****. **’** ****** a **** ** *** **** ** develop * ************** *** ****** ***** will ** *********** **** ******* ***** surveillance. * ***** *** ****** ** pretty ********** ********* ** ****** **** security *** **’** ****** ******* ** the ******’* **** *** ******* **** we ** ******* *** ***** *** mitigations. **’** ****** ******* ** ***** we ***** ******* *** *** ****’** monitored.
****: **** **** ** *********** ** there ******* **** ********* *** ****** resources, ** *** **** ********* ****?
* ***** **’** *** * **** cooperative ************ **** ****. ****’** ***** request ***** **** ** *** **’** provide ** ** *****’* * ****** investigation. ** ***, **** ***********. **’** got ** ************* ** **** ***** is ****** **** ****. ***** ***** would ***** ***** ********* *** ****** and **** *****. *****’* * **** agreement **** **** ** ***** *********** when ********.
****: *** ** *** ******/******** ******** integrators ** **** ****?
** **** * ****** ******** *** comprehensive *** *******. *** *********** ****** manage **** *******, ** **’* ****** arms ****** *** **. ** **** evaluate *** ******** ****’* ****** *** then **** ** ** ****** *** try ** ****** *** ******** **** fit *** ******* **** *** ****** *** *** *** *** ****** would *** ** *** *******.
****: ** ** ******* *** ****** bidder *** **** *** ***?
****’* ****** * *************, *** **’* not *** ******** ********. **’* *** is ************ ************ **** *** **** was ******** *** ********* **** *** be **** ********. **’* *** ** most **** ** ******* *** ****** the ***** ******* *****, ** **** as ****** **** **** *** ******* itself ** *****.
****: **** ************ ********—******* *** ***—**** you ****?
** *** * ******* ** ********. There *** **** ***** ******** ***** that ****** **** ** *** ******. We ***’* ****** ** ***. *** corporate ********, ** *** ********* ** our ******* ***** ********** ******** *** we ********* *** ****, *** *****, there ** * ******* *********, *****, on *** ***********.
****: ** *** **** **** ******* getting *** ***** ********* ******** ** work ********?
***. **’** **** ********** ** *********** everything. ** *****’* *** * *** of ******* *********** ********** ** ****. And * *** **** **** *** perspective ** *** **** ** *******, but **** ** ** ******** ****. I **** ***** **** *********** *********, disparate ******* *** **** *********. ******* as * ******* ******, * **** that **** *********** **** *** ****, but **** ***** ************* ******* *** standards ** *********** *************. * **** that ************, ***—*** *’* ******** * little *****—******** *********** ***** *****-*******. **** often ***’* ******* ** ***********. * know **** ** *** ********** ******, at **** ***** ***** ***** ** be * ********* ******* *** *** where *** **** ************ ** *** client *** *** ** *** ****-*********** delivery ** *** **********.
****: **** *** **** *** ******** with ******** ***********—**** ** ** *********, being ****************** ********, ***** ****-****** **** ****** orders, ***.?
**********. **** ** ** ********* ** a *** *******. *** ************* **** today’s *********** **** ** ***** *** very *******, *** **** **** * very ****-********** ** ****. *** * don’t **** **** *****’* *********** *** there. *****’* * ********* ******* *** IT ********* ** *** ****** **** versus *** ********** ****. *** ******* for *** ********** ** **** **** often ***’* **** *** ******** ** well ** *** ******. **’** ** it ***** *** *** *** ** every ***. **** ***’* **** **** inside *********. *** *** *****, * hear ******* ** *** ****** ******** the ******.
****:** *** **** *** ****** ** your ******** ********** ******** ** *********** when ** ***** ** **** ******** plan *** *** **** ** ** you ** *** ******** ********?
** **** *** *********. ** **** up **** *** ****** ********** *** make **** **** *** ***** *** well ****** ** **. *** ***** that ** ** *** *** *** have ** *** **** *** ******** process **** ** ****. ** *******’* be *** ***** *** ******. ** shouldn’t **** ** *** *** ******** process ** *** * ****. ** thought ** **** ** *******’* ** going ***** ***** **** ***’* **** our ***** *********.
****: ** *** **** * ********* or ********* ******* *** *** ****’* cameras *** ***** *******?
** **** * ********* *******. *** we’re ******* ** *********, ** ****.
****:**** **** *** ****** *** **** the *****?
** *** ***** **** * *** the ********, ** * ***’* ****** speak ** ****. ***** * **** from *** **** ******. ** **** as ********** ** ********** *** *** set ** ******** ** **** ******* there’s ** ****** *** ***’* **** a ********* *******.
****: **** *** ******** ****** ******* to ****** ** ** ************* ******** limit **** *******?
** ** ****** **** ******* * VPN **********.
****: **** *** **** ******** *** brands ** ********* (*******, ***, ********, etc.) ****** **** ****** *** ** so **** **** *** ****** *** were *** ***** **** *** ******.
*****, *’* ***** ****** ***. ******* has **** ******* ***** *’** **** there.
****: *** ***** ** *** ******** new ****** *** ************ **********?
*********** ******. **’** **** ********** ** employee *********** *** ** **’** ** to *** *********** *********** ******. ******* it’s *** ** ***** ***********. **’** very ********** ** **** ** **** their ********* ** ******* **** ** where ** ****** **.
****: *** ** **** ******* ******* (i.e. *** ** *** ********/***** *** cameras *** ******** ****** *** ******** installed ******?) *** ** **** *** or *** ** ******* * *********?
**’* **** ******* *********. **** ******* goes ** * ****, ****’** ******** to **** **** *** **** ***** what **** *******. *** **** ** go ******* *** *** *******, *** bidders *** ******** ** **** ******** the ************ *** **** ** **** up ****.
****: **** *** **** ******** ** High ***? ** ****** *** ****** 1080P?
*’* * *** ** *** ********'* efforts ** ******** ** **** *** bar ** ***** ** **********. ***** a ******* ******** ** ******* ********* PTZ’s ** ****** *********** ** ** for **** *******. **** ******* (***** freeze), ****** ****** ********** ** ***** more ***** ** ****** ***. ***** innovation *** * ***’* **** ** see ***** ** ***** **.
****: **** *** **** **** *****-****** cameras?
*’** **** **** *** ******** ************* but *********. ******** ******* **** ******** or *********, ** ***** ************ **** similar ****** *************. **** *** ********** on **** *** ******* * ***’* know **** ***** **** ** ********** growth ** **** ***** *** *** a ***** ****** **** *********** ************* are *** ********.
****: **** *** **** ******** ***** the *** ******* ** ****** ************* Dahua *** *********?
* **** *** *** ****.
****: *** **** ****** ** ********** are ***** **** **** ***/******/*******/***** ************?
* ***’* **** *** ***** ******, but * **** **** ** **** multiple ************.
****: ** *** ** *** **** camera **********? ** *** **** ******* used ** ** ***** ***** ****?
** **** * ***** **** **** live **********.
****: ** *** *** *** ***** monitoring ** ***?
**.
****: **** **** ******* ** ******* are******* *******?
*’* *** **’* * ***********. ***** more **** ****, *** * ******* of **** ** ****.
****: **** *** **** ***** **** any ****** *******?
* ******* ** ** ***** **** some ****** ***** *** *****. **’** slowly ********* **** ** *** **** we ***. *****’* *** **** **** legacy ***** *** ***** *******, ******.
****: **** ******* ************** *** ***** with * *********-***** ********** ****** **** one ******’* **** **, ***, * retail ******, ** ** ****** ********?
* ***** ** ******** **** **** rigor ****** *** ******* ********, ***** that **’** ********** ** ******* ** private ********. **’** ******* ******* ** public ******** ** ******* ** ******* property. **’** **** ****** ******* ** the ******* ** ****, *** ** have * **** ****** *******, ** well. ****, ** **** ****** ** funding **** *********** ******* ******** ******’* have.
****: *** ***** ** **** ******* help *** ** ***** *** * problem? *** *******, ******** ** * drug **** ** ******** * ******* or *** ***** ** *** ** vandalism?
** ***** *****. ** **** ****** good ****** ** *** *** ********** Security ******. ****’** ******* ** **** things. **** ** * ****** **** job. ***’** *** *** ****** ** things **** ******. ******** ******** *** public ********.
****: *** *** ***** ****** **** facial ***********, ***, *** ********* *** things **** ******** ******* **********, ******** time **********, *******/******* ******** *********?
* ***** *** **** **** ****** it’s ****, **’** ***** * **** to ** ** *********** *** ********* tools. ** ***’* **** * *********** network ** ********. *********, ******* ** will **** *** *** *** *** smart ****** ******** ** *******, *** I ***’* ***** **’** ***** ***. We ***’* **** *** **** *** in ** ******* **** ******** * human. **’** ******* *****.
****: ** ******* *** *********/********* ** the ****’* ********/************ ******* **** * problem?
**********. ***** ** ****** * ******* for ********. * ***’* ***** **’** an *********, *** ** *** ** a **** *** ********** *** **** and *** **********, **** ** ** ok. *** ******* ** * ********* everywhere, ********* *****’* * **** *** you **** **** ** ****** **.
****: **** ** *** ******* *** determining ****** ********* ********** *** ****?
*** ********* ******** ******** ******* ****** ****** [***** ********** ******** ************* Design]*** ************* ****** *** **** ******** completed ** *** ******** ******** ********. They **** ********* *********.
****: **** ********* ****** *** ******** be ***** **? *** *******, *** should ******** ************ ** **** ** novel **** *** **** ********** ************ do *** ***** **** **** *** biggest ******?
“***********” **** ** ****** ***** *****. The ******** ******** *** ** ***** able ** ******* *** ******** **** provides * ****** **** ** ***** for ******** ******** ******* **** *** this ****. **** **** **** ** be ** ***** *** **** *** ability ** **** **** ******* ************* operating ******** *********. ** ***, ****’** only **** **** ** **** *** talk.
Comments (5)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Mar 14, 2019DR
Dennis Ruban
Mar 14, 2019Calgary is the 3rd, as Vancouver is way smaller. You probably talking about GVA which includes Burnaby, Langley, Richmond, etc.
Dan Gelinas
Mar 14, 2019Actually, based on my original research which is based on Canadian statistics, Calgary is No. 3 in terms of population. I have added the link in the story above. Here is a screenshot of the table from Statistics Canada that shows Calgary as No. 3:
U
Undisclosed #2
Mar 14, 2019
Dan Gelinas
Mar 21, 2019I wanted to put in some information that didn't come out initially in the interview with Brad. A reader of this interview asked about an annual event in the city of Calgary, The Calgary Stampede.
The Calgary Stampede is a giant, combo rodeo, outdoor festival, and exhibition that draws up to a million people every year and inflates the population for 10 days.
I asked Brad what sorts of unique situations this might present and how public safety might address them.
Here is what he had to say:
The Stampede board works with CPS to manage on-site security. But of course, there are many events that we must plan for at City facilities. This can include Executive Protection, event security and monitoring, and conducting Threat & Risk Assessments.