Planning is an essential part of any campus security organization. Plans are the blueprints that guide routine and emergency campus operations. They also look ahead to anticipate future needs and aid in the construction of meaningful budgets.
Master planning stands out from other planning tasks:
- Master planning begins with a thorough analysis of all campus security risks
- It develops a list of risk-based needs or countermeasures for desired programs, facilities, physical security and electronic security.
- It takes a long term view of current and future needs
- It includes specific product specifications for each recommended countermeasure
- It ensures that products used for current application will be compatible with future projected needs, including integration of electronic systems.
- It prioritizes each recommendation
- It provides cost projections for each recommendation
Master planning is most important in dealing with electronic security, including video surveillance systems, access control systems, intrusion detection systems and current or anticipated systems integration.
Having a prioritized list of needs with specific products and costs will be of enormous value when grants and other funding sources become available with short notice and small windows of opportunity. It simplifies the budget process and keeps costs under control. It ensures that the items purchased will work properly for current and future needs. It allows the campus to negotiate a lower price for each standardized component to be purchased.
