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Special Feature: Perimeter Surveillance
Optex is a market leader in detection technology and
very much associated with perimeter protection. Here,
Detektor International interviews Mark Cosgrave, Divi-
sional Director at Optex, to discuss perimeter surveil-
lance and the issue of false alarms.
Mark Cosgrave, Divisional Director at Optex, has been in the alarm and detection
industry for nearly 25 year and with Optex for the last ten years.
Exploring perimeter protection and the issue of false alarms
Interview with Mark Cosgrave, Optex:
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Mark Cosgrave has been in the
alarm and detection industry for
nearly 25 year and with Optex for
the last ten years. So he is a very
experienced man in the field of
perimeter security and definitely
the right person to interview on
the subject.
Mark, perimeter protection has
been around for centuries, but
how has it evolved over time?
"Perimeter protection has always
been the first line of defence, going
back to the days of walls and ditches
safeguarding entire towns. Though
the threats have evolved, the need
to secure our boundaries is just as
crucial today. Whether it's protect-
ing high net worth individuals or
securing vital infrastructure, pe-
rimeter protection plays a key role.
Yet, one challenge persists across all
environments, managing the issue
of false alarms."
Can you explain the complexities
of perimeter protection today?
"There's no single solution
when it comes to perimeter pro-
tection. Each site is unique, with
specific challenges depending on
its location, size, and the nature
of the threats. For instance, the
security needs of an ambassado-
rial residence in a bustling city
centre differ greatly from those of
a remote data centre or military
facility. To create an effective secu-
rity solution, we must understand
the environment in detail, and this
is also essential to reducing false
alarms, a persistent issue in many
systems."
False alarms seem like a straight-
forward issue. Why are they so
challenging?
"At their core, false alarms are
alerts triggered by non-security
threats. However, the reasons be-
hind them can vary, technical faults,
incorrect installation, environmental
factors, or simply using the wrong
technology for the site. Each false
alarm doesn't just add operational
costs, it can also erode trust in the
system, risking a
lack of response to
genuine threats."
What are the most
common causes
of false alarms in
perimeter security
systems?
"In many
commercial ap-
plications, the issue
often lies in the
technology itself.
Even a reliable sys-
tem can cause prob-
lems if it's installed in
the wrong location
or doesn't account for
the surrounding environment. This
can lead to unnecessary alerts that
impact overall effectiveness."
What about the environmental
factors?
"Environmental factors play
a significant role. Car headlights,
moving foliage, and wildlife can
all trigger false alarms if the system
isn't properly set up. In rural
areas, large animals like deer often
cause alarms, resulting in costly
responses. While better planning,
technology choices, and site sur-
veys can help address these issues,
the challenge is always finding the
right balance between accuracy
and minimizing
nuisance alarms."
What are the
financial and op-
erational impacts
of false alarms?
"False alarms
come with high
costs. Beyond the
direct expenses,
like deploy-
ing teams to
investigate, they
can damage the
reputation of both
the customer and
the technology
provider. Worse
still, too many false alarms can
lead to complacency, where real
threats are ignored.
In more serious cases, false
alarms can lead to tragic out-
comes. For example, a protestor or
trespasser could be injured or killed
while inadvertently entering a haz-
ardous area. Additionally, the fail-
ure to respond to a genuine threat
could result in theft, vandalism, or
even deliberate sabotage, potentially
affecting vital services like water
supply or energy distribution."
How do you propose addressing
these challenges?
"The most effective approach
to perimeter security today is
multi-layered. Rather than rely-
ing on a single system, multiple
technologies are deployed at dif-
ferent points along the perimeter
to increase detection accuracy and
reduce false alarms."
Can you exemplify with technolo-
gies to be used?
"Sure, at the outer perim-
eter, advanced technologies like
Echopoint fibre optic Distributed
Acoustic Sensors (DAS) offer reli-
able detection over large distances.
These systems can pinpoint a
detection in perimeters of up to
100km. Being able to identify
the exact location of an intrusion
Lidar sensors can be programmed
to detect specific types of intrusions
based on the size or behaviour of
the object, which helps minimize
false alarms caused by animals or
environmental factors.
False alarms come with high costs.
Beyond the direct expenses, like
deploying teams to investigate, they can
damage the reputation of both the cus-
tomer and the technology provider."