The Cannabis Security Evolution as New States Legalize
The 2020 ballot delivered the results many anticipated as Arizona, New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota voters all approved recreational cannabis possession and sales. New medical marijuana programs came to light via favorable votes in South Dakota and Mississippi.
While the election paved a path for growth in 2021 facilities coming online, 2020 laid the cornerstone for why cannabis security planning could never be more pivotal for the budding cannabis businesses across the country. Portland, Chicago, and Philadelphia cannabis facilities all fell victim to rioting in 2020. Burglaries and riots became a dangerous combination for many of our major US cities. Denver police report more than 100 burglaries of cannabis dispensaries per year, and that’s just the retail side, many other facilities are vulnerable too.
With new facilities planned for DEM360 in major cities and beyond, the security planning for 2021 cannot rest on practices of the past. New recreational legalization and an abundance of facilities will require a focus on cannabis security planning that we haven’t seen before.
- What do you need to know about the most effective security solutions?
- Do you know what your state requires?
- Where do you even start as a new cultivation or retail facility?
This is where DEM360’s vast experience ensures the successful navigation of your entire cannabis security journey and the ever changing security regulations of the cannabis industry.
Having an Eagle Eye with Security Cameras and Video Surveillance
Video surveillance is not just meeting the requirements of the regulator. The emphasis must be on the standards of security and video surveillance, but there has to be a solid understanding of the environment. One wrong or misplaced security camera can be the difference in a potential loss of product, the transfer of money, the actions of employees, and every minute of what happens within a facility.
Constant eyes and visibility on your operations—products, money (cash-based businesses), transactions, shipping, etc. Heavy regulations require visibility and audit trails everywhere—processing, packaging, once transactions are recorded, and on it goes.
We’ll dig deeper into the specific operations of video surveillance including camera placement, video record retention, megapixel requirements, and light pollution in our next blog. Those topics alone set the stage for your video surveillance program.
Knock, knock, who’s there… and why? Security Alarms and Intrusion Detection
Intrusion detection is one of the touchiest pieces of your cannabis security planning. Here’s why. Often times, facilities will employ an iron-clad alarm system that becomes counter intuitive. Sensors improperly placed or in abundance can trigger false alarms – which can become costly for the facility. Two dozen well placed sensors far outnumber 100 poorly placed sensors.
DEM360 cannabis security systems intrusion detection planning encompasses varying types of sensors with targeted placements to track vibration, motion, glass break, and more. Contact sensors integrate easily with video surveillance to trigger cameras upon alarm.
Panic buttons have become another integral part of cannabis security safety. Like a bank, cash flows in and out of a facility in abundance. Should someone come in to take their claim on a facilities cash, having the right silent alarms and panic buttons strategically placed ensures the safety of employees and the public. This is one important part of every states regulatory requirement – and for good reason.
Controlling Who is Coming and Going…and Where. The importance of Access Control
In a number of ways, access control is arguably the most pivotal piece of your cannabis security plan. Keeping the public out of specific areas and limiting the movement of employees, access control can be one of the toughest parts of cannabis security planning. After all, you’re not just dealing with employees and suppliers, but the general public.
Electronic access control (EAC) systems and physical security have the power and reliability to manage people and movement while taking out human error. Humans are notoriously unreliable at shutting doors, locking doors, not propping doors open, letting their friends in, and on it goes. EAC systems don’t have friends, don’t make subjective calls, and they never get tired. The control and audit trails cannabis operations must have depend on user-friendly, scalable, and flexible EAC systems.
At the end of the day, the right security system and security services that meets all of the cannabis security requirements for cannabis operations has to be informed, comprehensive, regulation-compliant, but also sensible. This is where the cannabis security consultants at DEM360 have you covered.