Securing and controlling keys has taken many forms over the years and has evolved to a highly-sophisticated technology that spans across multiple security market segments. Before the advent and widespread use of electronic key control systems however, key control was often a haphazard routine. Many organizations used an honor system to store and control building keys, while institutions such as correctional facilities or medical campuses used a more formal system requiring access activity to be hand-written in a log book. The procedures were often ineffective, mostly laborious and frequently left the organization vulnerable because keys could not be 100 percent accounted for.

High security, high-profile events staged at arenas, stadiums and convention centers across the country require special planning that involves risk assessment, crowd management, staffing, communication, emergency response procedures and so on. Technology used to support the safety and security plan for these events and for the regular day-to-day operation of the facility also requires special attention that can’t be compromised.

For more than 50 years, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been available for use in business and security applications. We’re all familiar with RFID tag systems in retail stores as a theft prevention device. However, its use has expanded to include widely diverse applications including embedding tags in a casino’s high value poker chips and tagging test equipment and tools used at a jet engine maintenance facility. RFID tags are also a reliable solution for asset control of high value items such as laptop computers or tablets that may contain proprietary information. Similar solutions can be used to help ensure the security of evidence obtained by law enforcement officers.

Mergers and acquisitions, or M&A as it’s commonly known, is a growing trend in the security marketplace as reported by several industry reports. The convergence of technology is one of the driving reasons for this, according to various M&A trends reports (e.g. Deloitte), and the momentum includes both smaller strategic deals as well as major transformational deals.

Administering the safety aspects of a large retail environment requires an expanded knowledge of security practices in order to make good decisions regarding the protection of the facility and its employees and visitors. Cash, goods, business information/data, personal items and even identities are prime targets for theft in a retail environment and these vulnerabilities can be heightened due to lost or missing keys and other security irregularities. As a result, key control with automated tracking is high on the list as a state of the art security practice.