What Is a Security Assessment?
Over the past few years, Windwalker has been instrumental in providing professional security advisory services to various clients throughout the Greater Boston Area. Most recently, these clients include Keolis Commuter Services, the Boston Cannabis Commission, the Nubian Square Development Association and Boston Global Investors. For these organizations, Windwalker conducted in person physical security assessments, reviewed architectural drafts, building renderings, and held question/answer sessions to develop an understanding of the current security posture and design method. Among the services provided to the above-named clients, the Windwalker team:
· Identified threats and hazards to the facilities
· Analyzed the current security conditions onsite
· Determined a Facility Security Level based upon the use of the Interagency Security Committees assessment criteria
· Provided a detailed list of security measures that needed to be taken to achieve the most appropriate level of protection
To conduct a thorough physical security assessment and provide security recommendations, Windwalker utilizes a concentric circle risk approach. Threats and the countermeasures are assessed from an outside-in perspective, with the outmost circle representing the property perimeter and the innermost circle representing the employee interaction and core technology. The following provides a baseline for the three main priorities that Windwalker observes and analyzes for an assessment:
Property Perimeter – An assessment of a property perimeter threats would include:
· Regional vulnerabilities based on nature – weather-related threats, topography.
· Vulnerabilities based on proximity to highways, neighboring businesses, crime rates, etc.
· Vulnerabilities based on fencing, surveillance, signage, access control, landscape, remoteness, lighting, etc.
Building Perimeter – An assessment of building perimeter threats would include:
· Signage/security landscape/design/lighting/setbacks/construction materials/curb appeal.
· Access control/locks/alarms/video cameras/lighting.
· Lobby control/software/policies & procedures/training/emergency response.
· Building infrastructure including windows, doors, walls.
Interior Security and Systems – An assessment of office perimeter threats would include:
· Interior access control/locks/alarms/video cameras/lighting.
· General protection of information technology and critical communication assets.
· Communication and response infrastructure.
Training, Policies and Procedures
Figure 1: Concentric Security Assessment Model
Primarily, Windwalker’s assessments and consulting recommendations have come either after the design phase as already been completed or after facility operations have commenced. However, Windwalker has identified that asset protection and security objectives are best achieved during the early stages of the design process when mitigation is the least costly and most easily implemented. As such, Windwalker has developed a four-phase project scope that provides advisory services throughout the entire design and build process from a security perspective. The sooner Windwalker can support the client in identifying and analyzing crucial asset protection measures in the design process, it dramatically enhances the ability to implement security measures in the construction and post-construction phases.
Looking to bring value-added services to various clients in the building development phase, Windwalker identifies four phases that are part of a project scope where services can be provided:
· Phase 1 – Schematic Design/Initial Planning
· Phase 2 – Design Development & Documentation
· Phase 3 – Construction & Administration
· Phase 4 – Operations
The following table details the scope of work identified as part of each phase.
Table 1: Project Phase and Services Description
Recent Success’
Currently, Windwalker is providing value-added services to four separate clients within the Greater Boston area that are in various phases of development.
Boston Global Investors – 10 World Trade Development
Windwalker serves as the primary security consultant for the 10 World Trade Development in the Seaport District of Boston, currently in the design development and documentation phase of the project. Through this work, Windwalker has provided services detailing surveillance system and access control system placement, risk assessments of various spaces of the development, designation of restricted areas, schematic design review, as well as proposed guard services for the operational phase.
Keolis Commuter Services
Over the past three years, Windwalker has served as the primary physical security assessment consultant for Keolis Commuter Services, conducting assessments and generating reports for 17 of their facilities across Massachusetts. Additionally, Windwalker is in the process of developing an emergency evacuation plan for a new building set to be operational in the coming months along with providing a baseline security assessment of the structure.
Boston Cannabis Commission
Recently, Windwalker provided a baseline security assessment and list of recommendations for a future cannabis dispensary, a company planning on opening a dispensary located in Boston. For this proposed development, we analyzed the crime statistics for the neighborhood surrounding the facility, conducted an onsite assessment of the building and surrounding perimeter, and generated a report with basic recommendations for security measures, operations, and procedures to protect the property, product, and personnel.
Nubian Square Development
For the Nubian Square Development, Windwalker has served as the primary security consultant from Phase 1. Currently, we are in the process of developing a security strategy design narrative and a comprehensive surveillance and access control diagram for the development based upon initial renderings. We will look to continue to add value to the development through schematic design review, security recommendations, development of operational procedures, and future guard services for the development.
Our Team
To accomplish this task, Windwalker has established a core team of personnel able to provide detailed security recommendations from start to finish. In addition to the Protection and Preparedness Practice, the team is comprised of individuals with decades of relevant security, design, and architectural experience. BG (Ret.) Joseph Carter serves as the Senior Security Advisor to Windwalker with over forty years of relevant security and law enforcement experience to support Windwalker’s strategic and operational objectives. Along with BG (Ret.) Carter, Todd Broyard serves as the Design and Technology Lead and Senior Security Consultant. With over thirty years in the electronic security industry, Todd has designed and implemented biometric access control and surveillance systems for the hospitality industry, large-scale residential, educational, and biotech institutions. To round out the Windwalker team, Ken Feyl brings over thirty years of architecture experience with a diverse set of buildings and construction types. Working with the team, Ken provides evacuation planning services, fire control system placement, and other structural/design-based recommendations to implement security recommendations at the early stages of project development.
With the implementation of this new strategy, Windwalker aims to be your complete security partner throughout any project in any phase of development. For more information on any of our value-added services, please reach out to our Protection and Preparedness Practice Lead Taylor Sulik at taylor.sulik@windwalker.com