NCJ Number
87832
Date Published
1983
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The National Park Service security program is based on regulations and guidelines for the protection of property, particularly museum property, an emphasis on physical security (particularly of museum collections), and the use of resources that can improve park museum security.
Abstract
The Park Services security and crime prevention programs are derived from the various statutes requiring Federal agencies to properly manage and protect their buildings and other property. The most pertinent statute is Title 40 of the United States Code entitled, 'Public Buildings, Property, and Works.' In an effort to upgrade the physical security program, the staff position of physical security specialist was established in 1974. The security goal set by the specialist is to 'protect and preserve National Park Service and concessioner property with special emphasis upon historic structures, objects, and sites.' Program objectives are to (1) reduce the number of opportunities to commit vandalism, larceny, robbery, burglary, and arson; (2) to deter or detect the illegal intruder; and (3) to detect fire and smoke in buildings. The primary thrust of the physical security program is crime prevention, defined as 'the anticipation, the recognition, and the appraisal of a crime risk and the initiation of activities to remove or reduce it.' Over the past 6 years the physical security program has focused on employee training, standards development, preventive planning, and correction of existing problems. Resources used in the development of security programs for particular museum facilities include Service security specialists, outside security consultants, security directors of private-sector museums, and security training opportunities inside and outside the Service.