Museum and Gallery Security Management Techniques (From Museum, Archive, and Library Security, P 67-91, 1983, by Lawrence J Fennelly - See NCJ-87831)

• NCJ Number: 87834
• Author(s): J L Paulhas
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 25 pages
• Sale Source: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Museum security management has the tasks of design and space planning, quantification of risk, surveillance and alarm systems development, personnel training and management, liaison with local authorities, records management, governing security costs, and suing appropriate independent consultants.

Abstract

Planning for museum security begins building design so as to ensure that security is served by the layout and the construction materials. Further, the design and arrangements of the areas and displays within the building are a security concern. If security programs are to receive support from decisionmakers, then security risks must be quantified through a security survey for research, screening, and monitoring; analysis for diagnosis; and recommendations for prevention or corrective action. Such activities should focus upon risks presented to the museum by human, societal, and natural hazards, estimating their effects and the cost of eliminating or mitigating them. Security surveillance and alarm systems must produce the ability to respond to any threat consistently within a predetermined time. The management of security personnel consists of determining duties, organizing duties, selecting personnel, training them, and supervising them. The museum security director must also maintain liaison with local police and fire departments, as well as with museum insurers, so as to ensure that the response of these parties to museum security incidents will be prompt and appropriate. Since the registration system and the inventory and stock controls of a museum have a potential for producing losses, security management must devise a system in these areas that reduces the risk of theft and fraud. The cost-effectiveness of a security operation should be continually monitored by security management, particularly since museum security tends to be limited in the museum budget. Independent consultants can be used when new equipment, services, and systems are being considered, so as to ensure that they are properly selected and installed.