There are many practical applications of installing such a system. Here are just a few:
Public and “Restricted” Areas. With an electronic access control system, it becomes possible for public visitors to enter the premises. This allows the place of worship to still be open and welcoming. However, only trusted members within the congregation are allowed beyond designated restricted points.
For the
business office area, restricted access is definitely a must. Access by employees should be controlled and monitored so there is not only an audit trail of who entered and when, but also an easy way to change permissions with employee turnover.
Further, access by service workers, like cleaning and maintenance people should be easily controlled and monitored too
For those locations that have
schools, sunday school, or daycare on premises, it is certainly wise to restrict access to these areas. Using an access control system would require anyone who is not a regular employee or visitor to register to receive an access control card. This keeps unwanted people from entering the facility at all.
Further, with an access control system, you can monitor the movements of anyone within the area, as well as entry and exit times. Some school facilities with access control systems even have access control cards worn by children while on premises, making it possible to track their movement within the premises.
For more specific information on school security,
click hereIf an employee or a congregant loses a traditional key, it compromises security of the whole place and can necessitate rekeying of all locks. This is an expensive exercise. However, with an electronic access control system, it is easy to deactivate a lost access credential.
One of the best features of an electronic access control system is flexibility. Permissions can be programmed for each individual. It becomes possible to grant more access to trusted individuals within the congregation while limiting access to just a specific area, and even time period for other specific individuals.
It is also possible to grant or limit access for specific times. Eg. Access even for trusted individuals is limited to only during normal operating hours of the church, synagogue or mosque.
An electronic access control system provides a record of who accessed controlled doors and when. This information is useful in determining when and how a security breach or offense occurred.
In deciding on the type of electronic access control system to use, it is important to consider specific needs, as well as the allocated budget for security of the synagogue, temple, mosque or church. Here is where the assessment of your facilities particular vulnerabilities will also come into play. There are 3 basic types:
Installing an electronic access control system to protect private areas is a strong indicator on how seriously an organization takes its security and safety. While it will not be a 100% guarantee against criminality, having an efficient and effective access control system in place will go a long way in ensuring the safety of your premises against possible thefts or threats.