U.S. – Human Guards Replaced by Robots and Automatic Systems

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High-security compounds have traditionally employed security guards to protect buildings and facilities, deter intrusions, and prevent theft, but as budget cuts continue to force both private and governmental organizations to cut staff, some agencies are deploying portable barrier systems and robots tasked with securing organizations and their assets.

This past September, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California decided to reinforce security at a treatment center by using a vehicle barrier system to secure the center’s gates, improving its ability to counter theft and withstand ram attacks.

According to HLS News Wire, MWD selected California based Meridian Rapid Defense Group’s Archer 1200, a portable vehicle barrier system designed for rapid deployment. Since the Archer 1200 is portable, MWD’s security team can deploy the barrier system to different security points as needed. The barrier system is unanchored and does not require electricity or hydraulics to operate, so it can continue to perform in the event of a power outage because of natural disaster or sabotage.

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

John Alms, president of Meridian, says that the Archer 1200 barrier system is the preferred entry control system for the water sector since many water facilities are remote and access to electricity is limited.

In October 2010, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) deployed robots to patrol remote parts of its nuclear energy storage and testing operations at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The agency expects each of the Mobile Detection Assessment and Response System robots to save $6 million in infrastructure costs and an additional $1 million in maintenance and personnel costs.