Security news & advice

A guard patrol monitoring system records activity at checkpoints, sends patrol data to a monitoring platform and helps supervisors review missed, late or unusual patrol events. Here is how the process works.

NFC and RFID can both verify visits to physical patrol points, but the terms are not interchangeable. This guide explains how each technology fits a guard patrol system and how to choose between them.

Choosing patrol technology starts with the operational need. This guide explains how security companies can compare PTT communication, patrol verification, guard alertness monitoring and reporting, and where Onguard products may fit.

A practical report from an Onguard OG-66 training session at a working security site, covering radio setup, patrol verification, alerts, GPS, control-room response and reporting.

A secure estate depends on practical procedures, clear communication and consistent management, not only physical boundaries. This guide outlines the operational principles that help estates set realistic security expectations.

Security technology cannot replace professional judgement, but it can help teams structure patrols, record events, maintain communication and review exceptions. This guide explains where current patrol-management tools may reduce avoidable operational errors.

South African security operations may need to consider PSiRA requirements for private security providers and POPIA requirements when personal information is processed. This guide outlines practical compliance-awareness questions, not legal advice.

Real-time guard monitoring gives supervisors current operational information about patrol activity, alerts, communications and recorded events while a shift is underway. The exact level of visibility depends on the hardware, connectivity and processes in use.

Poor guard monitoring can create operational gaps when supervisors cannot easily review patrol activity, identify exceptions or reconstruct what happened during a shift. This guide explains the records and workflows security operations should consider.

As security guards across the country threaten to down tools in all sectors, now is a good time to re-evaluate your business, or home, security setup. While Onguard supplies technology products for the security industry, it helps to have a few of our other

Push-to-Talk lets a user press a control and speak without placing a conventional telephone call. This guide explains cellular PTT, its coverage considerations, and where the Onguard OG-66 Patrol Radio fits in a security operation.

The criminal mind is always thinking up the next way to rob a hapless victim and in South Africa, we have no choice but to be constantly aware of new tactics and trends. Recently, the South African Police Service (SAPS) released a new list of warnings for South African motorists. Hijacking is every driver’s worst

In recent weeks, crime has been on every South African’s mind, as protests broke out all over the country following yet another attention-grabbing act of violence. Crime seems to be here to stay, and you need to make sure that you have done everything possible to ensure that you, your family and your business stay

A lone-worker system combines procedures, communication and monitoring arrangements to help an operation maintain contact, identify missed check-ins or alerts, and plan an appropriate response. This guide explains the practical considerations for security operations.

Security with scanners A while ago you might remember that when you wanted to enter an estate that you had to fill out a book and then sign it and they would let you in, these days services like Identiscan are used in estates, as they are much more useful than a piece of paper, and they

With the rise of crime in South Africa, companies need to be more vigilant when it comes to allowing visitor or staff member into a complex, with more criminals trying to gain access to properties these days with more intricate methods, it can be important to have better ways of managing entry and exit points

Stay Awake is an Onguard guard alertness-monitoring function available on the OG-66. It uses scheduled prompts, guard acknowledgement and missed-response alerts to support guard-monitoring procedures.

Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, no longer is it futuristic to consider that video technology could alert you to an impending robbery or burglary. CCTV systems presently can recognise suspicious behaviour. They can pick out criminals faces in a crowd. They will detect firearms and automatically inform authorities of a hold up in

Volatile situations require a focussed and targeted response to threats and a measured plan of action going forward. The private security industry in South Africa is among the largest in the world, tripling the numbers of the national South African Police Force. Recently, the South African security response was further strengthened by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to deploy 70 000

As if driving on South Africa’s roads was not hair raising enough, what with the taxis and other wild drivers who own the road, South Africans also need to be extra vigilant when it comes to crime. South Africa’s dangerous roads hit the headlines again not so long ago, when a young couple was brutally

The need for estate security Estates these days are becoming more and more popular, and as they are opening up for business, they need security and especially access control systems, something that needs to be made as fluid as possible so that the residents and guests can access the estate in an easy and convenient

A historical look at an earlier Onguard Mobi approach to guard management using rugged mobile devices and Bluetooth beacons. Current Onguard products and platform features differ.

A Covid-era article about earlier Onguard patrol, Stay Awake and Onguard Mobi products. Follow the linked current product pages for present-day information.

A historical launch article about the earlier Onguard Mobi P199, its push-to-talk, panic and patrol functions, and the RG310 model it replaced.

Historical editorial coverage of the RG360 and Onguard Mobi generation in the context of South Africa's July 2021 unrest. Its device specifications do not describe the current OG-66.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that it is important that industry does not come to a standstill during the Covid-19 lock down. Some businesses are expected to see a surge in demand within certain industries; together with a decline of certain business resulting in those companies facing economic distress. In all cases, now

Historical editorial coverage of technology-supported guarding during the Covid-19 lockdown, including earlier Onguard Mobi terminology and operating conditions.

Homeowners, especially those who’ve just moved, are at risk of being robbed at all times of the year, even though the winter months are often quieter than the rest of the year. Becoming familiar with the weaker points around your home is the first step towards making sure that your home is properly secured. When

A fully automated method which can be used to recognise a person by identifying either behavioural or physical traits, systems like these are often used in the security industry can completely change the way that you approach access control systems. Biometrics are amazing in every way. They have evolved over the years to encompass more features

Well, RFID stands for “radio-frequency identification” and is part of a technology which reads digital data which was encoded on an RFID tag, or smart labels, these signals are captured via radio waves emitted from the tag/label. It is very similar to a barcode scanner, except instead of the scanner has to see the barcode

Do you need antivirus software? In the world of today with all this new technology from both mac and windows, do we need to have antivirus software on our computers, or is it perfectly fine to go with the default that is given to us? Viruses v.s Malware You must remember there is a difference

Cameras can help security teams observe selected areas and review recorded events, but their value depends on practical placement, operating procedures and realistic expectations. This guide distinguishes fixed surveillance cameras from wearable recording cameras.

Upholding our constitutional right to individual privacy, the Protection of PersonalInformation Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) is a crime prevention blueprint put in place to protectagainst crimes of identity theft, fraud, cybercrime, spamming and information theft andits related offenses. The purpose of the Act, enables compliance by South African businesses on how togain access to

In areas of high crime, access security becomes the number one deterrent in crime prevention. Protecting the lives and assets of people and their businesses means taking control of access points; resident and visitor admittance and monitoring; data capturing, technical compliance and 24/7 emergency response. In South Africa, the rise of gated and security monitored estates has