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Vision Statement
Alwinco (Security Risk Assessment) empowers individuals and
organisations to effectively guard their fixed property from
criminal action.
Mission Statement
We stop crime by
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Conducting an indepth security risk assessment
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Developing an effective security plan
·
Conducting a thorough feasibility study
With that knowledge, our clients are empowered to address their
security needs effectively.
Our professionalism is supported by innovation, integrity and
pride.
Company Profile
Alwinco, which is owned and managed by André Mundell, is a company
that specialises in conducting security risk assessments of private
homes, residential and business complexes, business premises,
residential estates, office parks, etc. While assessing the security
weaknesses of a property André consults with many individuals, each
a specialist in his/her field of expertise within the security and
crime prevention field.
In these times it is possible to find many people who are willing to
give you advice or make a recommendation on ways you may go about
securing your residential or business property; however, it is less
likely you would find a company, like Alwinco, that will do a
careful indepth study of your present security situation and only
then offer their independent and unbiased recommendation, that you
may develop and implement an effective solution to your security
needs.
Hands-on
experience
André has already been in the crime prevention field for 27 years
and has interviewed many victims and interrogated many perpetrators
of crime; further, he has investigated the point of entry and escape
of many crime scenes. Within a 4-year period André attended 762
security meetings with complex committees, communities, property
developers, property managers and business owners. Consequently, he
can confirm that over the years he has come to understand two
elements that play a role in every crime scene he investigated:
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The victims had a poor level of knowledge of how to best secure
their property;
-
The victims were, consequently, not in control of their situation
before the crime took place.
Independence
As Security Risk Assessors, the focus at Alwinco is on the what,
how, when and where of your security needs. Alwinco is fully focused
on providing you recommendations for cost effective and flexible
security solutions, tailored to suit your need.
It is important that you note that Alwinco is not affiliated to any
dealer in security technology or equipment (suppliers, distributors,
or vendors) and we, consequently, have no financial interest in the
implementation phase of your security upgrading project. The only
‘partnership’ we do have is with you, our client. We can, therefore,
afford to be objective in our assessment of your current security
situation and recommend the best solution to your need; and it is
with pride that we deliver the final result of our professional
efforts on your behalf.
While Alwinco does not sell security hardware, products, or guarding
services we will, however, administer security tenders and projects
on your behalf, if so requested.
Like you, we understand that ‘money comes and money goes but
reputations last forever.’ The preservation of our good reputation
is more important to us than that quick buck we may make out of you;
to that end we willingly share our expertise with you.
Products
Research
and development
To keep our knowledge of security issues up to date, Alwinco is
committed to ongoing research and development activities.
In the past 15 years crime has evolved to enter the age of
sophisticated technology and criminals are usually better educated
about such technology than are their victims. They arrive at the
scene of the crime with the equipment and knowledge necessary to
short-circuit or destroy the technology they find there; they have
access to the Internet and other advanced technology.
Furthermore, many criminals have also received some form of combat
training (SAP, security or military); which means they know how to
protect themselves. And they are also aware that if they fail in
that they will, at best, go to jail and, at worst, lose their lives;
knowing how ill prepared most owners are in securing their property,
the criminals are prepared to take their chances. As eluded to
above, in most cases the criminal’s will to survive a crime is far
greater than the owner’s will to protect their property from such
attack.
And the statistics indicating the low percentage of private and
business properties where the level of security is up to an
effective standard support and encourage the criminals’ malicious
thought processes; they are:
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Home security - 8.3%;
·
Complex & Estate security - 3.4%;
·
Business security - 2.8%;
·
Neighborhood security - 0.2%.
The ultimate goal of crime prevention tactics is to reduce the
chances of one becoming a victim of crime. Therefore, at Alwinco we
advocate the following:
Crime Prevention = Security Risk Assessment = Security is knowledge
Security Risk Assessment, Security Plan & Feasibility Study
The first step is that of conducting a security risk assessment
- before you can confront a problem that problem must be properly
identified;
Then a plan of action must be developed – the establishment
an effective security system stems from ‘security knowledge’ and
such knowledge can only be supplied by an expert in that field.
And, should you require it, Alwinco is in a position to provide you
with a feasibility study of possible security solutions.
When Alwinco conducts a security risk assessment on your property
they include a thorough inspection of your work tasks, activities,
and premises, to then identify potential weak points, evaluate the
risks those potential weak points present and recommend preventative
or protective measures you may consider implementing.
Empowerment
Thereafter you will be in a position to approach a security company
to start the implementation phase of addressing your security needs;
however, you will now be empowered to intelligently assess and query
the recommendations offered by that company.
Take a moment to consider this:
Should you approach a security company before you have received a
professionally compiled Security Risk Assessment Report, you will be
placing your security need in the hands of an alarm salesperson, who
is more interested in having you sign a contract with his company
(there and then) to enable him to meet his daily sales target, than
addressing your actual security need.
More often than not, this person will not provide you with an
unbiased recommendation and effective solution to your security
needs as they fear that if they take the time and invest money into
accurately assessing your security situation you might want a second
opinion on their recommendation and end up accepting the solution
offered by another security company; or because the price of their
quote increased and you hoped to get a cheaper quote for the same
project from another security company - they would, therefore, lose
the deal. Consequently, their solution is to provide the information
that is most conducive to them getting the deal!
Furthermore, few people realise that the security industry has a
high staff turnover rate; which means that the chance is good you
will be presented with a company representative that does not have
much experience in dealing with a situation such as the one you may
present him/her.
Please take note that there is far more to security that just
installing an alarm system.
Security risks that Alwinco often encounters that are never
addressed include:
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Lack of plans, policies, and procedures that adequately address and
mitigate threats; while reducing owner liability that may result
from injuries sustained during an attack;
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Business continuity in the face of civil disorder and pandemics;
·
Employee theft, lack of ethics with regard to the safety of people,
lack of controls and measures to address, deter, and detect breaches
in security measures;
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Inadequate controls for dissemination of information, access control
security measures, visitor and vendor controls;
·
Lack of security integration, awareness, responsibility, and
training of staff to handle problems that may arise.
Services Plan
Our ‘partnering’ approach
When conducting a security risk assessment, Alwinco has established
the policy of ‘partnering’ with their clients; which means, in
essence, that the assessment of your security need becomes a team
effort. In that way, Alwinco provides you with ‘security’ ideas,
skills and know-how. After signing an agreement with you, our work
plan is as follows:
Physical inspection
The first action Alwinco will take is to have you accompany them on
a walk around and through your property; while remembering to THINK
like a thief, we will together consider the question: ‘How would I
break in?’ (Remember that I have 27 years of crime scene
investigation experience that supports my observations when I
conduct such a physical inspection.)
Development of a security plan
A formalised security plan for implementing your security system
will provide you with an action plan for upgrading from your current
security status. An effective plan of action will incorporate the
utilization of technology to provide you with the necessary
protection.
Seen from a criminal’s point of view, the crime prevention triangle
consists of desire, ability and opportunity. By
removing any one of those elements a crime is prevented from taking
place. Consider the following:
Remove the desire to commit crime:
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The community, police or courts cannot affect or remove a criminal’s
desire to commit crimes. (At best the state can hope to (re)educate
potential and real criminals on the wrongness of their actions but
the desire to commit crimes is beyond state control.);
·
It needs be understood that security is knowledge.
Remove the ability to commit crime:
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The state is not able to affect or remove potential and real
criminals ability (knowledge of how) to commit crime;
·
Consequently, criminal knowledge is to be kept at bay by your
security knowledge;
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Therefore, crime prevention = security plan;
·
And an effective security plan can only be developed after a
security risk assessment has been conducted.
Remove the opportunity to commit crime:
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Naturally – environmental measures;
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Organised measures – a security risk assessment; that is followed by
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Target hardening – the implementation of an effective security plan.
Your security plan would provide you with security and crime
prevention tools placed in appropriate places, to reduce
opportunities for criminals entering your premises without being
detected. Further benefit of a well developed security plan would be
the reduction of fear and accompanying improvement in your, your
family and/or work associates quality of life.
Objectives of a Security Risk Assessment
A security risk assessment is an intensive study of many
interlinking elements.
Extent of a security risk assessment:
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Survey of the property, the street and the neighborhood;
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Identification of potential risks;
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Recommendations made to address and reduce the risks;
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The balance between security and safety needs be understood.
5-phase physical site security survey:
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The core or inside of the premises;
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The shell or the building itself;
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The outer security or courtyard, garden or parking area;
·
The perimeter or security fence which is the first line of
protection;
·
The surrounding or neighborhood.
Security analysis:
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Security risk assessment;
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Audit and management of existing security service;
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Consulting and assisting at committee presentations;
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Security planning;
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Feasibility study;
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Assisting with, and managing, tender processes;
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Project management;
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Construction (Building) control;
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Window risk (something that is usually ignored).
Alwinco is results driven
After conducting the security risk assessment, Alwinco will audit
your existing security system. Suggestions will then be made on
upgrading your existing security system, to bring it up to an
effective standard. (It can be noted here that it is not always
necessary to scrap an existing security system, as most problems
encountered with such a system are easily rectified.)
The assistance that Alwinco is willing to render may include:
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Supporting the committee at security meetings - by advising you on
whether you are really getting the service you are paying for;
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Ensuring you to look beyond the ‘rosy pictures and wonderful
presentations, that promise you the earth’, so that you end up with
a security solution that is designed around your actual needs;
·
Ensuring your current security system and the services provided meet
legal requirements;
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Providing feedback on the proceedings after having attended a
security meeting;
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Assistance with a security tender process.
Pricing and Payment
Just as each individual security plan is unique, so is each security
risk assessment unique. Please note that it is necessary for me to
conduct a site visit before I am in a position to draw up a quote
for you, as it is the complexity of your security situation that
will determine the price on the quote.
A 50% deposit (cash or electronic fund transfer) is payable before I
will commence with an assignment.
It is important to note that André must receive a copy of the photo
page of the I.D. book of the person giving him the instruction to
conduct a security risk assessment on a property; this is to protect
his clients from criminals posing as property owners.
Contribution to Society
·
Your safety and security needs will be adequately and effectively
addressed;
·
The money you spend on servicing your security needs will be well
spent;
·
Your security knowledge will be strengthened;
·
You will become a member of the few individuals in our society that
is actively combating the crime in our country;
·
As security knowledge is disseminated through society, crime will be
addressed evermore effectively;
·
Security Companies will be forced to provide a more effective
service to their clients.
Operational Management
André Mundell was employed by the South African police force for 21
years; for the last 15 of those years he was assigned to the
investigation unit. While working in that unit he gained much
experience in dealing with normal crimes and syndicates and, with
time, André came to realise that of all the aspects involved in his
work, it was the actual crime scenes that intrigued his analytical
mind the most and piqued his interest. His personal interest grew to
the point that André began making detailed notes of each crime scene
he visited; through this experience he began to detect and
understand the similarities and uniqueness between the circumstances
that were present before the crime took place and, consequently,
supported each crime scene.
Seven years ago André resigned from the police force, to be employed
within the security industry. While working there he learned about
the hardware, the security environment, and to view crime scenes
from the security and crime prevention point of view.
About that time André was introduced to the Internet and, as a form
of stress-relief, began posting blogs about crime; those blogs were
posted in the form of questions about security issues and they soon
generated much interest among the public.
It was through the unsolicited public response to those blogs that
André realised how few people truly understood the nature of crime;
that most members of the public simply accept the advice offered by
a security company and believe they must have the recommended alarm
system installed in their home or business premises. So, while the
building is protected to a degree, they don’t think further than
that - to realise they also need to protect their family or staff or
customers in some way.
Further investigation of the phenomenon that surround the question
of security and crime prevention led André to understand that while
individuals may raise questions about such issues when relaxing
socially on a Saturday afternoon, they forget to pose those same
questions to their security company at the time of negotiating with
them.
Consequently, when conducting a security risk assessment, André
often discovers that an existing security system has built in
weaknesses. Experience has taught him that as our security habits
change, so the nature of the crime that befalls us is adapted to
accommodate that change. To stop crime totally it is necessary to
have extensive knowledge of all aspects of security and address each
security weakness until all the weaknesses are covered.
The path his career followed brought André to the point when he
realised there is a need in the market place for people to become
properly educated about their security needs. And so Alwinco was
established; to date André, together with his colleagues, has
assisted many people to stop crime from afflicting their lives.
Official and Contact Information
Company name: Alwinco cc
Registration number: CK 2006/029993/23
Postal address: P. O. Box 335
Montana Park
Pretoria 0159
Car phone: +27 (0)84 49
78910
Fax: +27 (0)86
666 8050
Name:
André Mundell
Cell: +27 (0)82
9000 399
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