By CN Staff
MAPLE GROVE, Minn.—Correctional News touched base recently with Daniel Quam, Director of Product at GUARDIAN RFID, to gain his insights on the most important trends and resources in security electronics today. Quam also shared some thoughts on key do’s and don’ts, as well as some compelling company news and some brief prognostications on the industry’s future.
CN: What makes Security Electronics so crucial to correctional facilities today, and how do you think the field has changed over the past decade or so?
Quam: Today, correctional facilities across the nation are struggling with retention and recruiting. This means that the staff who are working have less experience and time to get the job done. However, using updated security electronics that allow for enhanced efficiency, accountability, and transparency will make facility operations easier, as well as enhance the safety and security of the inmates and staff.
CN: What do you think is the most significant trend today with security electronics within justice and corrections?
Quam: The most significant security electronics trend within the corrections industry today is interoperability. In other words, the ability for software systems to work together and increase the ease of use for officers. Keeping the officer experience at the forefront, we have to simplify operations while simultaneously increasing technological capabilities. Digitally transforming facility operations with enhanced training surrounding analytics and pattern awareness will lead to increased technological capabilities as well as heightened facility safety.
CN: If you had to choose the most vital “do” and “don’t” moves for today’s facilities implementing or expanding security electronic systems, what would they be?
Quam: When searching for options to either implement or expand your facility’s security electronic systems, DO your research to ensure you’re selecting an option that has the ability to grow with your future technological needs. It’s also important to confirm this option is backed by customer-focused support that can resolve any questions or issues as quickly as possible. DON’T be afraid to make a decision. This is the first step to improving your operations! If you are including a multi-disciplinary team to evaluate the project, it’s crucial to exercise due diligence but also take action to achieve the objective with a quality choice that will last for many years to come. All too often we see analysis paralysis and a project that never reaches completion.
CN: Does your firm have any new/recent projects, partnerships or other news you think the industry might want to know about?
Quam: GUARDIAN RFID recently released a new virtual learning environment with online training videos named Academy Unlimited. Led by our Academy trainers, each self-paced video lesson helps build expert competency around GUARDIAN RFID products and solutions. Another service that GUARDIAN RFID recently launched and is a complimentary resource for every customer agency, is C.O.R.E. Correctional Operations Resource Experts (C.O.R.E.) is an elite team of GUARDIAN RFID professionals combining over 250+ years of deep corrections experience including inmate management and jail operations knowledge. C.O.R.E. is resourced to help guide every one of our correctional “Warrior” clients in their pursuit of excellence.
CN: Looking down the road a bit, how do you think security electronics will transform in our industry over the next 5-10 years?
Quam: We will have proper controls and trust in Cloud security as security electronics evolve over time. This will enable increased interoperability between systems and put the power of multiple applications, machine learning, and artificial intelligence-based platforms in the hands of correctional officers. We will demand data from one system that can quickly and seamlessly be imported and synced with data from other systems at no additional cost. Facilities will be more concerned about leveraging all of their data systems together and curating what officers need to see, need to know, and need to do within a common operating picture (COP).
GUARDIAN RFID is a public safety technology company whose mission is to protect America’s Thin Gray Line: the 480,000 correctional officers protecting our nation’s jails and prisons. We help officers better execute the care, custody, and control mission-set through modern Cloud, mobile, RFID, and AI technologies that enable real-time situational awareness.
