How key lockers can assist in law enforcement security development

Here's why your business needs to be aware of electronic asset tracking systems

Behind the badge, gun and uniform, a police officer needs a raft of equipment to fight crime. These items could be highly attractive to some criminals. While law enforcement agencies work to protect the public from thieves, they can also fall victim to them. And given that police use a variety of weapons, a theft could turn deadly if law enforcement assets fall into the wrong hands.

Officers also deal with pieces of evidence and seized narcotics, which could cause more than just a headache if lost or stolen. Evidence tampering, for instance, could result in a criminal walking free. For all of the above reasons, law enforcement agencies need to develop robust security systems.

That is where electronic key safes come in, as they can help officers maintain the security, safety, accountability, and reliability of every weapon and piece of evidence in their precinct. KEYper Systems’ high security key management lockers and boxes offer key control solutions for keeping evidence secure in stations and off-site warehouses. They also boast quick and easy-to-use software that shows which keys have been checked out, and to who.

5 ways that key lockers can improve security development for law enforcement agencies

1. Protecting a high volume of police assets
   Many law enforcement agencies need to safely store a large range of items, from seized illegal substances and hazardous materials to body cameras, communication devices and firearms like pistols and rifles. Our KEYper Electronic Key Systems are customizable to the needs of each agency and its various departments, from narcotics to forensics. It ranges from 32 to 288 keys per cabinet and can easily be expanded to more than 2,000 in total.
2. Holding officers more accountable
   The theft of weapons, narcotics and evidence can have devastating consequences. That is why officers need to be accountable and mindful of evidence and equipment in their care. Our KEYper MXi Lock-In Electronic Key Systems provide a complete and automated audit trail for every single key, including user history, duration, and when they were returned, encouraging officers to be more careful.
3. Help prevent fraud
   Electronic key safes can help prevent fraud by making it harder for criminals to mimic sign-ins and gain unauthorized access to high-value police assets through the theft of keys. The integrated touchscreen on our MX Electronic Key System verifies authorized users, and employs multiple access methods like a unique pincode, a card reader and fingerprint recognition.
4. Help prevent evidence tampering
   Administrators can use smart software to remotely follow an item's chain of custody and access information about its use without ever stepping foot in a station or crime lab. Management tools allow them to monitor transactions, control item access, and run detailed reports. Thanks to a full audit trail, any suspicious activity from within a police force can be linked directly to the person granted access at the time. Agencies can also benefit from an emergency key mapping service that allows them to view the position of every key in the system from their smartphone during a power cut.
5. Restrict access to untrained staff
   Administrators can use electronic key safes to limit what and where certain officers can access. This can help save lives, given that items like weapons could kill or seriously harm someone when operated by staff without specialist training or an up-to-date license. The system also recognizes when a fob is returned, and users are automatically logged out when they close the cabinet door.

How do you prioritize key locker use cases?

Law enforcement agencies can begin integrating key lockers by starting with their most valued assets and identifying the biggest gaps in their security. Some of the most effective tools for officers are their vehicles. How quickly they can make it across town when responding to an emergency could be life-or-death, or determine if a suspect has a chance to flee the scene of a crime.

Agencies facing growing workloads, staff cuts, budget restrictions and a large fleet of cars could benefit from an electronic key safe to manage the use, transfer and accessibility of their vehicles while automatically logging their movements. They can also remotely allow officers to transfer vehicles between each other in the field. This allows senior ranking officers to know exactly where each car is, and offer quicker access to officers in emergencies. Another huge asset is armory. Electronic key systems can help prevent the wrong person accessing weapons and carrying out an attack or causing an accident due to misuse.

Administrators can use the web-based software linked to electronic key cabinets to stop unauthorized people from accessing police weapons, including officers who are untrained in certain items. Agencies can find out exactly who checked out a firearm and when from any computer via a 24/7 audit trail and only allow access using a unique PIN, proximity card or biometric fingerprint for enhanced security. They can also receive instant email/SMS notifications about important activity, such as a key not being returned on time or failed login attempts.

The key to staying one step ahead

As the criminal world evolves with technology, police forces can revolutionize their security systems with digital key lockers to stay one step ahead. These innovative tools can help prevent accidents and stop crimes like fraud, theft and assault by controlling who has access to equipment and evidence, and when.