Access Control
& Security Systems

Apartment residents recently found a note on their doors from management companies outlining a recent FBI threat warning involving possible terrorist activity involving explosives and rental housing.

The general, non-specific threat outlined terrorists' intention to store explosives and possibly to wire an apartment to explode. The FBI has indicated it provided the warning merely as a caution to the industry and its residents.

The National Multi Housing Council has published a series of recommendations to housing management officials involving operational security. Among them:

-- Advise all employees and contractors to be vigilant and aware of suspicious behavior and report all suspicious activity to the FBI.

-- Encourage residents to be on the lookout and to contact both property management and the FBI. For example, be watchful of student residents who don't appear to leave the property to attend classes.

-- Perform thorough move-in and move-out inspections and regularly check vacant units. Also have employees on the lookout for prohibited materials on the premises, including gunpowder, PVC or metal piping and dismantled kitchen timers.

-- Expand daily property-wide inspections to include building perimeters and exteriors.

-- Keep a watch on contractors, and require background checks for prior criminal history.

-- Require original documents to prove identity when accepting new residents.

-- Note individuals who rent multiple apartments at the same time.

-- Look out for unattended or unauthorized vehicles in parking lots.

-- Keep non-public areas (storage and equipment areas) off limits to non-employees.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue