Security Strategies for Problematic Buildings
By Noel Ellison, RAM®, Director of Operations, Webb & Brooker, Inc.

As summer approaches, building managers find themselves dealing with increased pedestrian traffic by residents and guests. In some cases, the additional traffic brings about the problem of illegal or anti-social activities taking place in apartments and public spaces, adversely affecting the quality of life for building inhabitants. A well thought out security program is a major weapon in combating objectionable conduct on the part of residents and their guests.

The following are some points of consideration for an effective security strategy.

Building Entrance Locks
As obvious as it sounds, this is the first line of defense (maybe the only line of defense) of your security strategy. In some buildings, keys are improperly duplicated and passed out to the point of abuse, particularly in buildings that may suffer from the trafficking of illegal substances.

It is best to get a lock that requires keys that cannot be duplicated. Each apartment should be issued two keys and should be required to pay a premium price for any additional or duplicate keys. Management should keep accurate records of entrance key distribution in an effort to identify residents who are not carefully securing their keys. The high price for entrance key replacement should induce residents to keep track of their keys while deterring their cooperation with individuals seeking to gain illegal entry into the building.

Security Guards
Although the presence of Security Guards provides a level of comfort in many problematic buildings, it may have only a placebo effect if it’s not coupled with policies and protocols aimed at restricting access to the building. For example, in one building where suspected drug-dealing activities took place, guests were required to show a photo ID to the guard before being allowed access. In addition, the building required the guard to contact the apartment and have the shareholder come down to the lobby to sign the guest in, even after the guest provided identification. The sign-in sheet, complete with ID information and number, was kept on file for possible use by the police department or the landlord-tenant attorney. The photo ID requirement usually deters individuals who have no legitimate business in the building.

Guards should also be instructed to contact the local police precinct if illegal activity is suspected or seen on the viewing monitor.

Local Policing Agencies
Since 1988, to foster cooperation between landlords, law enforcement and law-abiding tenants, the New York City District Attorney’s office developed the Narcotics Eviction Program to help rid buildings of drug dealers. In the event that a resident is arrested for illegal drug trafficking, the District Attorneys office, through the use of a state civil statute, will provide paperwork and police witnesses to testify at eviction trials. The statute also has been used in cases of prostitution, gambling, firearms trafficking and other illegal activities.

In addition, New York City’s District Attorney’s office sponsors the “No Trespass Affidavit Program.” Since 1991, buildings enrolled in this program are asked to post “No Trespass” signs on the building and to provide the local police precinct with the building’s tenant list and a copy of the key to the building’s entrance door. Police Officers will then sweep the public areas of the building periodically and remove or arrest anyone found trespassing or loitering. The regular police presence tends to reduce the illegal activities that often take place in stairwells, basements and roof landings. Enrolling in this program also gives the manager an opportunity to develop a relationship with local detectives — a most valuable resource when you need an immediate response.

Security Cameras
A videotape or DVD is a most effective witness in any court proceeding, especially if the video is in color. Products currently on the market allow for the set-up of multiple cameras that can be simultaneously viewed from a muti-plexer monitor. As such, a security guard at the front desk can observe activities in the elevators, laundry rooms, basement, roof, rear exits, garages, etc., from a base location. Incidents can be immediately reported to appropriate parties and/or attended to.

Landlord-Tenant Attorneys
They may be expensive, and the process may be slow, but a good landlord-tenant attorney can prove invaluable to your security efforts. From the point a manager starts having reason to be concerned about the activities originating from an apartment, your attorney should play a role in your response activities, either through step-by-step consultation or a set of established procedures approved by the attorney. It’s cheaper to have your attorney keep you out of trouble than it is to have the attorney get you out of trouble.

Resident Diligence
There are always law-abiding residents who will quietly pass along to the manager information regarding illegal activities in the building. It is important to note that managers are not police officers, and that such reports also should be reported to law enforcement agencies. Nevertheless, any reports of illegal activity received form residents should be handled confidentially and reported to the local precinct and your landlord-tenant attorney. [ return to top ]