Jan 30, 2025
Crime Demographic Analysis: Using Data to Support Litigation
In today’s data-driven world, crime demographic analysis has become a cornerstone of expert witness consulting in litigation. When addressing premises liability, security negligence, or related legal cases, crime analysis provides objective, actionable insights that can significantly influence outcomes. By combining statistical data with expert evaluation, attorneys can better substantiate arguments and present a compelling narrative in court.
Jan 17, 2025
The Role of a Security Expert Witness in Premise Liability Cases
In the intricate world of premises liability cases, the expertise of a security expert witness is invaluable. Whether it’s negligence, foreseeability, use of force or related, these cases often involve determining whether the threat was known and if adequate controls were in place to minimize the potential for a threat occurrence. A premises security expert should bring unbiased insight to support the understanding of the trier of fact. This role requires a deep understanding of security management, security technology, crime,foreseeability, and best practices in safety protocols.
Sep 19, 2024
How CPTED is Shaping Safer Communities: The Role of Design in Crime Prevention
In today’s world, crime prevention is often viewed through the lens of law enforcement and surveillance technologies. However, there's a subtler yet powerful approach to creating safer spaces—Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). This method focuses on using architectural and landscape design to deter crime and create environments where people feel secure. By reshaping physical spaces, CPTED empowers communities to take crime prevention into their own hands.
Aug 7, 2024
Mitigating Risks in Parking Garages: Security Assessments and Recommendations
Parking garages, despite their apparent utility, are often hotspots for various security risks. These structures rank third in areas of victimization across the United States, highlighting the critical need for effective security measures. This blog explores the importance of security assessments in parking garages and offers recommendations to mitigate these risks.
Jul 22, 2024
Hotel Security Management: Addressing Threats and Improving Safety
Ensuring the safety and security of guests is a top priority for the hospitality industry. Hotels are bustling hubs of activity, accommodating guests from all over the world, hosting events, and managing a constant flow of staff and visitors. With such dynamic environments, effective hotel security management is crucial to address potential threats and improve overall safety. This blog will explore key aspects of hotel security management, common threats, strategies to enhance safety, and insights from expert security witness Sean Ahrens.
Jul 3, 2024
Data Review for Parking Garage Security: Analyzing Trends and Patterns
Parking garages/parking lots are one of the highest points of victimization. Ensuring the safety of parking garages is a critical aspect of urban security management. Parking facilities, often overlooked in security discussions, are unique environments that present specific challenges and risks. As a security expert witness and consultant, I've found that analyzing trends and patterns in parking garage security data is essential in ascertaining liability. In this article, we'll explore the importance of data analysis in parking garage security, key trends, and how these insights can enhance safety.
Jun 19, 2024
Modern Urban Environments: Criminology's Role in Crime Prevention and Security
Modern urban environments, characterized by dense populations and intricate infrastructure, pose unique challenges in crime prevention and security. These sprawling urban centers are hubs of economic activity, cultural diversity, and social interaction, but they also present fertile ground for various forms of criminal activity. Understanding these challenges through the lens of criminology is essential for developing effective security strategies that can safeguard residents and property.
Jun 5, 2024
Criminology and Security Vulnerabilities in Modern Urban Environments
Modern urban environments, with their dense populations and complex infrastructure, present unique challenges in crime prevention and security. Understanding these challenges through criminology is crucial for developing effective security strategies.
May 29, 2024
Chicago Crash-and-grab thieves target currency exchanges to steal ATMs
Sean Ahrens is a recognized expert in workplace violence and security, frequently advising businesses on best practices to enhance safety. His expertise is particularly valuable in addressing the growing trend of thefts involving ATMs in Chicago. Ahrens recommends proactive measures such as removing cash from ATMs overnight, using thicker glass, and bolting down machines to prevent theft. His insights help businesses understand the importance of protecting high-value assets and implementing strategies to deter criminals effectively.
May 29, 2024
Exploring the Use of Drones in Surveillance and Security Operations
Drones have become a pivotal tool in modern security and surveillance operations, offering capabilities that traditional methods cannot match. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are transforming how we monitor and protect assets, both in urban and remote settings.
Apr 30, 2024
The Importance of Security Training in Hospitality and Retail Industries
In the bustling arenas of hospitality and retail, security stands as a cornerstone of successful operation. These sectors, characterized by high customer interaction and substantial employee turnover, face unique challenges that make effective security training not just beneficial but essential. This blog post explores the crucial role of security training in safeguarding both assets and people in these industries.
Apr 13, 2024
The Psychology Behind Theft and Vandalism: Insights for Better Security Measures
Welcome to Ahrens Security’s blog, where we delve into the intricacies of security management and share expert insights to enhance your security strategies. Today, we’re tackling the psychological drivers behind theft and vandalism and how understanding these can lead to more effective security measures.
Feb 16, 2024
The Impact of Lighting on Public Safety in Urban Planning
The design of our cities has a profound impact on the lives of those who live, work, and play in them. One often-overlooked element that plays a crucial role in public safety is lighting. Lighting continues to be downplayed through light pollution requirements, dark skies initiatives, and new technology, which creates new opportunities and challenges, more than ever.
Dec 23, 2023
Ockham's Razor and Physical Security: Exploring Premise Liability, High Crime, and Foreseeability
In the realm of security and law, the principles of simplicity and logic are as crucial as they are in philosophy and science. I suggest one such guiding principle is Ockham's Razor, which suggests that the simplest explanation is often the best one. In this blog post, we'll explore how Ockham's Razor applies to the complex world of physical security, premise liability, high crime areas, and the concept of foreseeability.
Dec 19, 2023
A Case for Vigilance: Mitigating Security Risks in the Face of Vagrancy and the unhoused/homeless
In a disturbing incident, a woman was attacked in a parking garage by a homeless individual armed with a steak knife. The knife was obtained from a nearby church providing meals to the homeless. This harrowing event exemplifies the complex interplay between vagrancy, security risks, and community welfare.
Nov 19, 2023
Why I deliberately Broke into My Hotel Room: A Lesson in Security
Recently, during a business trip, I encountered a startling revelation about security in the most unexpected of places - my hotel room for an established flag. After a long day, I returned to my room, hearing previously the familiar and reassuring sound of the automatic deadbolt “latching” behind me.
Nov 12, 2023
Emphasizing the future need for Preventative Maintenance in Lighting Design: A Security and Liability Perspective
As lighting design pivots towards energy efficiency driven by evolving energy codes, a crucial aspect often overlooked is the impact on premise security and the increased need for preventative maintenance. This post delves into the nuances of lighting design from a security and liability standpoint, highlighting the essential role of preventative maintenance in safeguarding against security negligence and premise liability.
Nov 4, 2023
Keys and locks, the cornerstone of access control
The ancient Egyptians, around 4,000 years ago, introduced the earliest known locks and keys. These rudimentary devices have developed significantly, paralleling advancements in Security Technology and Forensic Security methodologies. Today, a standard, non-high security keyway's vulnerability can be a focus for a Security Expert Witnesses in a Premise Liability case. Such standard locks are often easily bypassed—a glaring example of Security Negligence—through techniques like lock picking, which are less challenging than many assume.