Last week the State of Illinois House voted to officially approve the legalization of marijuana. Illinois expects an additional 100+ applications license in addition to the existing 55 medical marijuana businesses already in operation within the state. With the influx of new applicants comes a well-thought-out process the businesses must follow. First getting the license approval, funding, real estate (location, location… location), and quickly following the Cannabis security and compliance that is state mandated.
Here are the key security requirements for a new legal cannabis business entering Illinois to ensure security compliance.
Video Surveillance
These systems helps in video monitoring of all activity within a specific location. Entrances to buildings, lobby areas, elevator lobbies and elevators, the perimeter of the property, and the perimeter of buildings can add effective cannabis security and compliance using video surveillance. The security officers can clearly monitor who is entering or leaving the building or property.
Video Surveillance Cameras covering premises, inventory rooms, testing labs, entrances, perimeter of the building, cash registers, employee lounges… basically everywhere except bathrooms is required to have CCTV recordings.
Cameras must record at least the equivalent of eight frames per second and be available in real time for 24 hrs. a day.
The camera images must be a minimum of “HD” High Definition meaning 1920x1080p resolution & have night vision capabilities (low-light performance with infra-red illuminators).
The cameras shall be angled/directed so all areas are captured, including, but not limited to; safes, vaults, sales areas and areas where cannabis is stored, handled, dispensed or destroyed.
Outside areas include store front, & parking lot should have unobstructed video surveillance.
Camera must show POS and capture the sale, the individuals and the computer monitors used for the sale.
Recordings shall not be destroyed or altered and retained for at least 90 days. We also strongly recommend a RAID or Fail-Over Storage design architecture.
Surveillance system must have the capability to produce a still photo from the surveillance video either live or recorded and must have printer onsite.
A time, date and stamp must be embedded on all video surveillance recordings. The date and time should be synchronized and set correctly and shouldn’t significantly obscure the picture.
The video surveillance cameras and recording equipment should have a four-hour minimum battery backup (or Uninterruptable Power Supply “UPS:”) to support recording during power outage.
The Still images must have the standard image format exporting options including JPG, BMP and GIF. Videos must have the ability to be archived in a proprietary format that ensures authentication of legitimately¬ captured video and guarantees that no alterations of the video has taken place and must be saved in an industry standard file format that can play on a standard computer operating system. All recordings should be erased or destroyed before disposal.
Cameras shall be angled to allow for potential facial recognition (in the future), the capture of clear and certain identification of any person entering or exiting the dispensary area, the immediate surrounding area & in lighting sufficient during all times of night or day.
Choosing the right video surveillance for parking lots for license plate capture or recognition system.
All monitors must be 19-inches or greater.
Cameras should be tested monthly to ensure proper Functionality. These types of systems fall under the health and life safety category and require service and preventative maintenance agreements from your security system provider.
Glass Break Sensors
These systems are first line of defense during burglary. Triggers alarm if glass window or pane is shattered or broken. Positioned near glass doors or glass store-front windows. Detectors use microphone that captures noise or vibrations in the glass pane and alarms when it sense such vibrations.
Glass break sensors should be installed in all perimeter windows in all entry/exit points in the premise.
These sensors should be inspected and tested monthly
System should be coded to notify administrative agents about any failure in the electronic video monitoring system with an audio/visual notification within 5 minutes.
Alarm System monitored by a Central Station
A platform designed for mass notification or to deliver information/alert via audio, text and images to a group of people. These systems are effective during disaster or emergency situations or during any abnormality in the system.
A fully functional security alarm system must be installed on all entry/exit points and perimeter windows to maintain compliance.
System should be coded to notify administrative agents about any failure in the system with an audio/visual or text notification within 5 minutes.
A duress alarm, panic button and alarm, holdup alarm or after-hours intrusion detection alarm that by design and purpose will directly or indirectly notify, by the most efficient means, the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the law enforcement agency having primary jurisdiction.
The device must have the capability to detect unauthorized intrusion that may include a signal system connected with a radio frequency method, cellular, private radio signals or other mechanical or electronic device.
Electronic Card Access Control
These systems can not only secure door providing employee accountability with Time Management, but the access control system can also be used to secure storage lockers, cabinets so business owners know who opened what counter (or inventory vaults) having its own wireless proximity card reader that syncs into to a full tracking automation of all openings, closing and activity.
Cyber Security
A technique of protecting against system, network, program or data from unauthorized access or attacks to avoid identity theft and to protect privacy. This should also include the protection of all physical security devices which are connected to your network i.e. surveillance cameras or proximity card readers.
System should protect against theft with the advanced techniques to prevent data breaches/loss of information.
