for all
A book seasons
T
he Daily Occurrence Book, similar to a Policeman’s notebook, is an important document that can carry legal significance and should lie at the heart of any good corporate security operation.
This article explores its continued relevance today and how AI is instrumental in modernising and improving this vital reporting tool.
Love at first sight?
In the early 1990’s whilst studying at university, I worked briefly as a security guard in the City of London. I recall like it happened yesterday, arriving one dusky evening at the ornate granite edifice which was 60 London Wall. And being given a tour of this magnificent building, followed by the briefest of introductions to what would become my new partner. The ‘Daily Occurrence Book’ (DOB) also known by her maiden name, the ‘Daily Occurrence Log’.
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I would be lying if I claimed, it was love at first sight, but not too dissimilar from many other relationships that have stood the test of time, my admiration, trust and respect in her fidelity have only grown as the years have passed.
‘Daily Occurrence Book’ sounds very mundane and ‘every day’, evoking images of some over- glorified widget counting work diary. However nothing could be further from the truth. The critical importance of a properly actioned DOB in the security business cannot be emphasised strongly enough.
DOBs are intended to provide a chronological and sequential record of all occurrences that have transpired over time, on a specific site. An occurrence for those who are wondering, is anything that has been seen, smelled, found, heard or done that may have a security implication. And of course, the vast majority of these are mundane and ordinary.
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However, situations will invariably arise, albeit infrequently, where what has been seen, smelled, found, heard or done is of such vital importance to the building owners or a third party such as the Police, that they must therefore be chronicled with a degree of care and meticulousness.
A wake-up call
I remember one evening, seated comfortably in the cavernous marble foyer. I had just completed my first patrol. Above me light cascaded down from the brightly lit central atrium, illuminating the pages of a textbook which I had just opened. I began to scroll casually through the pages, searching intently for some obscure management theory that I had been told about that morning, in a lecture.
All of a sudden, an almighty thunderous roar ripped through the air and in an instant, time slowed down and began to unfurl itself frame by frame in cinematic slow-motion. The glass facade and revolving doors facing London Wall seemed to billow inwards, warping and bending like huge sails yielding to a mighty, tempestuous storm.
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