New fingerprint reader units - to be unveiled at IFSEC - are designed to be permanently mounted at protected sites to provide accurate, automatic real-time verification of each security officer's movements.

The system removes the need for time-consuming timesheet processing, and provides unequivocal audit-trails on the movements of individual officers.

Connected to the iTrac Real Time platform, the biometric units will let guarding company managers know within 60 to 90 seconds if an officer has failed to arrive for duty, carry out a welfare call or missed a point on a patrol. The result is increased response time, and reduce potential exposure on protected sites.

In addition to foolproof real-time tracking, the ITrac system stores vital attendance data for use, either daily, weekly or monthly, generating customer reports, attendance logs and timesheets.

Missing patrol data is also a thing of the past as attendance at specific points around the patrol are recorded using a handheld device and instantly downloaded on completion of the tour. The system immediately alerts controllers if a point on the route has been missed - or if the officer fails to return from the patrol within a specified period.

There are value-adding benefits for guarding companies too, as the biometric readers can be offered as an additional chargeable service, allowing clients to monitor specific members of staff or regular visitors to the site, such as cleaners and contractors, for both security and safety purposes.