• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Business Directory
    • Buyers | Licensees
    • Sellers | Ancillary Businesses
    • Submit Product & Service Press Release
  • CBE Exchange
  • CBE Jobs Exchange
  • Events
  • Featured Videos
  • Product & Service Press Releases
  • Sponsored Polls
  • Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Archived Webinars
  • Whitepapers

Cannabis Business Executive - Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

Recreational, Medical, Marijuana, Cannabis, And Hemp News for Cannabis Businesses

  • Follow on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Follow on Google+
  • Follow on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to our RSS feed
Newsletter 2
  • Home
  • Policy & Legal
    • Hemp Business Executive
    • International
      • Canada
      • Mexico
      • Israel
    • US A to F
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
      • District of Columbia
      • Florida
    • US G to M
      • Georgia
      • Hawaii
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Idaho
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
    • US M to N
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
    • US O to V
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
      • Pennsylvania
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • Vermont
    • US V to W
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
      • Guam
      • Puerto Rico
  • Industry News
    • Advertising, Marketing, PR & Research
    • Banking, Finance & Real Estate
    • Compliance and Regulations
    • Corporate Social Responsibility
    • Retailers
    • Hemp Business Executive
    • HR and Staffing
    • North Of The Border
    • Industry People/On the Move
    • Packaging and Supplies
    • Press Releases
    • Processors
    • Producers
    • Security Solutions
    • Science and Technology
    • South Of The Border
  • CBE Lists
    • Ancillary Businesses
      • 2019 CBE Ancillary Business Survey CLICK HERE
      • 2018 CBE 155 A/B
      • 2017 CBE 150 A/B
      • 2016 CBE 100 A/B
    • Producers, Processors, Retailers
      • 2017 CBE 200 PPRs
      • 2015 CBE 100 PPRs
    • Industry Women
      • Glass Ceiling Wreckers: 2019 CBE Power Women of Cannabis
      • 2017 CBE 75 Most Important Women
      • 2016 CBE Top 50 Women
      • 2014 CBE Most Influential Women
    • Most Important Companies
      • 2016 CBE 10 Most Important Companies
      • 2014 CBE 10 Most Important Companies
    • Political 100
      • 2017 CBE Political 100
      • 2016 CBE 100 Political
      • 2014 CBE Political 50
    • 2014 CBE 100 Most Important People
    • CBE RFP Hotlists
      • 2014 CBE Lab Testing Services HotList
      • 2016 BHO Extraction Equipment
      • 2016 CBE Supercritical CO2 Extraction Equipment
      • 2016 CBE Security Solutions
      • 2016 Edibles & Infused Products
  • Company Stories
    • Up and Comers
  • Hemp Business Executive
    • Hemp Policy & Legal
    • Hemp Industry News
  • Newsletters
    • CBE Week
    • CBE Human Capital Management
    • CBE Technology & Solutions
    • CBE Policy and Legal Update
    • CBE Product and Service Announcements
  • Op-Ed
    • Cartoons
    • The Buck Stops Here
    • Opinions
    • Comments
  • Associations
  • State Regulatory Agencies
  • Contact
  • Last Chance to Submit for the 2019 CBE Ancillary Business List CLICK HERE
You are here: Home / Best Practices / Security Master Planning in the Cannabis Industry

Security Master Planning in the Cannabis Industry

January 21, 2019 by Tim Sutton Leave a Comment

Part 1 of 4

In order to legally operate a cannabis business, whether medical or recreational, a license or permit to operate must be obtained.  Every state has its own regulations and application process in place.  They all require security measures to provide for the safety and security of the operation, its associates, and the neighborhood within which it operates. Most states call this a “Security Plan” and require its details be submitted with the application to operate, but what exactly is a “Security Plan?”

I have worked with many in the industry who think that a Security Plan is a floor plan drawing with security devices added (cameras, electronic access control, alarm, door intercoms, etc.) They have their security integrator provide this as a design-build, selling and installing the equipment as well.

Unfortunately, this is only a part of a Security Plan and leaves the organization short.  A Security Plan includes a Security Management Plan, Security Operations Plan, and a Security Technology Plan.  All three must be included in a complete Security Plan.

Security Master Planning is a process of gathering, developing, and assembling all aspects of the security program into the three parts of a complete security plan.  Simple enough, anyone can do it, right?  Wrong!  Although many organizations may have the ability to produce a security plan, it is usually best to work with a security consultant experienced in all aspects necessary for the development of the Security Plan.

Many security integrators (defined as: security equipment companies, alarm companies, locksmiths, basically anyone selling and installing security equipment) hold themselves out as security consultants.  Then, if they work within the cannabis industry and install a system in a cannabis facility, they hold themselves out as experienced cannabis security consultants.  They traditionally do not hold any experience, knowledge, or certifications demonstrating they are qualified as a security consultant, let alone qualified to produce any part of the Security Plan other than possibly the Security Technology Plan. Integrators usually don’t have any experience or knowledge of the actual operations, flows, equipment, culture, and needs within a cannabis organization’s site so their plans require changes due to regulator inspections, or even due to equipment placement rendering the security equipment’s placement useless.  Their plans usually are based upon specific requirements of the law such as controlled access, minimum coverage, camera type and resolution, and video archive retention.  Once installed, an integrator can tell you how to operate the systems, but they can’t show you how to use them as part of the security program.

Security systems such as cameras, electronic access control, and alarms are tools.  Tools are not solutions; they are tools.  A strong security program based upon experience, best practices, and standards must be developed and implemented. A Security Management Plan, combined with the Security Technology Plan’s security systems as tools, and the Security Operations Plan with its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols, will lead to a security solution.

A Security Master Plan is what ultimately ensures compliance and is needed for a permit or license to operate.  Experiences within operations management should be taken into consideration in the development of information written into the Security Plan section of the application to operate.  Utilizing a strong security management program with state of the art security systems will help an organization be a beneficial addition to the community and its immediate neighbors.

We will discuss the Security Management Plan, Security Operations Plan, and Security Technology Plan separately in coming articles dedicated to each.

Stay tuned and stay safe, and always remember that it is everyone’s responsibility to become an active participant in the safety and security of themselves, and others.

Contextual Link – Nexus November

Contextual Link – Cova November

Filed Under: Best Practices, Compliance and Regulations, Security Solutions Tagged With: cultivation security, dispensary security, Security Management Plan, Security Operations Plan, Security Plan, Security Technology Plan

About The Author:

Tim Sutton

Tim Sutton is a Senior Security Consultant at Guidepost Solutions. He has more than 30 years of security experience. His expertise includes operational security management, program development, loss prevention, physical security, risk assessments, and technical security systems design and implementation. He has worked with clients in diverse sectors including medicinal and adult-use cannabis, healthcare, retail, government, manufacturing, and multi-use properties.

Sutton has worked as director of security for Greenhouse Group and its Grassroots and Herbology banners, responsible for enterprise security risk management in all markets. Sutton has authored Master Security, Emergency Action and Fleet Safety Plans along with security training and operations manuals. He also conducted new hire background investigations and security advances at dispensaries.

Prior to Greenhouse, he worked as the director of security for Revolution Enterprises with similar security responsibilities.

Sutton has spoken at a number of cannabis industry events covering security subject matter, including the 2018 Global Security Exchange where he addressed “Securing the Medical Cannabis Industry from Seed to Sale.” He first entered the cannabis industry as a security consultant with Sorensen, Wilder & Associates when he authored security content for the extremely competitive Illinois permit application process winning two cultivation permits and three dispensary permits. After winning five IL permits, Mr. Sutton provided security consulting services and authored security content for applications and operations in multiple states.

In addition to operational security director roles within the cannabis industry, Mr. Sutton has worked as a hospital security director, manufacturing facility security coordinator, and retail director of loss prevention and security. He held several positions within Midwest Integrated Solutions including account executive, senior systems engineer, and licensee in charge.

Primary Sidebar

Ad: Sidebar 1

Featured Video

Associations & Organizations

clearing div

Ad: Sidebar 2

Business Directory

Ad: Skyscraper 1

CBE Jobs Exchange


Featured Jobs
Go
Post a Job
More jobs
Powered by CBEJobsExchange.com

RSS Recent Jobs

  • Resource Protection Specialist I/II (Permanent and Limited Term) - County of San Luis Obispo - San Luis Obispo, CA
  • LC/MS Lab Manager Biomarker Discovery - VRS Recruitment - , ME
  • Senior Bioinformatics Scientist - Medicinal Genomics Corp. - Beverly,

Product & Service Press Releases

Ad: Sidebar 3

CBE Events

Ad: Sidebar 4

State Regulatory Agencies

Ad: Skyscraper 2

Webinars

Ad: Sidebar 5

Associations & Organizations

Ad: Sidebar 6

Featured Video

Ad: Skyscraper 3

Business Directory

Ad: Sidebar 7

CBE Jobs Exchange

Ad: Sidebar 8

CBE Events

Ad: Skyscraper 4

Industry Blogs



Footer

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • CBE Press LLC Privacy Statement
  • Contribute
  • Contributors
  • Newsletters
  • Terms of Service
  • Contributor Login
  • Follow on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Follow on Google+
  • Follow on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to our RSS feed
Newsletter 2

© Copyright 2018 CBE PRESS LLC. - All Rights Reserved. Cannabis Business Executive Is A Trademark Of CBE PRESS LLC. · All Rights Reserved · And Our Sitemap · All Logos & Trademarks Belong To Their Respective Owners·