Beware of the trees! Security firms hijack New York trees to monitor private workforce.

[Stopspying]

Content source

https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/17/security_firms_nyc_trees/

"Private security firms in New York City have co-opted public resources – specifically trees – to track their guards as they make their rounds.
According to Gothamist, a New York-focused news site, security contractors have been drilling into trees on public city streets to install signaling hardware to ensure that guards are following their patrol routes.
One such device, known as a Deggy Button, was noted by New York-based writer Jeremiah Moss on his Instagram feed.

Deggy Buttons are battery-powered, all-weather transmitters that communicate with a mobile phone app as part of a guard tour system, which the Florida security firm, describes as a mechanism for performance accountability. The company says, 'guards can prove exactly when, specifically where and what they inspected at a location'...."

Security firms hijack New York trees to monitor workers

Employee management tech raises eyebrows in the Big Apple

www.theregister.com

So, what else are these bugged trees monitoring?

 

[plat]

Actually, this is kind of OK--just wish they wouldn't use trees or find some other way to attach the modules besides drilling into them.

Bad stuff happens when a watcher is off-guard. I've seen far, far too many cases of security guards snoozing or watching TV in their booths. Yep, it's boring but if you do your patrols, you get some exercise also. It's a win-win (hopefully).

 

[bellgamin]

Back in the 1940's, I had a night-time security job while attending college. There were key boxes along my route, and I checked in at each one as I made my rounds. Boxes or no boxes, sluffing off would never have occurred to me.

I carried no weapon other than a big, heavy flashlight. However, my uncle got me a retired WW2 K9 Corps rottweiler named Pepper. She had a limp from an injury sustained while in the service, but she was still "fit for active duty" and loved walking at my side.

Me and Pepper had confrontational encounters sometimes but they were NO problem with Pepper along. She was a loving, noble, fearless, loyal companion. She died at age 15, several years after I graduated college. I notified a friend at Fort Bliss so that Pepper was buried with full military honors. I miss her still.

In those days, I knew several fine men who earned their livelihoods as security guards. It was a somewhat dangerous job that barely fed, clothed, & housed them & their families. But they took pride in their jobs and wouldn't have dreamed of shirking their rounds. I'm sure that, nowadays, most security guards are of the same dutiful caliber. It is honorable work. ALL work is.

Many thanks @Stopspying for an interesting article. It's rather sad that such surveillance is deemed necessary, but these are the times we live in.