PACOM Systems, the US manufacturer of security platforms for multi-sites and campuses, reports that a US bank continues to roll out the PACOM GMS security management platform to their banks and ATMs.
PACOM’s relationship began with Hancock Bank in Mississippi and, after Hancock’s acquisition of Louisiana-based Whitney Bank in 2011, blossomed further. The GMS software platform manages card access and intrusion monitoring at 258 locations and growing. Hancock Whitney does all its own 24/7/365 alarm monitoring from a central location in Gulfport. There are also two company data centres, monitored and protected by PACOM GMS.
GMS is described by the product developer as a multi-site security management platform, providing integration between access control, intrusion, video, intercom and virtually any building management or security. Designed to manage thousands of locations through a single interface, while providing availability and redundancy.
Hancock Whitney Corporation, a Nasdaq company, operates bank offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, offering financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; some insurance services; and mortgages.
Al Tapper, CPP, Manager, Bank Protective Services for Hancock Whitney, said: “One of the biggest advantages of the PACOM system is, it’s all-inclusive with integrated card access and alarms. We have our entire company on a single, integrated platform. We do our own alarm monitoring, which is a big plus because we can immediately verify what is going on in any of our financial centres.
“One of our banking acquisitions had two third-party monitoring companies. It was one false alarm after another. That’s dangerous, and it can be quite expensive. With PACOM and self-monitoring, we avoid that. The PACOM system also helps with disaster recovery. We can see what’s going on in our financial centres and know if our alarms are working.”
Hancock Whitney has launched another phase to their company-wide security platform: video integration. When an alarm goes off in a branch, the central monitoring station will automatically be able to see events associated with that alarm. Eventually, all branches and ATMs will have video monitoring with a number of integrated cameras at each location.
The system provides access to more than 5,000 card holders with varying levels of access privileges. Alarm protocols are in place for each location, with Tapper and his team managing and monitoring the system. Tapper added: “PACOM helps us adapt the system to our changing needs; and when we provide feedback, PACOM listens and will consistently respond directly to that feedback.”
