What an honor it was to host this enterprise-class security end user panel discussion featuring Colby Meshey and Aldrich Camat from the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) and Charlie Guddemi, the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency’s (HSEMA) Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC).
They discussed who to bring in as stakeholders when vetting new technologies and the challenges often associated with implementation of new solutions as well as the impact on security program processes. The panel discussion was moderated by Brad Castillo of Chesapeake and Midlantic Marketing and Rob Zaremski of Bosch Security and Safety Systems.
Key discussion points in this video:
- 1:05 Managing Exposure to New Technology
- 4:59 Determining who the stakeholders should be
- 9:40 System Redundancy Considerations
- 14:37 Need to Have versus Nice to Have Technology
- 21:19 System Maintenance and Health Check
- 24:10 Overcoming Barriers to New Technology Implementation: Internal and Externa; Partnerships
- 29:08 Involving Stakeholders and Industry Partners to Help with New Technology Decisions
- 33:16 Information Sharing for Success and Benchmarking Across Peer Organizations
- 34:29 Staffing Challenges and Their Impact on System Improvements
- 37:24 Artificial Intelligence and AI's Impact on Security Technology Decisions
- 44:17 Working with the IT Department
- 46:01 Gunshot Detection Technologies: Using Cameras as a Cost-effective, "Bolt-on" Solution
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Colby R. Meshey became the Director, Enterprise Physical Security Division, Security Management Directorate, Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA), Washington, D.C. in February 2019. As Director, Mr. Meshey executes PFPA's security portfolio which spans several key lines of business. Those include, Electronic Security Systems, Mission Applications, Command and Control, and two physical security groups that cover over 10 million square feet of facilities across the National Capital Region (NCR). EPSD manages a robust technology portfolio that includes of one of the largest Enterprise Access Control Systems in the world, consisting of over 10,000 reader, 3,300 panels, and 27,000 alarm inputs. The system is fully integrated with the Agency’s Identity Management, Visitor Management, and Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) solutions. Prior to his assignment with EPSD, Mr. Meshey served as the Security Services Directorate Deputy Director, a group responsible for a large portion of the operational security functions within PFPA. Management of this portfolio included oversight of one of the busiest Credentialing Offices in the Department of Defense. SSD’s other key responsibilities include a robust maintenance and sustainment program for all PFPA’s physical security equipment, as well as a Security Administration Branch which is responsible for PFPA’s industrial, PERSEC, COMSEC, and Infosec mission. In previous roles throughout Mr. Meshey’s tenure with PFPA, he has served as the Program Manager of Pentagon Sentry, a 6+ year, $250+ million-dollar program charged with replacing all temporary (Post 9/11) access control points (both vehicular and pedestrian) with permanent, sustainable, Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) Compliant facilities. These facilities have served as a launch point for a robust technology portfolio and have provided a resilient security baseline across the Pentagon Reservation. Additionally, Pentagon Sentry established over 3.1 miles of actively monitored and hardened perimeter fence-line across the Pentagon. To prioritize and accomplish this work Mr. Meshey co-wrote the Agency’s first Integrated Security Master Plan (ISMP), a multi-discipline plan that aligned Reservation Master Plan efforts and the Agency’s strategic security plans into a singular security plan and roadmap for all technology being introduced into PFPA’s enterprise. As the Agency’s previous lead for Video Surveillance, Mr. Meshey led the modernization and expansion of PFPA’s video surveillance architecture. Since that time, the Agency has expanded its Enterprise surveillance capabilities dramatically, to include a multi-tiered storage solution that covers over 3,000 cameras. Prior to joining PFPA in 2007, Mr. Meshey served for 7 years in the United States Air Force, Security Forces. During his time with the Air Force Mr. Meshey served at F.E. Warren Air Force Base as a lead for response teams protecting PL-1 resources. Mr. Meshey also served at Andrews Air Force Base (AAFB) as a member of the Protective Services Detail Team providing close-in support for the President of the United States, Vice President, and many top dignitaries across the Department of Defense. Mr. Meshey earned a Bachelor of Science in Organization Security Management from the University of Phoenix. He also is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute, Leadership for a Democratic Society. In September of 2018, Mr. Meshey was recognized by Security Systems News as a member of its Top 20 under 40 recipients. Mr. Meshey also recently received a certificate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the field of Management and Technology.
Charles (Charlie) Guddemi is the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency’s (HSEMA) Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC). He is responsible for coordinating interoperability and communications projects involving voice, data, and video. Charlie chairs the District’s Interoperable Communications Committee (ICC) and Cellular Industry/WiFi Provider Working Group. He serves as the secretary for the Statewide Interoperability Executives Council (SIEC), is a member of the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) and is a member of FEMA’s Region III Regional Emergency Communications Coordinators Working Group (RECCWG). He also participates on several Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) committees and working groups. Charlie Guddemi joined HSEMA after a 25-year career with the United States Park Police (USPP). His assignments included working in Washington, D.C., New York Field Office, San Francisco Field Office, and the National Park Service Northeast Regional Headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He achieved the rank of Deputy Chief serving as the Commander of the Services Division. During his USPP career, Charlie worked six Presidential inaugurations, including serving as the principle planner and Executive Steering Committee member for the United States Park Police 2013 Inauguration. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Charlie designed and implemented the multiplex, defense in depth, multi-jurisdictional, security plan for the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum located in New York Harbor. In 2008, he was awarded the first ever Department of the Interior, Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Excellence in Security Award for his efforts in safeguarding the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Complex.
Aldrich Camat is the Branch Chief for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s Electronic Security Systems. As ESS Chief, Aldrich oversees a talented team comprised of Federal employees and support contractors who are responsible for identifying, testing, and deploying solutions in aims to provide the latest technologies for PFPA and its First Responders, which include body and dashboard cameras, traditional PACS, and the usage of enterprise biometrics for high-assurance validation of cardholders.”
Rob Zaremski is the Federal Government Business Development Manager at Bosch Security and Safety Systems. Rob has an extensive safety and security industry experience, spanning over 30 years. Prior to joining Bosch, he dedicated his professional efforts in the CBRNE detection and protection community where he focused his efforts on Federal, State and Local programs to deter, detect and respond to chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear and explosive threats.
Brad Castillo is Chesapeake and Midlantic Marketing's technical lead. He is an experienced IP Security Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the facilities services industry. Skilled in Account/Project Management, Access Control, Software Installation, Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV), and Networking. Strong protective services professional with an Associate in Specialized Business Computer Systems from York Technical Institute and 13 years of combined experience.
