The number of people that travel abroad for business or pleasure goes well over one billion per year. When travelling internationally, certain laws and rules of border control must be followed to keep the country and its citizens safe.
Many governments have taken great lengths to keep their borders safe with effective security solutions that include advanced technological devices and national threat management plans. There are numerous ways that border security is regulated, so let’s look at the major ways that the government keeps its civilians safe.
Advanced Identification Software
Passports and IDs are not the only things that the government captures when you arrive at their borders. Your fingerprints and travel information are made available with high-end biometric technologies that recognise your fingerprint. The government has strict regulations in place for ID documentation, and they can easily spot a fake ID. Technology is getting cleverer, yet people are finding more ways to fool the system; however, the government is aware of this and constantly makes improvements to combat this issue.
As technology continues to evolve, facial recognition and fingerprint technology will become more advanced. There arefar fewer opportunities nowadays for scammers to create fraudulent documents because the system works by identifying specific facial features and biometric information. Certain features of a person cannot be faked without quality plastic surgery, and many disguises just won’t cover it.
Qualified Field Agents
To manage border control, the government relies on competent and active border field agents that have to go through rigorous training and development. Field agents are taught how to read the behaviour and body language of different individuals, identify suspicious devices, and catch criminals before they act. They are skilled in public safety and understand the various immigration laws surrounding border control.
There are specific border security strategies that are taught through both theoretical and practical experience to teach field agents how to respond to a variety of events. There are many examples of security threats that professionals in this type of job need to look out for. To understand more about border security programs, check out Wilfrid Laurier University for a simplified overview. This type of qualification also allows students to work on internal border control policies that can be changed for the better.
Wireless Sensor Nodes
Electronic sensors are placed around the edges of a country’s border. These are used to detect any motion of unauthorised vehicles or people leaving or entering the country illegally. These wireless sensor nodes are used in a lot of governmental security initiatives and can even recognise when a natural disaster such as an earthquake is about to hit. Electronic sensors can be integrated into any audio and visual recording system to notify authorities when a node picks up on movement.
Wireless sensor nodes can be programmed to pick up on the tiniest movement in the Earth and even a change in air pressure. The government is constantly looking for ways to improve these sensors and integrate them for faster communication times so that authorities can attend to problems as they arise.
Military Personnel
Most border control officers are part of the military and will have some form of law enforcement background and experience. The reality is that many people try to enter various countries illegally, and these situations may need to be dealt with by using physical force. Not just anyone can perform the functions required to protect the borders, so special officers are employed who have dealt with difficult situations in the past.
The utilisation of military personnel for border control started during the early wars when countries were trying to protect themselves from invasion. Now, to keep borders secure, the same calibre of security personnel is required. Borders are not only kept secure from illegal immigrants but are also used to identify when illegal substances are being brought into the country. As well as the army and police enforcement, canines will be used to sniff out illegal drugs and contraband.
Specific Entry Points
The only way to keep a border safe is to have as few entry points as possible. If a country has too many, the government will need to supply additional staff and resources. It can become a major issue to control, so the more protected the main entry points are, the better. Government departments may install high fences or walls connecting the entry points with guards to keep watch. If someone does make it throughthough, they won’t be able to transport a car or large items.
The only downside to fewer entry points is that those ports can become congested if there are lots of travellers going through each day. The entry points usually have a lot more security and cameras in place, while sensor nodes would be placed around the fence or wall separating the region from the rest of the world.
Preliminary Checkpoints
To make the load easier on border control, various traffic checkpoints are set up a few kilometres away from the border port. There can be as many as one checkpoint for every 5kms, since it helps to identify suspicious activity or civilians that aren’t supposed to be in the area. These checkpoints will include police officers and K9 units that will search your car and possessions and ask for validation of your identity.
The purpose of these checkpoints is to mitigate any issues that may be experienced at border control, and many illegal acts are caught before they reach the border. Depending on the country in question, if there are oceans nearby, there will also be marine patrols that check yachts and boats. It is easy to get lost in the ocean and there are plenty of places to hide, so these areas have to be scouted regularly.
Border security is a tough job and it requires the careful watch and attention of anyone entering or leaving the country. With the right border patrol and security measures in place, governments can keep their country safe. The current advancements to public safety are in place with government initiatives in border control, and security measures will only improve with time and practice.
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