PSP Intrusion Detection Systems 3

Question 1

What is 'alarm fatigue' and how does it negatively impact physical security operations?

Accepted Answer

Desensitization of operators to alarms due to high false alarm rates, causing genuine alarms to be ignored

Answer

Alarm fatigue occurs when excessive false alarms cause security operators to become desensitized, leading to slower response or complete disregard of alarms — including genuine intrusion events.

Question 2

Which detection technology is MOST appropriate for detecting an intruder who has defeated the outer perimeter but is moving very slowly to avoid triggering motion sensors?

Accepted Answer

Thermal imaging camera with video analytics

Answer

Thermal cameras detect the heat signature of the human body regardless of movement speed — unlike Doppler (requires motion) or PIR (requires movement across detection zones), thermal imaging detects stationary or slow-moving intruders.

Question 3

What is the purpose of the 'exit delay' and 'entry delay' in an intrusion alarm system?

Accepted Answer

Exit delay allows the last person to leave and disarm the system; entry delay allows an authorized user time to disarm before the alarm activates

Answer

Exit delay gives the last authorized person time to leave after arming, while entry delay gives an authorized person time to reach the keypad and disarm after entering through a designated entry point.

Question 4

A security manager wants to detect unauthorized digging under the perimeter fence. Which sensor technology is MOST appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Buried geophone or seismic sensor cable along the fence line

Answer

Buried geophone or seismic sensor cables detect the ground vibrations produced by digging, tunneling, or heavy footsteps underground, specifically designed for this type of sub-surface intrusion detection.

Question 5

In the PSP examination context, what does 'nuisance alarm rate' (NAR) measure in an intrusion detection system evaluation?

Accepted Answer

The ratio of false or nuisance alarms to actual intrusion detections over a given period

Answer

NAR measures the proportion of all alarm activations that are nuisance/false alarms versus genuine detections, serving as a key performance indicator for sensor selection and system tuning.

PSP - Physical Security Professional Practice Test

PSP - Physical Security Professional Practice Test

PSP Intrusion Detection Systems 3