Smyth of SecureWatch24 continues working to provide a level of security to people in NYC

In twenty years with the New York City Police Department, Desmond "Des" Smyth learned a thing or two about keeping people and their property safe. And while the former detective retired in 2006, he continues working to provide that same level of security to people in New York City and throughout the region, with his company SecureWatch24 (SW24). Founded by Smyth in 2004, SW24 is a full-service, private security firm that offers an unmatched combination of sophisticated technology, experienced law-enforcement personnel, and other specialized security services. A licensed aircraft technician and former specialist with the Xerox Corporation, Smyth developed the SW24 concept over five years prior to his retirement from the Detective Bureau of the NYPD. His remarkable success within both the public sector as an exemplary detective and the private sector as a residential security expert for nearly twenty years provided the impetus to create SW24 as it exists today. Smyth began his NYPD career developing and cultivating productive and lasting relationships with the residential communities of Central Harlem, utilizing his daily interactions to positively impact the quality of life on the streets and in the properties he patrolled. From the beginning, Smyth took a proactive, community-oriented approach to his work, and committed himself to enhancing the effectiveness of the interactive platform between police, the local community, and property owners. It was this unique approach that facilitated the creation of SW24 as a vehicle through which Des would fulfill his mission of protecting a larger population through the private sector. Smyth's success in Central Harlem resulted in future assignments in Brooklyn, to the Police Academy, and eventually to Bronx Commands, where he earned promotion to detective while assigned to the Bronx Narcotics Division within the Organized Crime Control Bureau. Smyth furthered his investigative experience by ultimately receiving coveted assignment to the Fugitive Enforcement Division as senior investigator in the Bronx Warrant Squad. Additionally, he possesses extensive training in anti-terrorism, vandalism, loss prevention, and disorder (crowd) control. Add these together and they form a perfect foundation upon which to build a private security firm. Since its inception five years ago, SecureWatch24 has revolutionized the multifamily security industry. The firm recently built upon this success by launching a new division to serve hotels, schools, hospitals and other institutions throughout the Metropolitan region, and has expanded to include commercial properties as well. SW24 offers its clients cost-effective security products and surveillance systems that pair emerging, state of the art digital technology with an investigative staff and mobile response teams of former local and federal law enforcement personnel. It is this combination of technology and personnel that sets SecureWatch24 apart, according to Smyth. "Many security firms start and end with the surveillance system," said Smyth. "But a complete security operation leverages an experienced staff with a diverse range of expertise to maximize the technology that is in place. That is why SecureWatch24 has been successful." SW24 provides clients with 24-hour, remote access to a DVR database of web footage from their properties through a secure website. The SW24 database is among the largest available online, serviced by one of the most extensive Internet camera networks in the country - more than 16,000 cameras in more than a thousand properties around New York City. The firm's proprietary video compression algorithms offer crisp, clear images - some of the highest resolution video images in the industry. The firm's team of investigators brings centuries of experience to SW24 from units such as the New York City Police Department's Major Case Squad, Narcotics and Gangs Divisions, City-Wide Vandals Squad, Terrorism Task Force, Crime Scene Unit and others. Most recently, SecureWatch24 welcomed vice presidents John Colgan, who retired from the NYPD in 2008 as assistant chief and commanding officer of the Counterterrorism Bureau, and Frank Santamorena, an ASIS International board certified physical security professional (PSP) who has more than twenty years of experience in the industry and who has served as security expert and advisor on the Discovery Channel program, "It Takes a Thief." SW24 has identified and helped resolve thousands of incidents - ranging from illegal narcotics activities to arson, vandalism and even homicide - in the properties it monitors. "By incorporating SW24 into a property's security plan, clients can positively impact their bottom lines," said Smyth. "By acting quickly when a criminal event occurs, properties gain reputations as safe places to live, work and visit. Preventative action also means that clients will not be forced to spend money making repairs to their properties when they are damaged by acts of vandalism, arson or mischief." SW24 has assisted property owners in swiftly resolving issues, arranging restitution for property damage, and reducing overall criminal and civil incidents within residential properties. Residents reap the benefits of a safe and secure living situation, and can take comfort in the knowledge that appropriate action will be taken should a criminal event occur. Smyth may no longer be patrolling the streets as a member of the NYPD, but through SecureWatch24, he remains committed to his mission of protecting the people and properties of New York City.