Kerkton Security Technologies News

New Features and Updates: Panic Button and More!

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 21:47:05 GMT

Once again, we have been busy at Kerkton Security Technologies working on new features and updates to improve Orna.

We are excited to announce the release of the Panic Button , which is our biggest new feature since the April update. Mobile module now has a "Panic" button at the top left that automatically creates a call with a "Panic" NOC when pressed. All available dispatchers in the Dispatch module will be alerted. The Panic Button will blink for the officer until the officer is cleared. From Dispatch module, dispatchers can press the Panic Button to view current panic calls. If there is only one panic call, the dispatcher will be automatically forwarded to the panic call. The Panic Button blinks in Dispatch module until the call is closed to help ensure safety of officers.

There are some additional updates. Orna now has a Call for Service Audit Log , the ability to update Call Comments , a Command Line in Dispatch to quickly add a secondary location, full screen windows for assigned and unassigned calls in Dispatch In Progress Screen, Tours updates (tours management headers more intuitive, multiple tour stops can be added/removed from tour, multiple tasks can be added/removed from tour stops), version update notifications for if you are using Orna during an update (no downtime as before, but now you get a notification at the end of the update), and various bug fixes.

Feature Update: Custom Nature of Calls and More!

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 19:50:34 GMT

New Features and Updates

We have been pretty busy here at Kerkton Security Technologies and have new features and updates to report.

Nature of Call (NOC) Management features:
Customizable NOCs where you can add a new NOC and select the group and subgroup that should be applied for Analytics Reports.
You can modify the order of your NOCs for the drop down.
You can now add Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for any NOC. When an officer selects a NOC with an SOP, an SOP link will appear above the NOC dropdown. Clicking the SOP link will show the SOP without leaving the Call.
Only the NOCs in use will be shown in the NOC Management grid so you can quickly view your current setup.
Windows app updated and now supports Windows 11
Call Management section where you can choose whether or not to show the priority on PDFs and where you can disable dispositions
Admins can now prevent employees from viewing their own and/or others' closed calls.
The ability for supervisors to receive real-time notifications when a case report is pending approval
Activity Report settings where you can select whether or not to display Call Comments and attachments and where you can modify the headers of different sections (such as Calls for Service)
The User Profile now has a note section where people with the access to do so (by default just admins, but customizable permissions) can input notes in a rich text editor. This notes section can be saved to PDF or printed out.
Emergency Lookup where you can quickly find nearby police stations, fire departments, and EMS services
The Call Comment text field now expands as you type to help you see all of your text.
There is now a view/edit client link that shows up on Calls for Service when you select a client. This can help, for instance, officers to quickly retrieve a gate code without leaving the Call.
Updated grid for Tour Stop list for a Tour
Added the ability to make Officer Comments required, optional, or disabled for Tour Stops
User Profile now has a drop down so you can view profiles of other users (customizable permissions)
Increased size of scroll bars to make scrolling easier and more obvious on desktop
Updated "employee role" drop down section in Case Reports to include medic
In Progress screens now show you the client of the Call for Service
Person, vehicle, business, and client records data can now be searched using letters anywhere in the terms searched. For example, to find "Johnson," you can also search using "son" to find that name.
Various bug fixes

All State GSOC Dispatch Services on Orna

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 19:37:41 GMT

All S tate GSOC is Now Offering Dispatch Services Using Orna!

Kerkton Security Technologies, LLC is proud to announce a new partnership with All State GSOC, a private dispatch and security company located in the state of Nevada. All State GSOC provides a variety of options to meet your business's needs, including call taking, dispatching, radio service, license plate, and background checks. All State GSOC is currently offering a 10% discount off of monthly service for dispatch and call taking as well as the potential for other discounts when contacted.

All State GSOC is using Orna, a computer-aided dispatch system that allows the operators to intake information and dispatch patrol officers in real-time. Companies on Orna can connect with All State GSOC using Orna's Company Link feature.

"All State GSOC was created by the industry need of a dispatch company that has the true knowledge of routine and emergency dispatch services for Security Companies, Bail Bonds, Constables, Tow Trucks and many more. All State GSOC has the ability to ensure smooth operations of monitoring personnel in the field, and taking calls for your business to streamline calls to your field operations teams."

New Features: Analytics Reports and Company Documents

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 20:16:40 GMT

We are pleased to announce the release of two new features: analytics reports and company documents .

Analytics Reports

You can now create analytics reports for specific clients or company-wide. You can select annual, year to date, monthly, or custom date range. Analytics includes call and case report locations, detailed breakdowns of Nature of Calls, officer response times, and information about activity over time. This feature allows you to download analytics reports in PDF format. Analytics reports can be accessed through the top bar, and access can be adjusted for different permissions groups.

Company Documents

You can view and add company documents such as policies and protocols. Company documents can be accessed through the top bar, and access can be adjusted for different permissions groups.

October 2021 software updates

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 18:30:10 GMT

Orna client portal, customize self-initiate, and usability updates

We are excited to announce Orna updates for October 2021.

1) Client Portal

We have added a client portal feature so your clients can access Calls for Service, Case Reports, and/or Activity Reports. You can white label the client portal with your company name and logo. There are settings for handling disabled clients, giving you access control. With an audit log of client activity in the portal, you can modify your practices to better meet your clients' needs. There is no additional charge for adding users to the client portal. After a user is added, they can access the client portal from securityclientportal.com.

2) Customize Self Initiate

You can now customize self initiate from NOC management. You must log out and in again to see the changes on the self initiate screen.

3) Usability Updates

There is now improved usability on mobile for Tours in Admin Module.

Please note that we have also updated our Terms/Privacy Policy.

KST releases Orna Client Portal

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 18:30:07 GMT

Orna Client Portal keeps clients updated and white labels with your company name and/or logo

Here at Kerkton Security Technologies, we are excited to announce the launch of Orna's new client portal. Your clients can view Calls for Service, Case Reports, and/or Activity Reports. The client portal offers white labeling with your company name and logo. You can also access an audit log of client activity for business purposes. Client portal activity can give you information to better meet client needs. There are settings for handling disabled clients to meet your needs. There is no additional charge for adding users to the client portal. After a user is added, they can access the client portal from securityclientportal.com.

Software Updates

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 16:03:39 GMT

Latest Software Updates (as of September 9, 2021)

At Kerkton Security Technologies, we have been busy updating our computer aided dispatch software, Orna. These updates are listed below.

1) Warnings now have an "Add Date" button to easily add the date to the warning.

2) Vehicle Type has been introduced for Vehicle records.

3) Call card PDF now includes client site names and attachments

4) Call card and report search now includes clients for search options and in results

5) You can now select multiple attachments for digital evidence at once for Case Reports

6) Mobile users now have a button for setting call location to the client address

7) Attachment previews on case reports are now much more visible

8) You are now able to disable NOCs (Nature of Calls)

9) Added tour log

10) Various bug fixes including: activity report downloading fix, officer display fix for when no dispatchers are in the system (as can happen on initial signup), and fix for turn by turn navigation on Android 11, among others

11) General upgrades

12) Upgraded software framework

13) Upgraded server software

14) New payment scheme ($18/user/month, paid upfront for the coming month with prorated usage from added or removed users of the previous month). If you are currently using an old payment scheme and rates, reach out to us to switch to the new payment scheme.

We hope these changes will improve your experience using our private security dispatch software. As always, reach out to us if you have any questions or feedback.

Orna Guard Tour Management Receives an Update

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 03:06:48 GMT

Guard Tour Management 2.0

Guard tour management systems help security agencies fulfill customer requirements and ensure properties receive the patrol service or static guard service requested. Today we are pleased to announce a remodeled tour management system that is available in preview. This update will allow for more customization than the previous version and is much easier to manage.

Administrators can create tours for each shift, assign specific stops, and assign tasks for the stops. Orna will automatically schedule those tours for your employees, reducing the amount of effort needed to ensure your clients’ requirements are met.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this work for night shifts?

Yes! we have adjusted tours to accommodate overnight shifts such as 1700-0530.

Can I add a geo-fence?

Yes, administrators can set geo-fences which are controlled for each stop location. You can turn this on or off depending on your clients requirements.

Are you deprecating any current functionality?

Yes - we are deprecating checklist items. Since we are releasing the global task list that provides similar functionality but is more customizable and easier to manage, the checklist feature will be removed.

Is this easy for employees to use?

We've worked closely with a leading security provider to make this software easy for all employees.

Automated Orna Activity Report Updates

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 06:41:39 GMT

Orna Activity Reports Get An Upgrade

The activity reports sent by Orna have been updated to include images associated with the related entry. This release will help clients view images that were attached to a tour stop or a note entry that are too large for email clients.

Patrol Officers or Dispatchers that attach photographs to notes or issues will now be displayed on an activity report improving visibility for your clients and their trust in you.

Release is set for July 2020.

Daily Activity Report Updates

The automated emails generated for your clients will now include a hyperlink to view the report. The hyperlink allows the recipients to open the report in their browser avoiding the email client restrictions that prevent large attachments. Images that were associated to a note or tour stop issue will now be included in the file and clickable. This update will pave the future for enhancements with case reports and calls for service.

Are There Any Restrictions To Document Links?

Yes, document links in an email will only be valid for 90 days. After the 90 days has passed anyone who attempts to access the link will be denied visibility of the document. If you want to save the file you need to do so prior to the expiration period.

Orna Integrates With Stripe A Payment Processor

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 02:21:12 GMT

Orna Subscriptions Integrated With Stripe

Our team has been working hard to integrate with stripe for billing and the management of payment information for Orna subscriptions. This will allow for our staff to focus more on application development and less time on the management of client accounts, ultimately benefiting everyone. Some the benefits for our clients will include more frequent communication on expired cards and upcoming subscription renewals. However, one of the bigger benefits will be grace periods which you can review further on payment management .

Customers will be migrated over in stages throughout June and July.

What does this mean for you?

Stripe will automatically charge credit/debit cards on the due date each month
Subscriptions will automatically cancel for customers who are passed due to avoid accounts building debt
Customers can add/update their credit/debit cards in Orna without contacting support or finance
Customers will receive alerts to expiring cards and reminders on payments to increase communication
With automated calculations performed on a daily basis, grace periods will be added to accounts for adding/removing of user licenses. This will help with lowering monthly invoices for all of our clients.

To view more details please go to the payment management page

Are new pricing plans being evaluated?

We are actively evaluating our customers feedback and will continue to review our plan availabilities. We will be adding international plans for Canadian clients for the initial launch with current U.S plans. The team has decided to remove the $40 user option and will be moving all affected customers to the $20 plan.

Tour Management Adds Copy To New

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 02:09:21 GMT

Duplicate Tours and Stops In Tour Management

System administrators can now duplicate a tour in the administration module. When duplicating a tour, it will also duplicate all stops associated to save you time re-creating your setup. The team has also added a copy to new button for stops.

How do I duplicate a tour?

Locate the tour you've built and click edit
Click the copy to new button at the bottom of the page
Your tour and all of it's stops are now copied and "copy" text is now applied.
Rename your tour and click save
When you look at your new tour, you'll notice all of the stops have the "Copy" text applied. You can rename these stops and update the stops locations.

Can I duplicate a tour stop?

Yes! edit the tour stop you want to duplicate and click the copy to new button at the bottom of the page. You can then rename it, update the stop location and save it. Next, you just need to associate it with a tour!

Are the original tours and stops affected at all?

No, the original tour and stops are as they were before, we just create a copy of them to make it easier for you to build out more tours easier.

Patrol Mileage Reports

Tue, 26 May 2020 04:20:15 GMT

Mileage Reporting and Documentation

Your dispatchers and patrols can document starting and ending mileage when transporting prisoners, patients or anytime your policy requires it. Documenting mileage is done on a per responder basis, allowing companies to capture multiple mileage reports for the same call. This will be beneficial for those who have a standard policy when transporting someone that might present a liability issue, contract requirements or simply for billing purposes.

To capture mileage details, click the speedometer in the assigned table of the call. Enter your starting and ending mileage and click save. You can adjust this information at anytime before you close the call.

Generate Mileage Reports

Generating a mileage report is easy and can be done from the activity report page. Only closed calls will display on the report.

Select your date range - Date ranges cannot be more than 60 days
Select your clients - If you need to generate a mileage report for the entire company, don't apply a filter
Download - Download your mileage report by clicking on Download Mileage

Mileage Report - Excel File

When you download your mileage report, you'll be presented with an excel file. This file will display data from the filters applied on the activity report page.

Event ID - The event ID is the call card ID that was automatically generated
Nature Of Call - This is the type of incident your responders were dispatched to
Client - This is the client selected on the call
Sites - If any sites were selected, they'll show up in this column
Call Date/Time - This is the call created date/time
Officer Name - Responding officer in the assigned table associated with the mileage
Primary/Backup - Identifying if the responder was primary or a backup unit on a call

Mileages are auto calculated so you can spend less time adding in formulas for calculations.

Computer Aided Dispatch Call Queues

Tue, 26 May 2020 03:11:36 GMT

Computer Aided Dispatch Responder Queues

Add responding officers to queues and Orna will automatically dispatch when they become available. Queues makes it easier for dispatchers to manage new incidents and avoid the manual process of monitoring old incidents. Have multiple alarm calls in the same area? You can assign the same officer to those alarm calls and Orna will automatically dispatch the responder to the next call when they're available.

Responding Officer Queues

Adding officers to a queue is easy and automatically done through Orna's back-end by determining if a responding officer is assigned to another call for service. If you want to clear the officers previous call and bypass the queue, simply click the plus icon and Orna will apply a cleared time for the previous call, override the queue, and assign them to the current call.

No longer need an officer to be queued for a call? Delete the officer and they will be removed from the queue.

Easily View Which Calls Have Queued Responders

When looking at your assigned and unassigned calls, you will see an icon to the far right of the table indicating if the call has anyone listed in the queue. Making it easy for dispatchers to see which unassigned calls still need to be manually dispatched.

KST releases prisoner and medical transport capabilities in Orna

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 20:39:29 GMT

KST releases feature updates that will allow prisoner and medical transport companies to use Orna

Kerkton Security Technologies was engaged by security agencies who transport prisoners but have issues where they have to buy multiple software platforms to support their needs.

The prisoner transport agencies evaluating various software were able to identify Orna as a viable solution to support their requirements. With only a few updates Orna would allow them to operate with one cloud based solution instead of many.

Orna's software development team will be introducing the ability to document mileage per transport unit and the auto dispatching of units in the future who are currently on assignment. Reducing dispatcher requirements to manually go back to pending calls, instead, Orna will do that for them.

Kerkton Security Technologies leadership team is excited about the enhancements. This will increase Orna's ability to support more of the security marketplace allowing companies to save money and time using one platform instead of paying multiple companies to support one function of their business. This release is scheduled for Q1 2020.

Business website services now included with Orna

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 04:46:55 GMT

KST releases new website building service for security companies included for customers using Orna

With security company profit margins being so small, Kerkton Security Technologies has released website services included within Orna pricing, it's computer aided dispatch and patrol software, so that customers can manage their security teams and website without paying additional costs for development.

Most customers are focused on getting new security contracts, managing their guard force and payroll for example, but don't spend enough time increasing their visibility on the web. By introducing website services that can be managed by the security company and KST we hope to solve that issue.

KST's website services offer responsive designs so you don't have to worry about what type of device your potential customer is using and better SEO. All websites come hosted on AWS so you can count on 99.99% monthly uptime and you won't miss a contact request.

Customers will be able to drive more conversions and sales with website personalization to boost engagements featuring customized ads and unique experiences triggered by date, time and visitor location.

For customers who do not use Orna, website services can be purchased separately.

Orna announces Improved Data Control For RMS

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 02:40:51 GMT

KST's Orna improves data control of incident report data

The software development team working on Orna has taken initiatives this month, making it a priority to ensure Orna continues improves control over who can see incident reporting data. One of the main enhancements for this initiative was the addition of a records administrator group to provide restrictions for incident reports. Allowing customers who require stricter data control to grant access only by the use of the records administrator group.

Previously incident reports involving medicals for example were visible to all security personnel. However, with the vision of KST's Co-Founders, it was required to improve data control measures which included additional permissions. This initiative will allow Orna to expand its client base in more industries without affecting current customer requirements.

The team plans on releasing the update towards the end of October.

Orna uses a range of services provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure cloud computing services that encrypt data in transit and while at rest.

Orna was initially released by Kerkton Security Technologies in early 2018 in beta and then officially released in January of 2019. The platform has helped private security agencies and non profits respond to over 20,000 emergency & non emergency calls for service.

KST's Orna announces general availability of white label

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 05:03:11 GMT

KST's Orna announces the generally availability of white labeled service

At Kerkton Security Technologies, we believe in promoting your company, not ours. Which is why we updated Orna with the general availability of white labeled services. This service is released across all PDF's related to your data and e-mails generated to your clients.

This service is provide for free. view more information under the section white label .

What is White Label?

White labeling is when a product or service removes their brand and logo from the end product and uses the branding requested by the customer.

Company Link feature added to connect with other security agencies

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 00:48:53 GMT

Kerkton Security Technologies announces new feature "Company Link"

Kerkton Security Technologies announces the general availability of "Company Link" allowing companies and agencies to work together

By providing a streamlined way for dispatch centers or global security operation centers to connect with security patrol companies, they can coordinate a more effective response.

Company Link allows for operation centers to view officer locations on a map and distribute call information to officers working for other companies in the field. This reduces the amount of time spent officers spend contacting dispatch centers and more time handling incidents.

The general availability of this feature also creates the opportunity for new business. The ability to create operation centers to provide additional services customers, such as dedicated dispatch operators or call centers to intake information at a single location. Natural disaster centers and law enforcement officials could partner with private firms using Orna, allowing them to view incidents reported to the private sector in real-time to provide a more coordinated response plan.

New Texas GSOC Launches Using KST's Orna Platform

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 00:46:37 GMT

Updated 12/08/2021: Patriot Eye is no longer in business. Click here to view our other dispatch partners with competitive packages using the same platform.

New GSOC Launches Using KST's Orna

Kerkton Security Technologies announces a new partnership with Patriot Eye , a Global Security Operations & Fusion Center located in San Antonio, Texas.

Patriot Eye provides services such as 24/7 public safety communications, security intelligence and surveillance monitoring. The operations center is able to intake and distribute information worldwide to their customers.

Patriot Eye is using Orna, a computer-aided dispatch system, that allows the operators to intake information and dispatch patrol officers in real time.

" Patriot Eye offers a unique public safety dispatch service, that is an experience that is not offered by our competition. We have built our platform and cost structure to limit a maximum of 300 users per dispatcher, and we average approximately only 75-100 users on each dispatcher channel at any given time. This means, there is little to no wait when trying to reach dispatch during the times when you need it the most. "

Kerkton Security Technologies Partners With Texas Rescue Patrol

aaron.bock@kerkton.com (KST Staff) — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 03:34:45 GMT

Kerkton Security Technologies partners with Texas Rescue Patrol

Kerkton Security Technologies partners with Texas Rescue Patrol providing them with computer aided dispatch software assisting them with on and off road emergency response.

Texas Rescue Patrol is a division of Texas Recreational Safety & Land Management a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that is committed to serving the needs of the off-road community.

TRP provides community outreach projects, recreational safety education, offers recreational land management services, assists in disaster relief operations and provides emergency medical rescue services.

In 2018 TRP became a state licensed agency in the state of Texas allowing them to contract with Hudspeth County and respond to 911 emergencies.

Texas Rescue Patrol has operated so far with only private funding and $0 tax dollars.