The Physical Security Professional (PSP) Exam (ASIS-PSP)

Metal halide lamps provide excellent color rendering that closely resembles natural daylight, making them ideal for enhancing image quality in CCTV systems. However, they are also more expensive to install and maintain compared to other types such as high-pressure sodium or mercury vapor.

A (Mercury vapor) and D (Low-pressure sodium) offer poor color rendering.

B (High-pressure sodium) is efficient but has a yellow hue that distorts colors.

The effectiveness of entry control systems is typically measured by:

Throughput (speed of entry)

False Acceptance Rate (FAR) — unauthorized access

False Rejection Rate (FRR) — denial of access to authorized users

These metrics provide insight into both the security and user experience of the access control system.

A (Cost) is relevant to budgeting, not effectiveness.

B (Activation delays) may affect throughput but isn’t a primary measure.

D (System obsolescence) relates to lifecycle, not effectiveness.

Screening is the process of identifying the most suitable candidates for a job, factoring in both qualifications (skills and experience) and personal integrity. This may involve background checks, interviews, and reference verification to ensure candidates are reliable and trustworthy.

Vetting (C) is often used interchangeably but generally refers more narrowly to background checks.

Recruitment (B) is the broader process of attracting candidates.

Inspection (A) refers to a physical or procedural review, not personnel selection.

In an exchange badge system, individuals surrender a personal credential in return for a temporary badge (often with a photo). One of the ways to bypass such a system is to steal or borrow a badge and alter your appearance to resemble the photo—exploiting human recognition weaknesses.

A, B, and C are more related to access control systems or hacking, not specific to defeating exchange badge visual verification.

Under the pure comparative negligence approach, a plaintiff can recover damages even if they were primarily responsible for their own injury. For example, if the plaintiff was 90% at fault, they could still recover 10% of the damages from the defendant. This model allows for partial recovery based on proportional fault, regardless of the level of the plaintiff’s responsibility.

50/50 rule and 51 percent rule prevent recovery when the plaintiff is found equally or more at fault.

An initial threat or hazard evaluation must include an assessment of how likely each threat is to occur. This probability, when combined with impact analysis, forms the foundation for risk assessments. Understanding likelihood allows prioritization of mitigation strategies.

A (Estimate costs) and C (Develop business case) are later steps.

D (Develop response plan) comes after risk characterization.

Pre-action sprinkler systems are designed to prevent accidental water discharge. These systems include a detection component (such as smoke or heat detectors) that must activate before the water enters the pipes. They are often used in areas where water damage would be catastrophic (e.g., data centers, museums).

Discovery system (A), Exposure (B), and Post-action system (C) are not standard terms in fire suppression.

“Post-action system” is incorrect; the correct terminology is “pre-action system.”

JPEG, MPEG, Wavelet, and H-263 are all video compression standards or techniques used to reduce the size of digital video files while maintaining acceptable quality. Compression is essential in organizational environments because it allows efficient storage, faster transmission, and easier management of video data, especially in security systems such as surveillance and monitoring. From a Human Resource and operational management perspective, efficient video compression supports better use of technological resources, reduces storage costs, and ensures that security personnel can quickly access and review footage when needed. These formats do not represent storage devices, transmission methods alone, or signal types; instead, they define how video data is encoded and compressed. Therefore, option B is correct because all listed technologies are forms of video compression.

In physical security, the term " perimeter " refers to the outer boundary of a property or facility. This includes fences, walls, gates, and other barriers that mark the edge of the secured area. In contexts where yard space and warehousing are used (such as in industrial or urban logistics operations), the perimeter defines the boundary of company-owned property and is critical for physical access control.

“Fence” (A) and “Wall” (B) are types of perimeter barriers.

“Chain link” (D) is a material used in fences, not a boundary in itself.

Perimeter protection is addressed in Domain 2: Application, Design, and Integration of Physical Security Measures.

???? References:

ASIS International, Physical Security Principles (PSP) Study Guide – Domain 2

Protection of Assets (POA) Manual – Chapter: Perimeter Security

ASIS Glossary of Security Terms