Remote Video Surveillance
I was having a beer with a cop friend of mine last night and evidently he installs very small remote cameras, mostly in PD's. I asked him about putting one or two outside my home. He said do you want a wireless, or do you want it motion activated where it dials you up remotely. The newer tech stuff is getting truly sophisticated.
Let me say this. I don't condone alarm systems. I think they give people a false sense of security. When the alarm goes off, you know someone has either entered or tried to enter. At that point you are relying on the central station to call and ask, are you okay? That is if you're hooked into one. Then you wait helplessly until somebody shows up. No thanks. I'll fight it out on my terms.
I'd much rather rely on a big-ass fido that is a working dog breed, (Alsatian, Rottweiler, Bouvier des Flandres). Sporting dogs (retrievers, hounds, shorthairs) are too unreliable in the guarding/attack task. A working dog makes a much better detterant and will protect you with his life. But remember there is a certain amount of training this dog requires to make it effective. I also think the perimeter defense notion is a must. Hardened front and rear entrances. Low cut hedges, without any entry into the house blocked from view. The remote camera is intriguing to me because it can catch someone casing your home when you are away, or someone breaking in when you are away. An alarm will never stop someone, just speed up their clock, which for the most part they are on anyways.
Keeping a loaded handgun available is the second level detterant that I would rely on with my life. And being proficient in using that weapon should go without saying. Imagine picking up a gun that you are unfamiliar with at the time of a crisis. You are fighting your fight or flee instinct and now you are confronted with figuring out where the safety is at your moment of need. Now thanks. Also, my wife and oldest son have to put their time in at the range. If I get offed along with the dog, what will happen to them? I don't want to dwell on that so I'd rather they could fight like wolverines instead of lambs.
The handgun as was pointed out by experts on this board and document by Ayoob Massad in his studies on gunfights, is a more versatile weapon in your home. "What's the best home defense gun?" is a question being asked on other threads. The answer is quite simple, anyone that you can use deadly accuracy.