The terrorist threat we face is multi-faceted, diverse, and continually evolving. Since March 2017, UK police and security services have foiled plots. However, despite their best endeavours, it will never be possible to stop every attack as terrorists will look for ways to circumvent security protocols which is why FM and security teams need to be ever vigilant and alert, says Andrew Robbins, Associate Director of Security and Risk, at the facilities management firm and SIA approved contractor Incentive FM.
The attacks we have seen in the UK, particularly since 2017, have caused deaths and casualties amongst people going about their everyday business, often in retail destinations. The Protect Duty Act will take into consideration recommendations from the Manchester Arena inquiry and from the wider public/industry consultation last year.
Timeframes
The protect duty legislation is likely to be announced in the Queens Speech at the opening of Parliament and is likely to become law later this year. Landlords and their service providers will have a statutory duty to protect life and property. They need to ensure that there are sufficient resources, staff are competent and trained.
Landlords and service provers will need to ensure security policies and procedures are in place, that are current and rehearsed. Risk assessments will need to be conducted, staff numbers, systems, and process will be forensically examined should there be a serious incident/loss of life.
It will be necessary to recruit, train staff (a major part of the Protect Duty), ACT, Hostile Recon. With enough, effective training, and strategic support a first-class service can be provided to contracts ensuring tenants, visitors and brand partners are safe and secure. There are three key elements which FM and security teams within retail destinations need to address.
Employee training and empowerment
Those managing security teams employed to safeguard locations falling under the remit of the Protect Duty will need to methodically review their training schedules. They will also need to provide evidence that all third-party security staff have the requisite skillsets before the signing of any contract.
Security personnel will feel more empowered by both the establishment of professional standards and an increase in the frequency of training programmes to identify threats and respond to them.
A renewed confidence and readiness to react to suspicious behaviours is critical for avoiding a major incident.
Though various agencies in the UK such as Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) provide eLearning courses, these should supplement the training of security personnel, not form the basis of it. Practical ‘prevent and respond’ training, encompassing first aid and physical restraint techniques should take priority and be completed regularly; we are witnessing this with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) Upskilling for Security Officers.
Consider new and unforeseen terror vulnerabilities
While much of the world was placed under lockdown during the covid-19 pandemic, terrorist incidents in the West did decline. The threat though, has not gone away. Many public venues and spaces that attract large crowds, such as shopping centres, music concerts and sports events, continue to experience large, external queues with measures such as temperature checks taking place at entrances. This creates an opportunity for terrorists who would use vehicles as weapons.
Significant consideration must be given to this threat and carefully planned anti-terror measures, such as the installation of temporary, approved perimeter security solutions, may be necessary.
Create, review, and enforce plans
It is expected that the Protect Duty will recommend that initial risk assessments be followed by the creation of a ‘Protect Plan’. These plans will be developed to identify measures that mitigate risks and vulnerabilities, be regularly assessed, and reviewed, and be configurable so they can flex with whatever the threat level is at the time.
Threats such as those posed by terrorism will also require risk assessments to be subject to external reviews, rather than be monitored in-house. It is likely that this grade of risk assessment will also need to contain certain standardised criteria, be appropriately differentiated for the venue or event to which they apply and be stamped with an official kitemark of approval.
Conclusion
There is much good work already being done by many organisations, However, in the absence of a legislative requirement, there is no certainty that considerations of security are undertaken by those operating the wide variety of sites and places open to the public, or, where they are undertaken, what outcomes are achieved. So, how could we improve this position, through reasonable and not overly burdensome security measures?
Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) Training is essential to ensure your team are fully trained. It is also important to ensure good liaison with your local CTSA.
Consider the use of agency staff, who they are, what training they have received, have they had a site induction are they aware of emergency procedures, fire/evacuation and what invacuation processes may be in place (run, hide and tell). Finally consider what is the biggest risk to your site? Where are the weaknesses both physical and technical i.e., cctv blackspots, hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM).
