ICTS GIS, a division of ICTS (UK) Ltd, is a main conference sponsor at the Counter Terror Expo ’09. Over four days including the build up of the conference and exhibition ICTS-GIS explosive search dogs will be on duty at the QE11 building at Westminster providing protective security services.
Counter Terror Expo brings together government agencies and the private sector operators to debate international security policy. ICTS-GIS will be exhibiting on stand C66 for the duration of the conference.
Last year ICTS-GIS launched their new (CORTC) Combined Operations, Research and Training Centre near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. The facility represents in excess of £1m of investment over recent years introducing a range of canine services . A kennel complex and training facilities for canines involved in aviation cargo screening for the RASCargO programme have been constructed in the grounds of the centre which includes 20 individual kennels, operations room, meeting rooms, marketing suite, explosives and drug storage facilities to meet current regulations.
More RASCargO screening suites are at Heathrow and Manchester in compliance with the (Dft) Department for Transport operating standards, monitored by (DSTL) Defence Science Technology Laboratory.
(ACPO) Association of Chief Police Officers compliant ICTS-GIS operational search teams at satellite stations around the UK receive fully documented continuation training and attend refresher courses to ensure standards are maintained every six months. All ICTS-GIS operational personnel and dogs are trained to the same standards as police officers and police dogs at Home Office accredited dog training centres in Surrey and Durham. Several of the ICTS-GIS team are ACPO accredited trainers themselves with many years of ‘hands on’ operational experience.
The teams of ‘traditional’ explosive search dogs who have the exacting standards of the RASCargO programme are deployed at many of the UK’s iconic sporting locations, in addition to regular operations in the transport environment.
For example, having established a three-year rolling contract with National Express, regular deployments with dogs and handlers have been carried out at transport hubs around the country. In addition the provision of defensive search services to all key test match venues including Lord’s cricket ground features high on the ICTS-GIS calendar where they work in partnership with security consultants Richard Hester Associates.
ICTS-GIS also offer a ‘one stop shop’ canine service available on a consultancy basis to clients on a global basis to support the establishment, development and maintenance of canine facilities to Police Forces, Customs Services, Defence Forces, Homeland Security, Border Control, Immigration, Port Authorities and Forensic Teams to combat terrorism and drug related crime.
Comment
John Franklin-Webb for ICTS says: "We believe in the next few years there will be a greater liaison and co-operation between government agencies and the private security sector as vigilance increases leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games and the demand grows for protective security services. In the drugs sector we continue our work in providing a cost-effective counter-drug mechanism in support of police operations and for other public and private clients who wish to maintain a pro-active stance on drug misuse. For any organisation to succeed and be accepted they must ensure that they like ourselves meet the exacting criteria laid down by the authorities."
