Security staff in Kettering are taking part in training to help them deal with the threat from terrorism and other emergency situations.
Northamptonshire Police has been the first force in the Midlands to adopt Project Griffin, a training programme intended to give security staff awareness of and practical skills in dealing with terrorist incidents or other emergencies.
The pilot course took place in Northampton in July and now 18 delegates from a number of private and public sector organisations around Kettering are taking part in the first session for the north of the county. The Project Griffin course will be hosted by Pytchley-based Barton Security on Tuesday, November 27.
The City of London Police launched project Griffin after the London bombings in July 2005. The project’s aim is to enhance the skills of the many security workers and similar staff who could give assistance to police officers in the event of a major emergency and to raise their awareness, so that they can be extra eyes and ears for the police in helping with counter terrorism intelligence and activity.
The training course given by Northamptonshire Police ranges from setting the context of the terrorist threat facing the country to practical advice on dealing with a suspicious package and the evacuation of a building. A session covers recognising suspicious activity and how to pass that information to the police.
PC Gail Caseman-Jones of the Northamptonshire Police emergency planning department said that the project is recognition of the support given to police by security staff in emergency situations and a way of enhancing their awareness and practical skills.
“The aim of Project Griffin is to enlist the many security and other staff who work for many kinds of organisations around Northamptonshire to be our eyes and ears and pass on information about suspicious activity and also to help them understand the kind of information that the police would need in such an emergency situation,” said PC Caseman-Jones.
“It is in all our interests to increase the awareness and level of preparedness of security staff to ensure a safe and secure environment for the public,” she added.
Feedback from participants in the Project Griffin pilot course in July was, report police, very positive, with delegates saying that they had learned many useful lessons to take back to their organisations. The training course is accredited through the industry body Skills for Security. People who have taken part in Project Griffin training are given a tabard and lapel badge so that police in the event of an emergency can identify them.
