In our November print edition, we put four questions to Brian Hughes, Head of Group Protective Security, Standard Chartered Bank, and a member of the Guild of Security Professionals.
We put four questions to Brian Hughes, Head of Group Protective Security, Standard Chartered Bank, and a member of the Guild of Security Professionals. How should security managers react after September 11; since September 11, has Security with a capital S got more ‘respect’ (and budget?); is the threat in the UK particular to London; to what extent is it a new threat?
Brian Hughes replied: ?I think that the first point is that we should not over-react to what has happened.ÿ The threat of terrorism was always there in the background.ÿ Its nature is that attacks occur without warning.ÿ The difference with the attacks on September 11 is the scale of the atrocity and the fact that suicide bombing has moved from being a Middle East and South Asia phenomenon to something that we are likely toÿsee more of in the West. Iÿwouldn’t use the word ‘respect’: you could argue that security failed in thatÿthe attacks got through and from the terrorist point of view was a success.ÿ I believe that people in future will expect more from security and security managers need to try to meet these expectations. So what should we be doing?ÿ This list is not exhaustive: monitoring the situation closely via the media, security information providers like CR, the police etc; sharing information with colleagues; keeping our people advised of any useful information and intelligence.ÿ Issuing travel warnings is a good example; preparing and implementing evacuation plans for overseas offices in countries affected by the aftermath; reviewing security plans for our buildings and taking steps to fill any obvious gaps; exercising plans for dealing with crisis situations and such things as building evacuation; reviewing and updating business continuity plans. We will be doing all of this against a background of a slowing economy when businesses will be tightening their belts.ÿ I doubt that we will see significant security budget increases unless the threat becomes more specific.?
