Creating the DNA of a modern security officer
20/08/2010
Due to the constant pressures of price from buyers of security, our industry is – in general – focused on minimum or basic standards. However, due consideration should be given to the creation of a model that identifies the basic skills sets required by the modern security officer.
Indeed, an aspirational model could be pivotal in shifting the mindset of the buyer of security towards understanding the true value of a professional security officer instead of continually focusing on basic pricing.
A key driver of this sea change is the ever-increasing set of skills required by professional security officers in their role as first responders to emergencies. This was underpinned only recently when three security officers received recognition for life-saving acts in the form of certificates presented at the British Security Industry Association’s annual Security Personnel Awards.
In truth, it’s not uncommon for security officers to be called upon to respond to day-to-day emergencies. In spite of derogatory comments about security officers by the likes of Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson writing earlier this year in The Times, the modern security officer is evolving into a security professional with improved skills sets (including first responder to emergencies).
Lessons on first response from 9/11
Since the tragedy of 9/11, the role of the civilian first responder has become a critical element of any disaster response framework. This statement is reinforced in the following extracts taken from the 9/11 Commission Report:
“The lesson of 9/11 for civilians and first responders can be stated simply: in the new age of terror, they-we-are the primary targets. The losses America suffered that day demonstrated both the gravity of the terrorist threat and the commensurate need to prepare ourselves to meet it.
“The first responders of today live in a world transformed by the attacks on 9/11. Since no-one believes that every conceivable form of attack can be prevented, civilians and first responders will again find themselves on the front lines. We must plan for that eventuality”
and…
“… for the private sector controls 85% of the critical infrastructure in the nation. Indeed, unless a terrorist’s target is a military or other secure Government facility, the ‘first’ first responders will almost certainly be civilians. Homeland security and national preparedness therefore often begins with the private sector… Preparedness in the private sector and public sector for rescue, restart and recovery of operations should include (1) a plan for evacuation (2) adequate communications capabilities and (3) a plan for continuity of operations.
“As we examined the emergency response to 9/11, witness after witness told us that, despite 9/11, the private sector remains largely unprepared for a terrorist attack. We were also advised that the lack of a widely embraced private sector preparedness standard was a principal contributing factor to this lack of preparedness.”
Professional approach to first response
The professional approach taken to first response duties by Rick Rescorla, the security chief at Morgan Stanley in the World Trade Centre, saved all but six of Morgan Stanley’s employees after the 9/11 attack.
Rescorla, who died saving his colleagues, felt it was foolish to rely on first responders (in this case the Emergency Services) to save his employees. Morgan Stanley’s employees would need to take care of one another. He ordered them not to listen to any instructions from the Port Authority in a real emergency. In his eyes, it had lost all legitimacy after it failed to respond to his 1990 warnings.
On that basis, Rescorla started running the entire company's security and safety procedures through his own frequent, surprise fire drills. He trained employees to meet in the hallway between the stairwells and go down the stairs, two by two, to the 44th floor (as reported by Amanda Ripley in 'A Survival Guide to Catastrophe' in the issue of Time magazine dated 29 May 2008)
People safety and safer buildings
Key to the first response function is the role of the modern security officer who, today, should have a wider remit than security. A remot that could well be described as ‘people safety’.
It’s my firm belief that ‘First on Scene’ skills in the area of evacuation basics, First Aid and fire prevention (including marshalling and the practical use of fire-fighting equipment), are critical constituents in the DNA of the modern frontline security officer.
There are other areas that require attention. These include report writing, counter surveillance, effective patrolling and customer service.
Most of the training improvements suggested are currently available in the form of stand-alone courses. This year, it was therefore surprising to see a minimal increase in the modern security officer’s training requirements demanded for the Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.
When asked about this by Infologue.com, the Regulator said: “When we re-developed the specifications, we involved the industry fully in the development process. We were very keen that we had an industry-led process.”
Another surprising element of the training improvement was the failure to introduce ‘top up’ training for security officers who had previously been trained.
Creative use of training capability
Extra training does not necessarily mean extra time if creative use is made of classroom time (ie there are elements of the current training that could be evolved into a theory test administered prior to classroom training).
However, if extra training time is needed for the SIA-required instruction then all security officers would have to undertake such training (resulting in a ‘level playing field’ as far as costs are concerned).
Another creative method of adding extra training is through ‘pop up’ training sessions: a practise currently been deployed by some security companies for refresher or ‘top up’ training.
The SIA could also consider using the South African security industry regulatory model which grades security personnel according to the skills deployed. This would allow additional training skills to be added for security personnel that require them.
What’s also interesting is that the South African Regulator, the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), provides an illustrative costing model as a guideline for end users. The standard maximum number of hours allowed to be worked by any security officer in any given week is 48.
Part of the Home Office's public reassurance agenda
Part of our own Home Office’s public reassurance agenda surely has to be that when people walk into a building they should feel safe and secure when they see a security officer whom they know is trained to respond to emergencies.
The wider agenda should be developed into a ‘safer buildings’ programme involving the SIA, the Health and Safety Executive and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Bobby Logue is the editor of www.infologue.com full article click here
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