SERIES - Excerpt -?Threats - "Protection Technology: Vendor Selection & Nightmare Avoidance"
Hi LinkedIn!
Here's the second excerpt from the book: Threats.
The Threat Overview
As professionals charged with the protection of persons occupying or otherwise conducting business within commercial and residential properties we must remain ever so vigilant of the current and continuing threats facing us today. These threats, range from a variety of sources such as organized terrorist entities to the “low-level” street criminals. These threats leave our properties and residents vulnerable and susceptible to property loss, injury and even death.
Terrorism
As yet another anniversary of the attacks on the United States approaches, it provides a time for not only somber reflection - but reflection on what new and emerging threats have come to light. The 2009 bomb plot by Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, a 19 year old Jordanian national living illegally within the United States, to detonate an explosive device at the base of the Fountain Place office tower in Dallas Texas underscores the threats facing us today. The recent attacks in Boston, Massachusetts and the operations directed and inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Paris, San Bernardino, Brussels, Orlando and Turkey have once again brought to the forefront the radicalization of individuals within the United States and allied countries. These individuals have proven to be effective terror machines utilizing nothing but assault rifles and home-made improvised explosive devices (IED’s). With firearms being readily available and a simple internet search on “how to build a bomb” reveals…..and I quote…..“About 197,000,000 results (0.32 seconds)” the threat is here to stay.
Response
As a security professional based within New York City, I have witnessed extreme changes within law enforcement and the private sector first hand. The State of New York has made additions and modifications to the penal law by incorporating terror related crimes and related offenses. Included within various legislation, bills were introduced to provide immunity for civilians reporting a potential terror related tip.
New York State has also implemented the Office of Homeland Security, a division mirroring the federal DHS. Under this division, security directors from the private sector are given the opportunity to attend counterterrorist awareness training. Training courses-including, surveillance detection, emergency planning, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) recognition, active shooter countermeasures and other counterterrorist courses are conducted within the State training facility as well as host facilities throughout the region.
In addition, New York State has created the Enhanced Security Guard Program. This intense forty-hour class is designed to provide front-line private sector security officers with the knowledge and skill set necessary to recognize and report various terrorist tactics and methodologies. Certified instruction modules include historical perspectives, access control, patrol techniques, the incident command structure and emergency planning. The course is geared toward current threats, offered through regional instructors and, with certain restrictions, is tax deductible.
Shortly after September 11th, significant improvements were initiated on a local level. The New York City Police Department has made great strides in the counterterrorism and public/private cooperation arenas as well. Innovative prevention/deterrence programs created by this agency include task force based response to strategic and soft targets centered throughout the City in order to disrupt possible terrorist surveillance activities.
The cooperation with the private sector is emanated through the “Shield” program. This program is under the auspicious of the Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau and includes threat briefings as well as a local business program to report potential terrorist related transactions.
Included within Shield’s mission is to provide critical infrastructure training to private security directors. This localized training, conducted within the Department’s Regional Infrastructure Protection Center, provides both an overview and continuing training resource for security directors responsible for commercial property protection.
In addition, New York City has created the “Safe & Secure” training program. Working in conjunction with local union officials, this program offers front-line security officers, doormen and maintenance workers from both the residential and commercial sectors, training on how to recognize and report potential terrorist activity.
As evidenced with the current incidents and arrests throughout our country…undoubtedly the terrorist threat is here to stay. Jurisdictions, on the federal, state and local levels are responsible for the gathering of intelligence, identification of potential perpetrators and the arrest of criminals. The responsibility for being knowledgeable of current threats, identification of vulnerabilities and being the last line of defense…ours.
The Local Criminal
Yes….undoubtedly the terrorist threat is very real and here to stay. We, as property managers, Board members, superintendents, doormen and security professionals have the utmost duty to provide a safe environment for our residents, tenants and guests. However, although the chances of your building or facility experiencing a major terrorist attack maybe possible, the chances of your property being targeted by a local criminal is highly probable. These localized threats from the “common criminal” can take the form of a simple trespass on your property to a violent crime perpetrated against an individual.
We, as professionals mentioned above, are in a “responsible charge position”. Weather implied by job title, employment scope or in a volunteer leadership role, have a moral obligation to offer protection to those who entrust us with their properties.
So…..imagine this scenario... you are in charge of a residential or commercial property. One of your tenants has just advised you that the lock on the front door of the building has been known to malfunction from "time-to-time". As a diligent professional, you have the maintenance crew inspect the lock.
The crew reports the lock seemed to stick occasionally, but has been oiled and now seems "OK". Three days later the same tenant advises you that the same lock has again been malfunctioning. This individual further advises they know there has been an increase in robberies within the neighborhood and they are becoming fearful. Again, you notify the maintenance staff. The maintenance personnel advise they are currently working on a flood emergency and will check the lock when finished. Upon the end of the workday, the crew decides they will check the lock "tomorrow".
Later that evening, your tenant arrives at the building. Entering through the front door, she abruptly interrupts a criminal attempting to break into a first floor unit. The perpetrator turns his attention from the unit and your tenant falls victim to a violent assault, robbery and is seriously and permanently injured...
Protection Technology: Vendor Selection & Nightmare Avoidance