Common Forum for working Security & Safety Professionals
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International Council for Industrial Security, Safety & Management
Security Training
Over the last few years, the volume of industrial security whinging has been deafening, thanks in part to the legions of newbies whose expectations don't square with reality. Even after the high-tech meltdown, the vendor space is filled with goofy products developed by technologists who don't know the difference between need and demand. The industrial security professionals keep cribbing that their management is indifferent to their needs whereas the vulnerabilities keep mounting! What they do not appreciate that it takes only marginal efforts in providing awareness training to their employees.
One of the best ways to make sure company employees will not make costly errors in regard to security is to institute company-wide security-awareness training initiatives that include, but are not limited to classroom style training sessions, security awareness website(s), helpful hints via e-mail, or even posters. These methods can help ensure employees have a solid understanding of company security policy, procedure and best practices.
One of the greatest threats to security could actually come from within your company or organization. Insiders have been noted to be some of the most dangerous since these people are already quite familiar with the infrastructure. It is not always disgruntled workers and corporate spies who are a threat. Often, it is the non-malicious, uninformed employee!
Educating employees about security is a vital part of your defence against criminals and unethical competitors. Yet security training and education is often neglected, sometimes at great cost. A breach of your company’s security can be hugely expensive, dwarfing the cost of the training that could have prevented it. To learn the role of education in security and discover ways to implementing training without breaking the budget remains one big challenge to the management and security in-charges!
Security at Blue Print Stage
First approach in this directions is that the designed security system must match with the threat perception. The Cost Effectiveness needs to be ensured always by the system designers, which, in the parlance of Industrial Security Management is the situation where by the highest security standard can be maintained by spending lowest possible amount after which there can be no further decrease of money or man power without affecting the security preparedness adversely.” In a survey it is found out that 80% of all small businesses fail in their first 3 years. In most cases, the main cause is…poor management.
It is also highlighted in this survey that most neglected and poorly managed aspects there is - Security & Loss Prevention. Employee Dishonesty causes 30% of all business failures. Add failures resulting from other crimes against company property, employees and customers and true rate may exceed 60%.
There is a common misconception that good security is too expensive.In fact it is on the contrary and good security enables good business. Small businesses often operate on the financial brink - particularly during the first few years - and the added expense for security may not seem justified. In reality, companies that can least afford it, usually need protection most.
Security of Key Infrastructure
What are the Key Infrastructures? Transport, communication and Energy sectors have great role in nation building and economical prosperity. Energy security draws attention of planners and saboteurs world over. Focus is on Energy Security which is core of Key Infrastructures and also very vulnerable.
US has defined the Key Infrastructures as -
“Systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the country that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.” - US Patriot Act
There is no definition of this term but broadly it is defined as -
“Key infrastructures are those, damage to which will adversely affect Nation’s Defense preparedness and Economy. “
Following are the areas falling in the category of ‘Key or Critical Infrastructure –
Ø Energy infrastructures – nuclear, hydro, coal and gas
Ø Information & communication infrastructures
Ø Water resources
Ø Financial institutions
Ø Transport infrastructures
Ø Space – development and research
Ø Food – supply chain
Ø Health infrastructures
Because of the private ownership of major elements of critical infrastructure any security and control measures will (almost by definition) require the involvement of both private and public interests. However the national authorities will often have sole competence in the area.
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Use of Force by Private Security Personnel
India, uniformed personnel are generally identified with the power and might of the authority i.e. Law and the Government. The Khaki color uniform has been subject of immense influence on the society either positive or negative. It has also been observed that the uniformed personnel basically (from para-military forces or the police) are often misusing their powers.
Fact, the police officers have only that much power, which law provides to the common citizen and by this extension anybody is as powerful as any police officer can be. Right to private defense is one such provision of Indian Penal Code, which gives common citizen same powers as those enjoyed by police officers. Personnel performing the security duties in any organization - government, public or private sector, do not have any special powers in the performance of their duty. They can exercise only those powers, which Indian Penal Code bestows on normal citizen. Security personnel perform certain functions such as frisking, searching, interrogation or detention, only as long other individuals co-operate. Generally, due to standing orders, employers-employees agreement or due to special law, these security duties are carried out and these are subject to mutual consent, in absence of which security personnel may find themselves helpless.
Background Screening or C&A verification
NO one has to tell a security professional about the growing importance of background screening. More and more organizations now perform some kind of criminal background check on potential new hires, and more and more companies are checking employment history, education, driving records, credit history, sex offender registries, restricted parties lists and more. Clearly the drive to background screening is prompted by the desire for a safer workplace, the need to hire better people and threats of litigation for negligent hiring and retention.
But even as background screening becomes an industry standard, it is clear that not all background screening is created equal. Applying background screening haphazardly and without a carefully formulated plan can leave organizations vulnerable to the negative events they are trying to avoid, as well as to criticism, employee dissatisfaction and even litigation. One of the best ways to avoid these problems is to make background screening an accepted and standard part of company’s carefully considered background screening policy based on best practices.
Security Awareness
Security has been an integral part of livelihood from times immortal. Even in the eras of God’s, the system of regimes, war etc prevailed. From times eternal the system of warfare, aggression, disruption in others land has been practiced by nations of the world. The trend has changed its mode from traditional style of warfare to the modern concept in present day.
Agencies such FBI of America, ISI of Pakistan are some of the Intelligence agencies which are not only responsible for collection of intelligence within the country but there scope of work also extends into political, military, economic, social, external policy and other arenas other nations.
With the prime motive of safety of own country and creating an atmosphere of superiority and no danger climate to one’s own country these organizations with unlimited funds operate all over the world. These are some of the basic terms which if understood can highlight the importance of security in all matters of functioning.
Security in not an independent function as an individual task! Its collective task of all the citizens of the nation which in turn will secure an Institution, Organization, State, Country or Region from all Dangers and Odds.
The write up covers the requirement of security awareness especially in context to pipelines, installations and offices during all stages of planning, construction and operations.
Industrial Security: A Total Management Function
Security is a concept with varying connotations. Established theoreticians have given too many definitions of security. In layman’s language, security perception would be different to different individuals in different circumstances or different contexts. For example, has not the security perception even on the world scenario undergone a serious change after the September 11, 2001 incident in the USA? Like the aesthetic concept of beauty, security also lies in the eyes of the beholder – one may perhaps substitute the word beholder by the expression “assessor”.
Threat perception also may not remain static. It does undergo metamorphosis – threat perception of today may not remain the same tomorrow. For example, raise in the status of the object to be secured, new status in life, changing job demands, such as, more travelling, appearance of new business rivals – all these will warrant different appreciation. Yet, it can be realistically quantified to a large extent and assessed on the basis of some laid down criteria/principles of functioning of security systems – thus a security is scientific profession.
Security is now a distinct profession being practised on scientific lines but subject to individual interpretation depending on variables earlier discussed.
Crime Investigation
What makes a serial killer tick? How do forensic experts solve crimes using cutting-edge technology? Who are the men and women that risk their lives to put criminals behind bars?
These questions and more are related to the subject of Crime Investigation. Real crime, real people, real drama - Crime Investigation is the hard work by the true professionals who work meticulously and methodically to solve the mystery behind the crime – motive, the modus-operendai and men involved in crime! Crime Investigation opens the door to crime labs, police archives and courtrooms, providing a behind-the-scenes look at criminal investigations and probing unexplained mysteries.
Physical Evidence at a Crime Scene
Evidence used to resolve an issue can be split into 2 areas - testimonial evidence and physical evidence. The testimonial evidence would be any witnessed accounts of an incident. The physical evidence would refer to any material items that would be present on the crime scene. These items would be presented in an issue or incident to prove or disprove the facts of the issue.
What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation -
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May prove that a crime has been committed.
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Establish any key elements of a crime.
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Link a suspect with a scene or a victim.
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Establish the identity of a victim or suspect.
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Corroborate verbal witness testimony.
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Exonerate the innocent.
The evidence that is located and recovered at a scene will give the detectives responsible for the investigation leads to work with in the case.
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Bomb Threat Management - Basic Actions
A bomb threat is an effective means of disrupting business. The problems are intensified when the incident involves an actual explosive or incendiary device. Although there is no foolproof means of securing a premises against a bomb threat (or bomb attack), a good security plan, correctly executed, will enable a business to deal with an incident properly. Bombs and the threat of their use has become the primary weapon of the terrorist. They are also used as a means of retaliation by employees with real or fancied grievances, as well as by criminal extortionists.
Planning efforts for bomb threats begin with a vulnerability assessment of the facility. An estimate of the risk of attack is required, based on the type of business, its location, past threats, and current trends. Management must establish procedures before an incident occurs, so that a bomb threat can be handled with the least risk of creating panic. Employees must be trained in the proper procedures to follow in handling bomb threats, conducting bomb searches and evacuating a building. In the past, the majority of bomb threats turned out to be hoaxes. However, today more of the threats are materializing. Thus, management's first consideration must be for the safety of people. It is practically impossible to determine immediately whether a bomb threat is real or a hoax.