The Manchester Arena Inquiry has identified several critical shortcomings and missed opportunities in the provision of security at the venue on May 22, 2017. These include a lack of preparedness and an inadequate response to suspicious behaviour, which ultimately allowed the terrorist to carry out his attack with devastating consequences.
Paul Mason, Managing Director of Redline Assured Security, comments:
“The security community needs to engage and collaborate to deliver Protect Duty, the piece of legislation currently known at Martyn’s Law, which is informed by the outcomes of the Manchester Arena Inquiry. It is crucial that we all work towards the embedding of a positive security culture and mindset throughout organisations, security personnel and the public.
The threat of terrorism has evolved with an increase in the occurrence of attacks on crowded spaces. With more than 650,000 spaces in the UK being defined as ‘crowded’, it is imperative for approaches to security and risk management planning to evolve, too. Whilst it will never be possible to eradicate terrorism altogether, with better preparedness comes more powerful deterrence and greater protection.
Preparedness is unquestionably a key tool in the arsenal of prevention activity, yet it is a fundamental missing piece in the jigsaw of security provision. Furthermore, continuous assessment of evolving risk, ongoing training in how to intervene in a potential risk situation and continuous quality assurance all have a role in taking preparedness to a higher level to mitigate risk.”
Paul Mason continues: “A security partnership should be a trusted and two-way relationship. During the process of establishing a relationship, an effective security provider, whilst taking on board the concerns and requests of a client, must not treat this as a box checking exercise.
What a client wants and what they need are not always the same.“
He continues: “A complete understanding of a client and their needs means asking questions, not just accepting a request for services. What exactly are the security provisions needed for? What are the threats? What are the potential targets? What effect is desired? Do the security provisions suit the client’s needs? Will they work well with existing measures it challenged? What about futureproofing against emerging threats?
By asking these kinds of questions, a trusted partner demonstrates that it has a vested interest in providing a ‘ground truth’ capability picture and actual working solutions rather than taking a cookie-cutter approach to keeping the public safe.”
About Redline Assured Security
Paul Mason is Managing Director for Redline Assured Security, part of Air Partner Group, a Wheels Up company. With over 25 years of aviation experience, Paul has guided Redline from a concept through to the internationally acclaimed security training, consultancy, and quality assurance company that it is today. Redline offers an unmatched range of products and services spanning all aspects of safety and security, training, consultancy, quality assurance and innovative software products to cater for the needs of tomorrow’s threats and risks as well as big data handling, live data analytics and real time threat and risk management.
Redline routinely conducts in excess of 20,000 independent tests per year, which provide clients in aviation rail, critical national infrastructure, justice system and high-value assets, and events sectors, with objective data so they can take appropriate action to continually improve their security.
Bespoke training courses include:
Behavioural Detection Awareness Training
Redline’s courses are designed to raise awareness amongst staff to recognise suspicious behaviour and criminal activity, to add another layer to security measures. Courses from 30 minutes online, to 4-day classroom learning address different levels of behavioural detection.
Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and Events Training
Redline provides training in accordance with the guidance and recommendations of PAS 127:2014 (checkpoint security screening of people and their belongings) to ensure CNI and public spaces are protected from terrorism and criminal activity through all stages from hostile reconnaissance to an attack itself.
Threat Image Recognition Training (TIRT)
Redline’s X-ray TIRT system is both technically sophisticated and intuitive, equipping X-ray screeners with the knowledge and skills needed to use the full functionality of an X-ray effectively to detect items of concern.
Body and Bag Search Training
Redline’s search training is designed to equip security staff responsible for searching people, baggage and articles with the skills to conduct a body and bag search in a systematic way while being aware of and responding effectively to the specific needs of people when applying the search methodology.
X-Ray Awareness Training
X-ray Awareness Training to equip users with the knowledge and skills to use the full functionality of 2D or 3D CT X-ray effectively to detect threat items.