The CCTV User Group says that it welcomes Home Office plans to introduce a law requiring owners and operators of public spaces and venues to put in place security, to protect the public from terrorist attacks.
As announced by Home Office security minister James Brokenshire and featured in the January print edition of Professional Security magazine, a new “Protect Duty” will follow ‘lessons learned’ after the terrorist attacks of 2017. It is a government response to discussions with victims’ groups such as the Martyn’s Law campaign; headed by Figen Murray, whose son Martyn was killed in the Manchester Arena attack of May 2017.
The Home Office said in February 2020 that it would go out to consultation on the new law; that consultation is due to be issued in the spring.
Martyn’s Law is proposed legislation as drawn up by Figen Murray and Nick Aldworth, a former Counter Terrorism National Coordinator for Protective Security and Preparedness (pictured right from the May 2018 print edition of Professional Security, on the London-wide launch of Project Servator, in Parliament Square). It would place five requirements on operators of public spaces:
– that certain sections of the community, spaces, and places engage with freely available counter-terrorism advice and training;
– for those places to conduct vulnerability assessments of their operating places and spaces;
– for those places to have a mitigation plan for the risks created by the vulnerabilities;
– for those places to have a counter-terrorism plan based on Guide, Shelter, Communicate; and
– for local authorities to plan for the threat of terrorism.
Peter Webster, director of the CCTV User Group, said: “The CCTV User Group welcomes the announcement by the Home Office of a consultation on the proposed new ‘Protect Duty’. We will look carefully at the consultation document and respond on behalf of our membership having first consulted with them. Judging by the minister’s reference to it in the announcement, it would appear that the Protect Duty consultation will draw on Martyn’s Law as drafted by Figen Murray and Nick Aldworth.
“Martyn’s Law aims to help venues prepare for the unthinkable. As we saw with the tragic attacks on the Manchester Arena and Borough Market in London in 2017, terrorists will select what they perceive to be soft targets. It’s vital that we provide staff at these venues and elsewhere with training that will help them respond in the event of one of these terrible attacks in the future.
“Public space CCTV of the type provided by many of our members can provide visibility of ongoing attacks and be a vital source of evidence for subsequent investigations. Many CCTV control rooms already play a key role in public space security by acting as a communications hub and clearinghouse for information as well as a link to the police.”
Ilker Dervish, vice-chair of the CCTV User Group, added: “Public space CCTV is currently at risk of financial and resourcing cut backs due to budget constraints, but this is not the time to be cutting a key frontline service that has eyes-on these vulnerable public spaces helping to protect the public 24 hours a day.”
The CCTV User Group is hosting a webinar on Martyn’s Law with Figen Murray and Nick Aldworth on 11 February 11. For more details and to register, visit www.cctvusergroup.com/events-1.
The User Group’s annual conference meanwhile has been put back further, from April to September, due to the pandemic; the Whittlebury Hall venue near Towcester remains the same.
