News Archive

Project Truckwatch

by msecadm4921

A consultant discusses a Project Truckwatch scheme ahead of the Airport, Port and Terminal Security Summit (APTS) on December 3 and 4 at Excel, the conference and exhibition centre in London Docklands.

Frank Heinrich-Jones, Director Transport Security at consultants PLC Consultancy Services discusses transport in the wake of 9-11 and finds still more questions than answers.
<br><br>
Practitioners and policymakers are looking for practical and cost effective security enhancements to the existing transport systems. They are seeking a better understanding as to where these might fit into strategic security planning. Experts from air, rail, road and maritime security are discussing what the options are for business and governments involved in ensuring safe transport in an uncertain world?. Different transportation sectors are tackling the new threats in a variety of ways. However, as has been stated by the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (RUSI) we must not lose sight of current and emerging best practice. These should be incorporated into our strategic planning as the best way forward. Various groups are providing analysis and assessment to those who have to respond to the threats and hazards that have the potential to cause catastrophic impact on the population, the economy and the environment. There is a considerable amount of intelligence from various sources to indicate that Al Qaeda are engaged on a continuing, and evolving pattern of terrorist activity. The main objective of threat assessments is to inform government departments, the armed forces, emergency services and the commercial security sector of current and emerging risks and the most appropriate response. One such organisation that appears at the leading edge in this field is RUSI. At their recent conference, Transport Security: Threats and Responses, keynote speaker Admiral Sir Jonathan Band KCB, Commander in Chief, EASTLANT, highlighted three recent maritime incidents, which, I would maintain, are relevant: The attack on the USS Cole, while she was being refuelled at Aden on October 12, 2000; the discovery at a southern Italian port last October of an Al Qaeda terrorist inside a comfortably equipped freight container, carrying plans of airports, and an aviation mechanic’s ID and security passes; the suspected ‘Dirty Bomb’ alert at Felixstowe, reported in August 2002 thought to be in a cargo container. The threat of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) weapon has been widely reported. Spent fuel rods or radioactive materials wrapped around high explosives would potentially spread low-level radio active material over a wide area. There would be an immediate risk to health. Panic might break out. Even the threat of such devices could achieve the terrorist’s desired aims. The consensus of opinion is that such an attack would have an impact far beyond the immediate casualties and containment area.
<br><br>
In the US
<br><br>
American anti-terrorist measures include the US Customs ‘Customs – Trade Partnership against Terrorism’ (C-TPAT). An initiative by the American Trucking Association (ATA) Anti-Terrorism Action Plan, is looking to harness three million US truck drivers, to spot and report any suspicious activities that might have terrorism or national security implications.
<br><br>
A simple and potentially cost-effective solution, whose goal is to minimise the risk of a truck being used as a weapon or the means to deliver a weapon, would appear to be a ‘neighbourhood watch’ scheme for the transport sector. PLC have recently put forward a proposal for a security enhancement of the existing joint Road Haulage Association (RHA), Freight Transport Association (FTA) and police crime prevention initiative known as Truckwatch. The plan is to extend this scheme along the lines of the ATA Truckers Army initiative. Project Truckwatch, as we have called it will, we hope, be taken up by the government as a way to gain grass routes intelligence on suspicious activities from those who will know instantly what is out of place?. It might just provide that necessary piece of information, which could give law enforcement agencies that vital lead they are seeking in their fight against terrorism. The Home Office has moved quite rightly, in my opinion, to calm fears about the UK’s ports being targeted by terrorists. The available intelligence is currently regarded as general rather than specific.
<br><br>
Views
<br><br>
The views and opinions expressed in this paper are Frank’s own and are not to be necessarily taken to represent those of PLC or any other associated organisation or group.
<br><br>
Useful websites
<br><br>
Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies www.rusi.org American Trucking Association website www.truckline.com BBC News website www.news.bbc.co.uk Airports, Port and Terminal Security Conference website www.terminalsecurity.info PLC Consultancy Services.

Related News

Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay on top of security news and events.

© 2024 Professional Security Magazine. All rights reserved.

Website by MSEC Marketing