Securitas UK has joined a list of organisations accredited by the official NaCTSO (National Counter Terrorism Security Office) to deliver its Project Griffin counter terrorism awareness to their own staff.
Project Griffin was devised by the City of London Police in 2004. Training comprises of terrorism awareness modules – currently 13 – covering awareness of anything from firearms and weapon attacks to drones, insider threats to cyber-attacks. It is delivered at training events lasting from one to six hours, depending on the time available and number of topics covered. Until recently, the modules were owned and managed by NaCTSO and delivered by specialist police CTSAs (Counter Terrorism Security Advisers).
In April 2016, after an escalation in threat levels and further high profile terrorist attacks, NaCTSO launched Industry Self-Delivery. The aim, as outlined at the Counter Terror Expo conference in London and featured in the June 2016 print issue of Professional Security magazine; to extend Griffin’s reach as accredited organisations – whether contract guarding companies, or sports clubs, councils or universities – would now be permitted to train their own employees. Securitas UK applied and has gained accreditation. Their Griffin training is delivered at Securitas’s recently-opened Training & Development Academy in Milton Keynes, pictured.
Dr Michael McDonagh, Director for Policing Services at Securitas UK, is a former senior policeman. He said: “As a result of much work at the National Project Griffin User Group, and in light of recent terrorist attacks, it has now been decided that the way forward in terms of industry awareness and delivery is, that the current 13 Project Griffin modules will be handed over to a select group of industry leads for the sectors to deliver the awareness training to their staff themselves. I am pleased to announce that Securitas as the guarding sector lead has been approved by the Home Office and NaCTSO to become the first to be authorised to deliver this ground breaking counter terrorist training.”
And Emily O’Mahony, Head of Learning and Development, Securitas UK said: “Through the support and leadership of the executive and the Securitas Training Academy, I am delighted that six of our Academy Trainers have now received specialist training at the Academy, from the NaCTSO team and are now approved and authorised to deliver this National Counter Terrorism material, at such a vital time. We will now commence a review of all staff and ensure that they are regularly updated as to the latest material from the National Counter Terrorism Office. Once we have updated our staff, then it is proposed that we will offer this awareness package to our clients.”
