In Glasgow, Police Scotland and the UK regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) launched on June 28 a series of events aiming to enlist front-line private security staff in countering terrorism.
A pilot event ran at the Scottish Events Campus Centre in Glasgow. The sessions, which are supported by the official National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NACTSO) and National Counter Terrorism Policing HQ, will run across Scotland. The aim; raising awareness of counter terrorism issues in the security industry. The session, entitled “You Can ACT” had the strapline “You can make a difference”. Attendees were given an hour-long presentation, followed by an interactive immersion exercise taking them through a simulated terrorist attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Ferry of the Police Scotland Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit (OCCTU), said: “Scotland’s greatest defence against the terrorist threat is our close-knit communities and the relationship police and partners have with the public. Security staff need to have the confidence to act decisively and effectively to help protect the public if the need arises. These events are designed to give operatives a greater awareness of the threat we all face from terrorism, a shared knowledge of best practice and procedures, and an understanding of the important role they can play in preventing attacks. The immersion exercise tests their knowledge, skills and decision making in a safe learning environment. By working together to counter terrorism, we demonstrate that Scotland is a hostile environment for those intent on causing harm, and by continuing to work together we can ensure this remains the case”.
The SIA reports over 300,000 front-line security staff hold SIA licences in the UK, including 27,000 in Scotland. Ed Bateman, Deputy Director of Partnerships and Interventions at the SIA, said: “Security guards, door supervisors and event stewards are often the first responders in the event of a terrorist incident, and can be in a position to detect and foil an attack before it has taken place. Private security staff acted magnificently as first responders during the London Bridge attack and following the Manchester Arena bomb. We want security staff to realise that the public look to them to take charge in the event of an incident; and we also want them to be confident about assuming that responsibility.”
The events, which have input from the Security Industry Safer Scotland – Countering Terrorism group, are being evaluated by Glasgow Caledonian University. Their findings will inform future events, next in Inverness on Tuesday, August 14; then in Dundee (Thursday, August 23), East Kilbride (Wednesday, September 12) and Edinburgh (Wednesday, September 19).
Details and a booking facility will appear on the SIA website (www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk) during July.
