ADD TRAINING TO THE SECURITY CHECKLIST

Sep 1, 2002 12:00 PM, By JENNIFER O'KEEFE

An effective security officer is a people person dedicated to the field and willing to admit there is always more to learn, says security management consultant Ira Somerson. “I've been in this business for 43 years,” he says, “and I learn something new every day.”

A security professional's commitment to learning is as important to the security industry as technology, but is more often overlooked. “Typical security training consists of outdated videos or ‘on-the-job’ training, provided by someone else who was not properly trained,” says Steve Layne, principal consultant of Layne Consultants Intl. (LCI), an independent security agency.

RESOURCES ABOUND

There are abundant resources available to help train protection officers properly. Membership in professional organizations such as the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) and the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) can lead to certification and educational opportunity. If travel is a problem, ASIS offers on-site security education programs. Internet courses and video training are also available.

Through membership in organizations such as ASIS and IFPO, security professionals may participate in seminars and certification programs. “We are making an impact, but it's tough,” says Chris Hertig, director of accreditation for IFPO. “Membership is the gateway to professional development.”

These organizations give members discounted registration fees. “Travel budgets at many institutions have been reduced or cancelled,” Layne says. “While we can expand our training through multi-media, there is still a need for basic classroom instruction.”

ASIS offers four on-site educational programs, including fundamental, intermediate, advanced and a short overview of general security management. Specialized courses of any length can also be developed in subject areas such as executive protection, competitive intelligence or cyber-threats. “Education is our primary business,” says Eileen Smith, director of public relations for ASIS. “We've been delivering education and information to security professionals in government and private industry for nearly 50 years.”

Another way to avoid travel costs: The Professional Security Training Network (PSTN) offers its Basic Security Officer Training (BSOT) video series, which covers topics such as threat assessment, patrolling in darkness, use of force, overcoming communication barriers, professional conduct and emergency situations such as crowd management, bomb-threat response and workplace violence.

Lockmasters Inc. offers hands-on security management training at its Nicholasville, Ky., facility. “Materials are current, which will ensure your effectiveness on the job,” says marketing manager Diane Alarie. “Our instructors are security experts with backgrounds in government, private industry and law enforcement.”

Security system manufacturers also claim a role in providing training. “The best system is only as good as the person operating it,” says Austin, Texas-based ABM Data Systems manager Jim Burkey. “Training carries one of the highest priorities in our product offering. [Central Station] operators must be highly trained and proficient with the systems they work with. Historically, systems sold without proper training have become service and support nightmares — the customer will constantly call for support to make up for the lack of proper product knowledge.”

Sandi Davies, executive director of IFPO, says up-to-date training material is imperative. “It is an ongoing project to research the industry, make contact with experts in the field and recruit them to assist us in our efforts to produce high-quality training programs,” she says. IFPO is currently revising more than 10 of the existing chapters in its Protection Officer Training Manual and is adding 15 new chapters to the text.

Jay Hanger, director of education for the Security Industry Association (SIA), says one of the biggest challenges he faces is keeping up with changes in the industry — biometrics, telecommunication and changes in security code. Hanger says the Internet is a good way to keep information accessible and current.

To help educate as many people as possible, Hanger is developing an online course called the World of Electronic Access Control, with the help of Scott Chillemi, manager of Hirsch Electronics Learning Center, Santa Ana, Calif. The course is designed to function both on its own and as a prerequisite for the hands-on courses offered at Hirsch.

“We train [dealers and end-users] entirely from the ground up,” Chillemi says. “Sometimes we even teach basic computer skills.”

SIA recently conducted a survey to determine the readiness of the industry to learn by using the Internet. “We wanted to gauge the needs of the security industry in regard to training and certification,” says Connie Moorhead, president of The CMOOR Group, which provided marketing support for the survey.

More than 95 percent of the respondents said they are “somewhat” to “very comfortable” using the Internet to receive industry training. Over half of the respondents cited time and scheduling as obstacles they face in receiving training. Eighty-eight percent are prepared to use the Internet to receive training, and 92 percent are currently intermediate or advanced users of the Internet.

Internet training and groups like SIA, ASIS and PSTN teach protection officers and employees how to use technology, but when the technology is not enough to prevent incidents from happening, Somerson says learning to respond to emergency situations becomes crucial. Somerson's firm, Loss Management Consultants Inc., Blue Bell, Pa., has more than 35 years of experience designing defensive strategies in commercial, industrial, institutional and government environments.

DESIGNING A DEFENSE

Somerson says the first step toward security is determining inherent risks based on what kind of institution needs protection. For instance, the primary threat to a pharmaceutical facility is tampering, and to a convenience store — shoplifting.

“Professionals who are observant and inquisitive and notice when something's not right — this is what's going to combat terrorism,” Hertig says. “All the super-duper technology is just not going to work.”

While following the lead of a well-trained security professional, Hertig says one of the best ways to ensure their effectiveness is to follow the “Golden Rule.” “We cannot continually demean protection officers and then expect them to provide a professional service,” Hertig says. “[They] are the unsung heroes of the World Trade Center attack. Many of them died saving the lives of others, yet they are not even mentioned in news media reports.”

Recognition of achievement presents another challenge. Layne says there are few certifications other than Certified Institutional Protection Specialist offered by IFCPP and Certified Protection Officer offered by IFPO available to entry-level officers. (The ASIS Certified Protection Professional [CPP] and IFCPP's Certified International Protection Manager [CIPM] programs are offered to management-level officers.) “I seriously doubt there will be much real improvement without stringent regulation, higher wage levels, required training and a national standard,” Layne says. “We are doing what we can to offer improved training, but it's not mandatory, and state-run programs that are mandatory lack any real consistency or control.”

Hertig, a professor of behavioral sciences at York College of Pennsylvania, suggests looking at aspiring high school students. Hertig says many college students majoring in criminal justice think they're going to be FBI agents. “These kids see this stuff on TV and it's just not an accurate picture,” he says. Hertig contends that reaching kids before college is necessary. He says the Department of Education has begun an initiative, mainly in Texas, called “Partnership for Careers in Security.”

Opportunity for training is available in many forms — it is simply a matter of finding the right resources. By looking to professional organizations and the Internet, and by admitting that learning is an ongoing process, security personnel can keep education a major goal.

FOR THE RECORD

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer O'Keefe is an editorial intern for Access Control & Security Systems.

ABOUT THE COMPANIES

For information, please circle the appropriate Reader Service number (listed below) on one of the Reader Service cards in the issue or visit infoLINK at www.securitysolutions.com.

ABM Data Systems	5
ASIS	6
Hirsch Electronics	7
IFCPP	8
IFPO.	9
Layne Consultants Intl.	10
Lockmasters Inc.	11
PSTN	12
SIA	13

WHY BECOME A CPP?

ASIS offers the following reasons to become a certified protection professional (CPP):

• personal satisfaction and motivation
• greater job opportunity and flexibility
• opens doors professionally
• peer acceptance and recognition
• transition for those with military and law enforcement background
• opens doors for ASIS leadership opportunity

ASIS also says certification demonstrates to employers:

• evidence of professional competence
• commitment to the security management profession
• self-motivation
• comprehension of the security management body of knowledge
• high professional standards

“The designation gives me a level of credibility with my superiors and peers,” says John C. Azbill, CPP, and security manager at Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals in Paoli, Pa. “It shows that I have the discipline and commitment to stay current with effective security management practices.”

Qualification to take the CPP exam requires nine years of security experience, at least three of which must have been spent in charge of a security function. The CPP exam and its administrative procedures are reviewed constantly.

To remain certified, CPPs must acquire nine maintenance credits within three years, through membership and service in ASIS or other chartered security organizations, participation in security-related educational programming, lecturing on security topics and publishing articles or books in the field.

Visit http://www.asisonline.org for more information.

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