Alert Security Guards Play Role In Deterring Terrorism

Apr 1, 2003 12:00 PM, by Lucien Canton

Since Sept. 11, 2001, considerable public concern has been focused on the potential use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists. Responding to these types of attacks requires specialized training and equipment normally unavailable to security guards. However, security guards can have an enormous impact in deterring or preventing a terrorist attack.

Terrorists tend to approach a potential target the same way any criminal would. There is usually a reconnaissance of the target, which may involve photographing or videotaping the site, timing of guard patrols, identification of key personnel, or cataloging access control procedures. Videotapes captured by intelligence services suggest that terrorists conducted a reconnaissance of national landmarks prior to Sept. 11, 2001, by posing as tourists. Reconnaissance may also include subtle testing of access control procedures and devices either as a visitor to the facility or as a delivery person or contractor's employee.

Security guards deal with this type of activity on a daily basis. Suspicious vehicles in unauthorized areas, undocumented visitors in secure parts of a facility, attempts to tailgate cardkey entry points — all of these are part of the guard's daily routine. The only thing that has changed is that these simple events now have taken on more urgency as the guard seeks to prevent not only theft but also significant loss of life. It has also become more important that the manager who reviews the daily guard reports looks for indications of a pattern of surveillance or attempted penetration.

Security guards are frequently on the front lines of the immediate response to emergencies and a terrorist attack is no exception. Guards represent a form of authority and are expected to be knowledgeable about emergency procedures and evacuation routes. A knowledge of a client's emergency plans is a critical part of a guard's onsite training.

This article is reprinted from Guard Force Management, Updated Edition, by Lucien Canton. The book examines the contract guard force as a business and demonstrates how current management techniques can be used to improve efficiency and increase profitability. This excerpt is from a chapter on preparation and response to crisis. The book focuses on administrative and financial functions that are often neglected in guard companies, and discusses planning and conducting guard operations in detail. For information, visit www.BH.com/security

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