The Tribune

SAFE AND SECURE

By Gamal Newry

A few years ago I had the pleasure of working for a major developer/investor here in the Bahamas, who specialises in gated developments and is a major player in three high-end communities in the Bahamas. He is the crème de la crème in Orlando. In my meetings with him as head of security, he shared with me the fact that security was the major selling point for these residential properties. If the home owner does not feel safe, they will not buy and, if they do, they will sell immediately if crime and loss are not managed properly. Many other professionals and world leaders share the same perspective. In fact, if a company decides to close its doors, the last persons to leave are the security force. This illustrates the importance of security to the success of any business.

The importance of a professional security department is illustrated by the actions of the Atlantis security team on Sunday, September 22, 2012. The preparedness and response of security ensured that the apparent robbery attempt was not successful. We have seen the media and social network blitz on the event, with police cars and police officers parading with guns. I dread to think what would have happened if the security team failed, and the police had to take control of the incident. This is not to say that our men in blue cannot handle crisis events, but their priority would be different from the vested interests of a proprietary guard force.

OK, I know that you are going to say I get around, but in a good way. I recall a having the opportunity to see behind the scenes of a major theme park in Orlando, and its efforts to ensure that patrons were safe. The security department’s mantra back then was ‘To reduce and eliminate Crime and the fear of it’. At the time I questioned what I felt was an unrealistic goal, as ‘eliminate’ was impossible. I was told by the director of safety and security that he, too, being a former police officer at one time considered the idea to be unachievable. Nevertheless, he stressed that “unlike policing, where the claim to fame is how many crimes have been solved, in security the claim to fame is crime not happening at all”.

If you have been following my column you will note that this is my driving theme, as the police are reactive while the security force must be proactive. In a business environment, guests, visitors and staff cannot get robbed, or even have slips and falls, so preventing loss is key.

It makes good business sense, especially when you consider the difference in business models. Police are, for the most part, sponsored by the state and the Public Treasury, which is very difficult put out of business. On the other hand, security forces are usually funded by private entities, which can - if negligence is perceived and proven - be found liable and incur heavy financial damages.

As to how you find a good security force, here are my top 10 things to look for.

1. Leadership – Have a conversation with the leader, and include some of his deputies. If he or she is not professional and knowledgeable, then clearly the tone is set for the rest of the department/company.

2. Guard Quality – The guard may not have the same education level as the managers, but can they at least form a sentence and write?

3. Supervision – Are the guards being monitored and visited on a regular basis, or are they dropped and left at a site for an entire shift with no type of support services?

4. Policy and Procedures – Do they exist, and how is the management team ensuring that front-line officers and you, as the customer, are made aware of what to do and the expectations.

5. Monthly/Quarterly reports – If the only contact you have with your security team leadership is billing or payroll, you certainly have a problem.

6. Multilayer Approach – Is there a plan that encompasses not only the human resources, but also electronic and physical assets, be they cameras or locking of doors?

7. Emergency Management – What is the plan when everything that can go wrong does?

8. Training/Education – Is training via seminars/workshops etc. being provided to the officers and your staff members?

9. Appearance – Remember that the security guard, in many instances, is the first and last impression that people will have of your company,. Whether the officers are in-house or contracted, their dress and hygiene is critical.

10.

What is being said about their service? – Solicit feedback from staff and guests. Do they feel safe, and are they satisfied with the level of service?

The above list is in no particular order, but in my opinion training and leadership are key to success. The quality of you guard force is really dependent on you as the purchaser, and remember that you get what you pay for. Too often companies, in an effort to cut costs and save money, choose a low-end security team but unrealistically anticipate high-end results.

While listening to the comments by the Minister of National Security and Atlantis chief executive on the alleged casino robbery, they both harped on about the excellent response by the Atlantis team. From what I know thus far, I certainly agree it is job well done.

NB: Gamal Newry is the president of Preventative Measures, a loss prevention and asset protection training and consulting company, specialising in policy and procedure development, business security reviews and audits, and emergency and crisis management. Comments can be sent to PO Box N-3154 Nassau, Bahamas, or e-mail gnewry@gmail.com or visit us at www.preventativemeasures.org