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What if you find something sensitive?


In most cases the security personnel are there for the safety of the organisation and those who work there. So what do you do if you find something embarrassing or sensitive, e.g. drugs? You are not there to make moral judgements. However, if drugs are used on the premises, it may inadvertently harm others. The answer is not to make an issue of it, but subsequently report it to their line manager for any appropriate action.


Body Search


The above procedure requires plenty of space and of course a table upon which to place the bag. This is similar to the requirement for body search. This type of search has improved considerably at airports - remember Richard Reid, ‘the shoe bomber’, and Umar Farouk Abdulmallab, the ‘crutch bomber’.


person’s bag. How many times have you seen this at major UK airports?


The argument is probably that it speeds the search up if the searcher just gets on and empties or rummages in the bag. There are two very good reasons for not putting your hands in. Firstly, the searcher could be accused of stealing something, jewellery or cash for instance. Having been


searched like that I could walk through security and then 5 minutes later come back and say my gold watch or £500 in cash has been stolen.


The CCTV will show that the only person who has had access to that bag is the searcher. The searcher would not ‘have a leg to stand on’! Secondly, for safety reasons it is not sensible to ‘dive’ into someone else’s bag. There may be ‘sharps’ in there on which the searcher could be cut or pricked.


I have heard of people purposely putting a syringe with unsheathed needle attached in their bag because they were fed up with being searched.


If you cannot see properly into a bag, ask the owner to remove items so that you can see. Any enclosed items such as spectacle cases, purses etc. one can again ask the owner to open them. But what do you do with the beautifully wrapped present (son’s birthday present)? You cannot ask them to unwrap it, that is unreasonable, but equally you cannot allow it to pass as it might be an IED or weapon. Access to an X-ray is a good way out or failing that, could they leave it in Reception and pick it up on the way out?


© CI TY S ECURI TY MAGAZ INE – AUTUMN 2015


All overcoats, jackets and sometimes shoes now go through the conveyor X-ray. A lot of organisations do not have this luxury at their premises. Body search for this type of threat is actually very quick and simple. First ask the visitor to remove any outer clothing, coat, mac etc. and check the pockets. Then ask them to remove any large items out of other pockets, onto the table. There are actually only 3 areas in which a person can hide anything substantial like a weapon: in the armpits, in the small of the back and in the crutch area.


Searching these areas using the correct part of the hand (the V between thumb and forefinger for armpits and crutch and the flat of the hand for the small of the back) need only take seconds.


Random vehicle searches


Those with underground car parks or large loading bays may also consider random vehicle search. Again this does not need to take forever. A very effective search can be carried out in 10-15 minutes if the search areas are split into systematic sections, e.g. bonnet (engine), boot (load carrying), underneath, outside and inside. On my last training session for a large City building, the security team were easily able to find a concealed hand-gun, 200gms of explosive and a large knife in that time.


Justifying searches


I can almost hear some Building/Facility Managers on reading this saying search procedures would not work or would not be acceptable in my building. All the while the threat appears to be low (although at the time of writing it is considered ‘Severe’ from international terrorism) they may be right. But what happens when the UK suddenly gets hit with a similar incident to those that have recently occurred in Europe and Canada?


Everyone clamours for better security.


They do not want it next month, they want it now in case there is a similar attack immediately after. It is too late to start considering what to do and how to train their security teams. For any type of threat, planning and preparation are key.


Train your team now


Search procedures are already being stepped up in many visitor attractions such as museums and theme parks in addition to more and more single and multi-tenanted buildings in the City of London and other key cities throughout the UK. Now is the time to train your security team. Both Body & Bag and Vehicle Search only take a couple of hours when 6 or 8 are trained at once and it will give the individuals increased self-esteem and pride in their professionalism.


Training in situ


I know that some organisations throw this suggestion back to their contract guarding company, saying it is their responsibility to train them in these extra skills. This does not work, as almost without exception, these companies are only geared up to train to meet SIA requirements. They do not possess a qualified Search Adviser. Also, it is much better that the training is carried out in the environment in which it is going to be used so that any peculiarities or idiosyncrasies of the building operation are ironed out.


The benefits of these procedures will soon become apparent, particularly as little time and cost is incurred. The skills learnt will also have a positive outcome in many other associated roles such as communication, awareness and observation.


Consider it now, while you have time rather than be panicked.


Dr John Wyatt MBE PhD MIExpE on behalf of SDS Group Ltd


www.sdsgroupltd.co.uk > www. c i t y s e cur i t yma ga z ine . com 9


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