First Aid Training

Westacre Training provide First Aid Training courses which give you the knowledge and skills to deal with a variety of medical scenarios. Our instructors are all vastly experienced in the delivery of First Aid Training and all have individual experiences in putting their skills to use in ‘real’ situations including on recent military operations whilst serving as medics in the UK Armed Forces. The training courses can be delivered at your workplace, in your home or at one of our training venues with accredited certificates available for all attendees.

First World War Film Casting

A UK casting company are looking for men aged 16-35 for filming in spring and summer year near Salisbury. All roles are paid with food and costumes provided, no previous experience required.

The film is a First World War production by Sam Mendes - an English stage and film director best known for directing the drama film American Beauty which earned him the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Director, the crime film Road to Perdition and the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.

Apply here.

Happy New Year!

2018 was another extremely challenging year in the private security industry, with the surge in terrorist activity and street violence giving way in the mainstream media to news on Brexit. We did finally hear senior police figures starting to acknowledge, over the last 12 months, that they are struggling to cope with an increase in crime and a lack of funding - perhaps the realisation that repeatedly releasing statements to say crime is on the decrease to calm public fears means that budgets are unlikely to be increased. Crime statistics remained very difficult to assess, with more reclassifications and confusion over different methods of recording crime statistics meaning people are generally less confident about their accuracy. Parts of the country (mostly in London and immediately outside the M25) have seen an increase in foreign criminal organised crime gangs, with new gangs from South American adding to the already large list of gangs from Eastern Europe.

The cyber threat is back in the headlines following a series of massive data breaches (Facebook, Marriott, British Airways, Timehop, Reddit, My Heritage). With GDPR enforcement coming into effect from the start of 2019, we can expect to see some hefty fines issued to companies who suffer data breaches.

Westacre continued to cement our reputation in France and Monaco in 2018, increasing our presence in the region during the summer months as we continue to provide integrated security solutions to high-net-worth families, their property and business interests. 

2018 saw the launch of two new affiliate companies - Westacre CCTV and Westacre Cyber, both of which were introduced to take-on the increased workload in those specialised fields. Soon to follow in 2019 will be Westacre Training and Westacre Investigations - exciting times as the company continues to meet our milestones with growth goals being achieved well ahead of schedule.

Finally, the work of the British Armed Forces continues into 2019, with deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria ongoing, as well as our military making preparations at home to step in and assist should there be any sort of catastrophic loss of functions post-Brexit. Westacre will continue to support our own reservist personnel as they make a contribution as well as continuing our support to the Hire a Hero charity.

Happy New Year and stay safe in 2019. 

UK Terrorism Arrests

Figures have been released in the UK which show levels of terrorist arrests made in the year to June 2018. The figures show arrests as being down from the previous year, but that was due to an unusually high number of arrests made immediately following the terrorist incidents in Manchester and London in May and June 2017. The threat remains SEVERE as the intent and opportunity are still there. There were 1600 'Subjects of Interest' in 2006; there are over 3000 now. CTC and MI5 have over 700 active investigations - also the highest ever. Despite the demise of the IS caliphate, the end of global Jihadism is still a long way from over.

We Will Remember Them

As we pause this week to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we should try and remember the reasons why we recognise this day. We should ensure it doesn’t become a politically correct ‘box ticking’ day where we feel obliged to wear a poppy or we use remembrance day as a tool to promote ourselves or for commercial gain. Buying and wearing a poppy is a great way of contributing financially to the Royal British Legion, but it is equally important to actually take the time to think about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Whatever your views on individual conflicts and their politics, the men and women of our Armed Forces have no choice which conflicts they fight in - they go and fight because they are ordered to go and fight. The poppy is not a symbol of war glory and it is not a sign of your approval or any particular conflict, but it is an important tool in the complicated process of our long term safety and security in our country. If you don’t approve of certain conflicts then fine, but don’t not approve of the concept of brave men and women who are prepared to protect us from danger - to protect us from terrorists blowing up our children in our streets, or to protect us from fires and floods when called to do so, or to protect us from invasion by an evil occupying force by being an important deterrant.

This year marks 100 years since the armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany, marking the end of the First World War. This signing at Compiègne in France took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning - the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.

Whilst remembrance day will continue to be recognised in our country, it is anticipated that the horrors of the First World War will start to be slowly erased from the minds of future generations as the next 100 years are lived out. Whilst that is a normal process and one which is probably necessary in order to move forward in history, we should never forget the ferocity of the First World War. It was a war fought by civilians who had received very little training as most of the professional army of the day were killed in the early stages of the conflict. Normal everyday men signed up and went to the battlefields to fight for our country with so many killed or maimed. We have to ask whether as individuals, if we would make that sacrifice again today, should it be required? For those who have never served in the military, please try and imagine what it might be like to leave your family, your home, your job, your hobbies and your friends behind and go overseas to fight in a war which may result in you never coming home.

Westacre have a strong military connection with over 90% of our personnel having served or still serving in the Armed Forces. Many of our personnel will be taking the time to remember friends and colleagues who have died during active service in modern conflicts such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, the Balkans and as part of the Global War on Terror. Remembering those who you knew is easy and that process occurs all throughout the year, not just on Remembrance Day, but we should try and give our thoughts and prayers to those who we didn’t know - to the parents grieving for their children killed in battle or for kids who will grow up without a mum or dad.

The term ‘fighting’ is associated with war and conflict so we often assume this is a soldier firing his gun at the enemy. But the concept of fighting a war is far more than just infantry soldiers in close combat. The fighting process might involved a medic who is fighting to save the life of someone who is injured (friend or foe), or a truck driver who is fighting to get crucial supplies to the front line, or a helicopter pilot who is fighting to drop off troops for their next mission. Just being in a war zone is dangerous and many who have been killed have been done so in non-combat situations, so regardless of which fight they are fighting, the sacrifice is the same and the loss is the same.

At 1100 on the 11th November 2018, please take some time out from your busy schedule to pause and remember. It doesn’t have to be a one minute or a two minute silence, but instead, put down your phone or switch off your TV or computer and spend a good ten or twenty minutes actually thinking about those heroes who have made a sacrifice. In fact, spend the whole day with those thoughts in your mind, remembering how lucky we are to live in relative peace and to have all the life choices we have thanks to brave men and women who chose to fight.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.



UK Police Priorities

With confusing crime statistics and misleading media reports it is difficult to ascertain whether the everyday threat of crime within the UK is on the increase. It is commonly felt from within the security industry that crime is on the rise and with police priorities shifting, in recent years, away from burglary and violent crimes, the emphasis for security is being placed on the homeowners themselves.

Whether part of a solutions package, or a single requirement, Westacre can provide an independent and objective assessment of security threats and vulnerabilities for both commercial and private clients.

John Apter, the Chair of the Police Federation, has called for ‘common sense’ in deciding on setting police priorities. Read his comments here.

Police forces across the UK recently made a U-turn in their assessment of crime figures, so rather than assuring the public that crime was down, they now claim that crime is up. Many police forces blame the increases on changes to the way crime is recorded and an increased confidence of victims to report crimes. Whether this is the case is debatable, but there are certainly some crimes which are unlikely to be reported more or less, regardless of how they are recorded or how confident victims feel - burglary for example, is a crime which was always reported to the Police, and this is unlikely to change whilst there is a chance victims can be reunited with their stolen possessions or whilst insurance companies demand crime numbers for claims.

A common theory across the security industry is that the police U-turn in admitting crime is actually on a sharp increase is an attempt to secure more central funding from the government - funding won’t be increased if crime is down, as that means the current budgets are working well, but if crime is up then there can be a demand for increased funding.

People Skills and Private Security

THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Probably the most overlooked aspects of a Private Security Operative's skillset are People Skills and Experience. We are seeing operational experience being shunned in favour of cheaper but less experienced personnel and people skills being forgotten due to a lack of understanding in the importance of personality in a security role. 

THE BAD OLD DAYS  

The Private Security Industry has come a long way in recent years, with legislation and accreditation seeing an end to the use of 'hired thugs' with their tattooed forearms and shaved heads, and the industry is in a far better place for it. But as we strive for more regulation and accreditation, is there too much emphasis on qualifications and licensing at the expense of the more traditional core attributes - operational experience and people skills?

SIA REGULATION

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) have done great things in the UK in setting standards and regulating individuals and companies in the industry, but they don't really provide a platform for clients to verify security operatives based on their experience or personality. For example, almost anybody can apply to become a licensed and qualified Close Protection Operative, as long as you pass the DBS check and attend a relatively short and simple course, then you can be out there 'on the ground' protecting clients. This has resulted in the security market being saturated with some very average operatives with no operational experience in security or poor people skills - many of whom end up working in security training companies to teach others. The exception to this are ex-military personnel, who have a key role in the Security Industry and remain pivotal to the effectiveness and reputation of most of the best private security companies.

EXPERIENCE

The reason why military personnel are so suited to the security industry is that they have many tangible skills and therefore are operationally experienced in the fundamental principles of security - whether that be standing on the gate of a camp in the UK or manning an Observation Post in a combat zone, they have an inherent 'sense' for threats and risks and ask any soldier how long they have 'stagged-on' for in their career and they will tell you - too long! Further to this, military personnel have been tested under extreme pressure, often carrying out a security role where the consequences of failure are death, but without a military background it is very difficult to verify how a security operative will react should a real threat materialise.

PEOPLE SKILLS

On the personality and people skills side of things, this can also be an inherent skill of military personnel. Absolute honesty and integrity are words commonly associated with military people and this is essential as a security operative, but also very difficult to verify in someone without a military background. Security personnel are always 'human-facing', whether that be public-facing in a role such as Manned Guarding or client-facing in a role such as Close Protection. Often security personnel will be required to hold small-talk conversations with clients or build relationships with other staff such as housekeepers or drivers, so having good people skills is essential. Some may argue against this and say that as long as you're capable of dealing with a threat then you don't need to worry about interacting with the public or a client, but if we consider both Door Supervisors and Residential Security Teams, it becomes clear that people skills are actually just as important as your SIA badge or your NVQ in security. Take the example of a Door Supervisor - whilst you need personnel who are capable of physical intervention if required, good Door Supervisors will be able to diffuse a potential situation by talking and ultimately avoiding violence. In the example of a Residential Security Team - the Team Leader has a responsibility to gather intelligence on all threats regardless of how minor they may seem, in order to produce their security plan, so maintaining a good relationship with other staff such as gardeners or cleaners is essential in gathering intelligence in order to stay abreast of the threat.  

SUMMARY

So whilst there are, without doubt, plenty of good security operatives out there who are not ex-military, when selecting teams for security roles, it is a safe bet to utilise ex-military personnel. Less risk that you will end up with someone who's done a short course and has little operational experience, but instead, confident they will most likely have the right experience and personality for the job. Some aspects of our industry, such as family security, require a high emphasis on personality and people skills - often family security operatives work alone, heavily embedded in the family with a strong personal relationship with family members of all ages and sexes so it is imperative to fit seamlessly into this group, as if you were an actual family member. 

WESTACRE PERSONNEL

90% of our personnel are ex-military, all vastly experienced with years of operational security work under their belts in some of the best units in the UK Armed Forces. We choose our security teams carefully, ensuring we have the right balance of experience, qualifications and personality applicable to a particular client or even a specific task. 

Drone Threat

The threat from drones, know as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), is rapidly becoming a concern for security providers and their clients. Drones are an ideal tool for surveillance:

• Low procurement and replacement costs

• Rapidly deployable capability

• Can be launched from discreet locations requiring very little real estate

• Very little regulation of their sale and use

• High quality downlinked or recorded camera footage with PTZ capability, providing an excellent vantage point over a 'target'

• Easy to fly with very little training required

We are seeing drones used against our clients both in the UK and overseas more regularly, with the summer of 2017 in France proving particularly difficult with some sustained use targeting several of our clients. 

Drones can be used by a range of hostile threats:

• Criminals carrying out reconnaissance in the preparation of an attack

• Hostile media trying to collect information

• Casual users with a general inquisitive motive

Whatever the user threat and whether it be a security or privacy issue, drones will continue to pose a significant problem until the law across the world catches up with the threat and starts to regulate and control the use of drones. With an increasing amount of  'near misses' occurring with civilian aircraft, it is only a matter of time before there is a serious incident with an irresponsible drone pilot. It is likely that such an incident will kick-start the process of regulating and licensing drones. 

In the mean time, we have taken measures to mitigate the threat to our clients posed by drone use by implementing physical and technical measures. The counter-drone market, known as Counter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (C-UAV), is rapidly becoming an essential part of any security plan. The use of frequency jamming technology has so far proved too expensive and unreliable to capture the civilian market, instead, C-UAV companies are looking at ways of physically interdicting drones as they fly, capturing them, then landing with a parachute. Leading the way in this market are a UK company called Open Works Engineering, who have developed the Skywall range of drone defence systems. We are looking to work with Open Works Engineering in the near future to procure a C-UAV suite for deployment to France this coming summer. 

Happy New Year!

2017 was another challenging year in the private security industry, with global counter-terrorism continuing to take the focus away from an escalating criminal threat. With police resources under pressure and a focus on terrorism, the criminal gangs have been allowed to gather momentum, resulting in an increased threat to everyday people.  

Security news has been dominated by high profile global issues such as the North Korean threat and worldwide politics, often missing ongoing issues, particularly in the Middle East region. Domestic terrorism was at the forefront of the media reporting in the first part of the year with the attacks in Manchester and London, but as the nation becomes numb to horrors of terrorism, we appear to be settling for a culture of acceptance that terrorism is just part of everyday life here in the UK. The cyber threat has taken a backseat, despite more than ever high-profile data breaches and technological vulnerabilities being highlighted which could harm each and everyone of us.  

We continued to cement our reputation in France and Monaco over the last 12 months where we are now commonly known as the 'go-to' security provider for high-net-worth families, their property and business interests. 

2018 is shaping up to be another busy year for us, with our main focus being the summer deployments to the South of France as well as being 'good-to-go' for short notice global deployments on behalf of our clients. We are looking to build on the Training Department this year by running external training courses in SIA licence disciplines as well as our own bespoke training courses to give people the opportunity to learn relevant skills to deal with today's threats 'on the street' giving you the tools to prevent yourself and your family becoming a victim to indiscriminate attacks. 

Finally, the work of the British Armed Forces continues into the New Year, with deployments to over eighty countries, including signifiant roles in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria as well as supporting our NATO commitments and homeland work. With most of our personnel retired military or serving reservists, we always respect and appreciate the work of our Armed Forces. 

Happy New Year and stay safe in 2018. 

Lest we Forget

2016 was the first year since 1968 without any British military deaths on operations. As memories fade of the death and physical or mental injuries suffered in recent conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, we must remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice throughout history to ensure our children grow up in a free and safe world. Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, back in 1918. Whatever your religious or political beliefs are, the men and woman of our Armed Forces are a vital tool to ensure our freedom - nobody wants 'peace' more than those who have experienced the horrors of war, but unlike some who haven't, military people are able to identify better with the unfortunate fact that right now, whilst there are bad people in the world who want to do bad things, we need an effective military, who stand ready to fight (and occasionally do), in order to act as a deterrent. 

In the spring of 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired by the sight of poppies growing in battle-scarred fields to write a now famous poem called 'In Flanders Fields'. After the First World War, the poppy was adopted as a symbol of Remembrance. Modern day wearing of the poppy is a personal preference which should be used by an individual to show to themselves that they remember those who have made sacrifices - not necessarily that they agree with the politics of certain conflicts, or that they agree with the concept of fighting aggression with aggression, but just that they appreciate and remember. The poppy appeal in the UK is used by the Royal British Legion to help the Armed Forces Community, and the money they raise through the appeal makes a significant difference to those who need help and support. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance and hope, worn by millions of people and coloured red because that is the natural colour of field poppies. It is not a symbol of death, or blood or an indication or your political and/or religious views. As we head more towards a culture of 'feelings' and 'entitlement', we will probably see the poppy phased out over time as a symbol of remembrance, or see it hijacked as a political tool and used by individuals to promote themselves. Until the next great conflict for our freedom, when those same individuals will call upon the ever decreasing pool of men and women who are prepared to take up arms to defend our great country. And while we wait for those conflicts to come knocking on our door, the Armed Forces will go about training hard so they are ready for that day - in between manning fire engines during strikes, rescuing your from your flooded village, backfilling manpower for big companies who can't honour multi-million pound contracts for events such as the Olympic Games, responding to terrorism in our cities and towns, delivering aid and relief to those who have suffered in natural disasters, guarding significant national infrastructure sites 365 days of the year, combatting the drugs trade which brings misery to millions of people, guarding the waters and airspace around our country, burning animals to prevent the spread of Foot and Mouth disease or assisting us when the country suffers a harsh winter as it did in 2009-10. 

You can't pick and choose when you support the Armed Forces community, there will be conflicts or tasks which you don't agree with and some you do, but military personnel don't get to choose which ones they get involved in, so nor should we choose which ones we support them in. 

Everyone wants to eat, but few are willing to hunt. 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Armed Forces Day

Today, the 24th June 2017, is Armed Forces Day in the United Kingdom, where the public are encouraged to show support for our Armed Forces and to recognise the work they do and the sacrifices they make. 

The military is extremely close to our hearts and we employ a high number of serving reservists and ex-military  personnel. Most of our senior staff and personnel have previously served in The Armed Forces, so we fully understand the difficulties faced by our military personnel who do an exceptionally tough job, and we will continue to maintain these close ties with the UK Armed Forces in the future. 

We are members of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant and current holders of a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. We also provide huge amounts of financial and admin support to our chosen military charity, the 1820 Foundation, who are doing some fantastic work to help the Armed Forces community. 

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Reserves Day

Today is Reserves Day, which forms part of Armed Forces Week leading up to Armed Forces Day this Saturday 24th June 2017. Reserves day is intended to raise awareness and show recognition for the work of our reservists who balance a civilian life with service in the Army, RAF and Navy. 

Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces to ensure that should their country require them, they would be ready to serve as part of the military. Over the last 16 years, over 35,000 reservists have served on operations worldwide, making an immense contribution. 

The Reserve Forces make up approximately one sixth of our Armed Forces personnel and as such are integral to protecting the nation’s security at home and overseas, particularly providing capability in specialist areas such as medical and cyber. Reservists are currently supporting operations worldwide including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bahrain, Estonia, South Sudan, Cyprus and Somalia.

SRX recruit the majority of our personnel from within the Armed Forces community, with both ex-regular and serving reservist personnel accounting for over 90% of our staff. 

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Happy New Year!

2016 was a challenging year in the private security industry, with global counter-terrorism taking the focus away from an escalating criminal threat. Police and government security budgets are, rightly, being directed at the fight against terrorism, which leaves a gap for the private security industry to fill. The growing realisation of this shift in police and security service focus by the criminal fraternity has allowed them to capitalise and increase their activities. Whilst we're not quite ready for a full-blow private police force in the UK, we are certainly on the way towards the utilisation of private security to enhance the work of the police and security services. The days of the 'bobby on the beat' are gone, for now at least, so the private security industry must be ready to step up and provide a service for those who require it.

Despite the increased terrorist threat and uncertainty of the global security climate, it is worth noting that 2016 was the first year since 1968 that British Forces have not suffered any fatalities on operations. 

2017 will, without doubt, be another uncertain year for global security which we are fully prepared for. We will be deploying our teams to the South of France during the summer months, as well as looking to enhance our presence in the UAE and wider Middle East region, whilst back in the UK we'll be looking at how we can improve our teams in an effort to keep one step ahead of the threat. We are continuously monitoring the growing cyber threat as part of our security packages and are looking to bolster our technical, communications and IT security capability this year with the launch of a dedicated cyber department. 

Season's Greetings

Extending our very warm festive wishes to all our clients, personnel and associates this Christmas, as well as all Armed Forces personnel who are deployed around the world and their families back home.

Lest We Forget

For The Fallen.

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Reserves Day

8th September 2016 is Reserves Day which recognises the work of our those who balance a civilian life with service in the Army, RAF and Navy. 

Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces to ensure that should their country require them, they would be ready to serve as part of the military. Over the last 15 years, 35,000 reservists have served on operations worldwide, making an immense contribution. 

The Reserve Forces make up approximately one sixth of our Armed Forces personnel and as such are integral to protecting the nation’s security at home and overseas, particularly providing capability in specialist areas such as medical and cyber.

We recruit the majority of our personnel from within the Armed Forces community, with both ex-regular and serving reservist personnel accounting for over 90% of our staff. 

Nice Attacks - One Month On

One month on from the attack in Nice, we look at how terrorism has impacted on private security in the high net worth world.  

85TH VICTIM

Pierre Hatterman, a 56-year-old psychologist who lived and worked in the French Alps had travelled with his family to Nice this summer to celebrate Bastille Day - French National Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille on July 14th 1789, and is an important day in the French calendar which marks this pivotal event at the start of the revolution, where ordinary people rose up and helped shape the country into a modern day republic. Mr Hatterman's wife and one of his children were killed on the night in Nice, when a local resident ploughed a truck into crowds watching a firework display on the Promenade des Anglais. Mr Hatterman became the 85th victim, following his death three weeks after the attacks, which leaves his remaining two children (who were also injured) to rebuild their lives without a brother and both parents. 

PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS

Within four days of the attack, the restaurants and bars of the popular tourist destination were packed with people seemingly enjoying the warm summer nights, clearly showing the resilience and defiance of the multi-cultural tourist and local population of this beautiful French city. Driving down the Promendade in Nice exactly one month on from the attacks, it would appear that everything was back to normal, but looking a bit closer you can still see evidence of the attack - small bunches of flowers and candles placed where victims fell, a makeshift shrine created around the Monument du Centenaire, remnants of police markings on the road, and evidence of damage to infrastructure. Like all other cities and towns subjected to acts of terrorism, Nice will recover, but in the same way nobody can visit the Financial District in New York's Manhattan without thinking of the 9/11 attacks, driving along Nice's Promenade des Anglais will forever generate thoughts and memories of the Bastille Day attack. 

DEADLY MONTH

Whilst the attack in Nice took the headlines, it was part of a deadly month of terrorism throughout the world. There were a total of 194 reported terrorist incidents during July 2016, resulting in the death of at least 1528 people (excluding death of perpetrators). Iraq was hit the hardest with 65 separate attacks resulting in 908 deaths. Further statistics:

• Countries where attacks took place - Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Congo, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesian, Iraq, Japan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, West Bank, Yemen.

• Types of attacks - assassination, bombing, suicide bomging, mortar bomb, shooting, car bomb, clash, counter-terrorism raid, execution, grenade attack, Kidnapping, landmine, melee attack (knives/machettes), rockets, shelling, attack with vehicle, and several 'unlisted' attacks.

• Perpetrators - Islamic groups (al-Nusra Front, Abu Sayyaf, Al-Qaeda organisations, Bangsamoro IFF, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, Islamic State, Taliban, Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Macina Liberation Front), ADF, Black Lives Matter, Mai-Mai, Nyatura rebels, Paraguayan People's Army, Kurdistan Workers' Party, RENAMO, Daredevils of Sassoun, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, Donetsk People's Republic, Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, Fulani herdsmen, 'lone-wolf' perpetrators of varying motives.

TERRORISM AND PRIVATE SECURITY

The threat from terrorism has always been a high priority for private security operating in hostile environments, but in contrast, it has traditionally formed a relatively small part of a typical private security risk assessment in benign environments, the thinking being that there is very little you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim, and with attacks so rare, the focus was always more on the criminal or privacy threat. However, with an increasing number of attacks taking place in areas popular with tourists, public transport, and large scale events, the need to include terrorism in a threat and risk assessment has spread across the spectrum of private security to include family security and high net worth protection. It is becoming common now for a Close Protection Detail, when planning for a task, to include anti-terrorism procedures as part of their plan. Clients are increasingly turning to their security personnel to provide advice and protection in order to mitigate the terrorism threat. The teams currently operating on the French Riviera were expecting an attack such as this one, with our Team Leaders reporting for over year now that something like this was inevitable. On the night of Bastille Day attack, all our personnel who were in and around Nice were able to respond with a set of pre-determined procedures, ensuring the best possible protection for our clients. 

THE POLICE VACUUM

With increasing numbers of police, government intelligence and security services focussed on the domestic terrorism threat, a security vacuum has been created which is being exploited by organised criminal gangs who know police are overstretched. These gangs are aware that the resources which were previously used to detect, respond to, and investigate them are no longer available. Whilst low-level criminals such as pick-pockets might be finding it harder to ply their trade with increased police presence in public places, the villas and apartments of wealthy individuals are becoming easy pickings for the high-level gangs. There is an argument that the public purse shouldn't be used to protect a high net worth community who have a reputation for tax-avoidance and concealing their money overseas, although to label all high net worth individuals in the way would be unfair - indeed, many of them pay way above the average in terms of taxation and contribute significantly to both national economies and smaller micro-economies (including police budgets) found in the towns and villages they frequent. Whichever side of this argument is true, what is clear is that in the current climate of global terrorism, and the associated threats seemingly here to stay, the private security industry is an inadvertent benefactor of terrorism. 

Gas Attacks

As the Residential Security Teams prepare for this summer's deployment to the South of France, we have again visited the gas attack issue as part of our pre-deployment training. Last summer our personnel, Operations Director and Commercial Director were dragged into the ongoing gas attack debate. The company stance on this issue is very clear - to date, we have no firm evidence that a gas attack against any of our clients has ever been planned or attempted. However, we continue to receive reports through our intelligence gathering sources that suspected gas attacks are occurring in the Côte d'Azur and therefore we continue to include this form of threat in our risk assessments.

Aside from the reports of gas attacks occurring (the latest report we received was of an attack during week commencing 13th June 2016 just outside of Nice), we have to look at the evidence on both sides of the argument in order to make our judgement and whilst there is even the smallest of possibilities that gas attacks are a threat to our clients, we must assume they are, and put measures in place to mitigate this threat. If gas is not being used in these high profile raids, then the question which remains to be answered is what is being used? and how are whole families sleeping through comprehensive raids and waking in the morning to find they've had the watches taken from their wrists without even stirring?

Following an interview with the BBC last year by one of our Directors, we were asked by local English speaking media to comment on the arguments against gas attacks - these were our responses to each point:

• The Royal College of Anaesthetists had stated that they don't believe anaesthetic gas was being used because it would be difficult to get hold of the quantities required. RESPONSE: In the South of France, you can get hold of anything you want, in any quantity. With free movement and open borders, the shipment of black market goods from Eastern Europe is rife. The gangs operating in the high-value criminal world have huge budgets because the stakes are so high for them - they can buy anything they want, and routinely run up bills in excess of €100k on materials and equipment required to carry out their attacks.

• A construction company and air conditioning engineers have rubbished the idea that the air conditioning systems could be used to introduce gas. RESPONSE: There is some confusion over the perceived modus operandi here. Air conditioning systems in large villas have different components inside and outside - the purpose of these components is irrelevant, but the fact is that accessing any part of an air conditioning system with give you access to an otherwise closed system, which once the system is shut down, allows you to introduce any gas you might want and force that gas around the closed system.

• Several private security companies in the region have released statements claiming they have never even heard of suspected gas attacks. RESPONSE: These companies are clearly not engaged in high-net-worth residential security. Whatever your stance on the gas attack debate is, it is common knowledge amongst residential security teams who protect luxury villas and their families that gas attacks are frequently reported, so to deny any knowledge of the suspected reports indicates these companies are commenting on a matter which is not within their area of expertise.

• The French Police and media haven't confirmed or denied gas attacks take place. RESPONSE: Very few crimes against high-net-worth individuals go reported, and those that do rarely make the media. The French authorities are not going to speculate on something as serious as this, so without clear evidence then they're unlikely to ever wade into this argument on either side.

In summary, until there is clear evidence that gas attacks are not taking place, until reports that gas attacks are happening cease, and until someone can explain how victims are sleeping through these raids, then we will assume that this threat is real and protect our clients accordingly. 

Close Protection Course

Places left on this course, contact us here for further information. 

Panic Rooms

Often perceived as a requirement for the super-rich or high-profile Royalty, the use of a panic room should be something we all consider, whether that is for our homes, holiday properties or even business premises. 

Many of our clients hold the view that possessions are replaceable but life is not, and whilst this statement is certainly true, there can often be a crossover between the two. Criminals who want to steal your possessions don't normally want to harm you with violence, but they often will use it, either as a show of force to dominate the incident, or they will use violence to get you to comply in telling them what they need to know (safe codes, vehicle key locations, hiding places etc).  The use of a panic room breaks this link between possessions and life, providing you with a buffer zone between you and your attackers. 

In addition to the criminal threat, we also live in an age where terrorism can randomly strike anywhere, anytime. For us British, we have lived with the threat of terrorism for generations, but unlike years ago when the vast majority of terrorist strikes in our homeland were aimed at security services and government personnel, now we are all potential targets and the threat has never been so high to the innocent everyday person. A so-called 'Lone Wolf' type attack with the use of weapons can be seriously destructive if you are not able to shield yourself or escape the attacker. Our country have a very limited number of police armed response personnel, and whilst they are highly trained and effective, their response times would mean that buying yourself some time in a protected area would be vital to survival. The terrorist incidents in France over the last 12 months claimed many innocent lives, despite the fact that most French police are routinely armed, so it is likely that similar attacks in our country would result in more deaths than occurred in France.  

Whether the threat is criminal or terrorism, a panic room creates a buffer between you and the threat, and can buy you some vital time to maximise your chances of survival. 

A panic room can range from the very simple modification of an existing room, which retains the original function of the room, just with some very simple added security measures which make that room the allocated 'safe room' right up to a sophisticated purpose-built room with escape routes, communications and self-defence weapons. 

Our company have managed several panic room projects for our clients, both in private properties as well as commercial premises where the business owners considered it a duty of care responsibility to provide a safe haven for their staff. A recent case which highlights the commercial panic room requirement was this - On Wednesday 3rd February 2016, a warehouse manager was shot dead in Birmingham during a robbery by masked men who tied up staff - a panic room in this situation could have provided an area for staff to take refuge. 

Please contact us for advice and information on panic rooms.