We’re deliberately focusing this month’s BSIA Briefing on the wider security implications of ‘Games time’ and how the Trade Association is aiming to help its members and their customers prepare for the various events that will be taking place.
In among the preparations for the 2012 Games themselves, it’s important to remember the security risks that other organisations face given the expected influx of large visitor numbers and the associated pressures faced by security providers and the police.
In an interview published in The Guardian in 2010, Charles Hill – the former head of Scotland Yard’s art and antiquities squad – warned that Britain’s cultural and religious sites are particularly vulnerable to criminal attacks at Games time.
According to Hill, security around the 2012 Games should not exclude so-called “soft targets” such as museums, galleries, churches and cathedrals. He highlighted past examples of thieves targeting valuable artifacts at times when police resources are focused elsewhere, such as the theft of Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ from the Oslo National Art Museum during the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway and a break-in at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford on New Year’s Eve 1999.
To reduce the risks of incidents such as these from occurring this year, it’s important that the UK’s museums and cultural sites ensure that they have adopted solid and integrated security strategies well in advance of the Olympics beginning.
Since 9/11, the UK’s official terrorist threat level has been classified as ‘Severe’ and, as such, continued vigilance against attack is an essential part of the daily security routine of any publicly accessible building in order to protect visitors and staff as well as premises and equipment from harm.
Integrated approach to security
The choice of which measure to adopt largely depends on the type of building that needs to be secured, its location and its function. However, generally speaking an integrated approach that combines a number of different methods can be helpful in ensuring the success of the security strategy.
A combination of security measures such as CCTV, access control and a highly visible physical guarding presence provides an excellent all-round solution for museums, cultural and heritage sites to deter intruders, monitor visitor behaviours and respond to emergency situations.
Enlisting the help of an expert on all aspects of security can be a great place to start: the advice of an independent security consultancy can provide a useful overview of the broad-based challenges faced by each individual premises.
Using a consultancy from the outset can help museums and cultural sites avoid rogue suppliers as well as saving both time and money. Working independently, security consultancies act as a guide to the many products and services on the market and provide unbiased recommendations based on an assessment of the individual requirements of their clients.
Consultants can also identify issues which could have significant cost or time implications and which may not be budgeted for or recognised by an installation company.
BSIA members meet strict corporate requirements so customers who source security solutions from them can be confident that they will receive quality advice and an excellent service.
To find out more about the value of security consultancy, or to locate a local supplier, visit our website
Biometric security: an evolving traveller experience
As the busy summer of 2012 approaches, airport biometrics will play a key role at Heathrow Airport with visiting Olympic athletes and their families being asked to supply biometric data on their arrival in London. This information will then be checked against immigration and security ‘Watch Lists’ of suspected terrorists and criminals stored on a database.
From full-body scanners to e-passports and iris scanners, developments in biometric airport security over recent years have brought to reality ‘intelligent’ technology which would once have been the stuff of science fiction.
Although biometric airport technology has been around for decades (the first commercial application of a fingerprint reader was in 1984), its popularity has soared due to the increased risk of terrorist attack fuelled by incidents such as the incident at Glasgow International Airport in 2007, the attempted detonation of explosives on a passenger aircraft on Christmas Day 2009 and, most recently, the attempt by a member of the US military to take explosives on board an aircraft on New Year’s Eve 2011.
In addition to the traditional methods of airport security, including CCTV, computer tomography used in baggage scanning and even the more recent full-body scanners, biometric technology – that is, using the unique human characteristics of a person to provide irrefutable proof of identity – has become increasingly widespread in airports, both across the UK and around the world, and is now a growing part of what might be termed ‘the everyday traveller experience’.
Trials of biometric security at Heathrow Airport
All five terminals at London’s Heathrow Airport have been trialling biometric security for a number of years. Last year, it was announced that Heathrow’s upgraded biometric technology was being officially rolled-out following 18 months of trials.
All passengers using these terminals will now be scanned twice in-between arriving at the hub and boarding their aircraft.
Fingerprints and digital images stored on e-passports are now also becoming the norm across Europe, with some countries (including Germany) storing fingerprint scans in chips on all new passports issued.
Looking further ahead than this summer, a recent report by aviation research and consultancy company CAP Strategic Research predicts that a fully automated ‘airport of the future’ will become reality by 2025, with biometric technology playing a key role in streamlining the traveller experience, using e-passports, iris or retina scanners and ID cards that allow travellers to ‘swipe and go’.
However, despite such predictions and advances in electronic security technology, a physical security presence is essential to maintain order in airports and also to manage and act upon the intelligence gathered through CCTV and access control systems.
For example, the presence of uniformed security officers at access points with regular security patrols of buildings and the perimeter areas can help to enhance a feeling of security for passengers and provide an essential first response to emergency situations.
Such traditional measures should not be neglected in favour of the growing electronic trend.
To find out more about biometric access control click here
Manchester 2012: a free event to help businesses prepare for ‘the Olympic challenge’
Helping businesses prepare for the operational impact of the Olympic Games has been a key priority for the BSIA over the past year, all Association members having been provided with a useful blank presentation on the business impact of the Games for delivery to customers.
Of course, the impact of the Games won’t just be felt in London but also in major cities across the country that will be hosting one of the 37 competitions taking place outside London, as well as parallel events such as large-scale screenings.
Add to this the impact of a range of other celebrations taking place in the summer of 2012, not least the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and it’s clear to see that there are plenty of security considerations to be made ahead of time.
With this in mind, the BSIA is hosting a free of charge conference and exhibition in Manchester this April to help companies based in the North West understand the impact of the forthcoming Olympic Games.
Organised by the BSIA in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, the event (entitled ‘Manchester 2012: Going For Gold’) will take place on Wednesday 18 April 2012 at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.
Dealing with the challenges ahead
Event organiser Christine Brooks of the BSIA commented: “This one-day security-focused event is aimed at providing businesses with the latest information and guidance on planning for the impact of Games time. Many businesses operate near Olympic venues, or will have their operations and supply chain affected by road disruptions. This event will prove invaluable in helping such businesses make robust plans for dealing with the challenges of this summer’s events.”
Delegates will be treated to an exclusive insight from across the police and security sectors, with presentations on a range of topics including terrorist threat, the role of the Greater Manchester Police and how businesses will be affected.
Advice and guidance will also be on hand from a range of exhibitors, including security consultants, service providers and manufacturers who will be showcasing the latest products and services available to help businesses tackle crime.
Book your free delegate place for Manchester 2012 using our online booking form.
For more information (or to book exhibition space for your business) contact the BSIA’s Christine Brooks on (telephone) 0845 389 0743 or by e-mail at: [email protected]
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