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Physical security technology can help to protect publicly accessible spaces in light of the proposed Protect Duty.
The Protect Duty refers to a piece of proposed legislation which concerns the protective and preparatory measures that should be considered to make the public safer at publicly accessible locations.
Known to many as ‘Martyn’s Law’, the Protect Duty has been welcomed by many, not least the mother of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena attack. Currently, owners of publicly accessible spaces have no obligation to act on advice from specialist counter-terrorism officers on how to reduce the risk of a terror attack, but the Protect Duty looks set to change this.
Once in place, the legislation will put the onus on owners and managers of publicly accessible spaces to take the necessary steps to secure them. Many existing security provisions are uncoordinated and unregulated and this urgently needs to be addressed. In taking action, considerations must surely turn to the implementation of physical security technologies and their capabilities to help meet the Protect Duty’s requirements.
Threat detection
While physical security systems will not be a central requirement of the Protect Duty, technology is nevertheless a force multiplier to improve operational efficiency, accelerate decision-making and demonstrate compliance.
Cloud connectivity, the internet of things (IoT) and advancements in network camera technology have transformed physical security into a smart, interconnected system of cameras and sensors. Such systems are now capable of collecting and processing data to produce powerful insights, aiding security and operational decision making.
Terrorists are likely to undertake research and planning activity in preparation for an attack (hostile reconnaissance) to identify security weaknesses. Behavioural analytics can be used to identify random or seemingly unconnected activities, which in isolation may be of no consequence, but when repeated may help the managers of publicly accessible spaces by providing clues to a pattern of behaviour that could be suggestive of a hostile act in the planning.
Automated incident response
Physical security technology can provide an early warning about the nature of an evolving incident and its location. Network video cameras will help to keep track of an incident as it unfolds, with on-camera analytics capable of identifying left luggage/objects, explosions, gunshots and breaking glass. On-camera edge-based processing capabilities will allow video data to be packaged and sent to an alarm receiving centre (ARC), security and incident response teams (SIRTs) or the emergency services for immediate review.
Supplied with accurate intelligence from the technology, security teams, together with buildings and facilities managers, can make split-second decisions which could, critically, save many lives. As an example, triggering an automated sequence of security responses would help to safely evacuate visitors from a location to safe zones while simultaneously restricting access to other areas. For additional security, remote management capabilities mean that an incident control room can be located away from any possible target location.
Forensic analysis to aid investigation
In the post-attack review phase, video from fixed and body-worn cameras, access control data gathered at entrance and exit points, and incident response documentation will help build up a picture of the type of attack, how it unfolded and its key characteristics. This insight and evidence can help the police identify and prosecute the perpetrators of crime more quickly. Further applications may include integration with third parties’ software which enable the tracking of a person’s movements across a city. This accelerates the investigative process and leads to faster prosecution.
Reviewing data to identify points of failure, and staff responses, will increase organisational preparedness for future threats. This must, in turn, feed back into practical due diligence processes around risk assessments to understand the threat, providing effective and appropriate training to respond to an incident. While we await the findings of the Protect Duty consultation, it is right that facilities management professionals, together with security teams and other departments, take the time to reflect and consider what more can be done to protect the spaces they manage, helping to create a smarter, safer world.
