Following the attack in London Bridge, it is important that businesses remind their staff to stay alert and vigilant. The tragic events this year remind us that attacks can occur at any time or place without warning.
Businesses are encouraged to review their security plans to ensure that the measures they should already have in place, are current and have been recently tested to ensure staff are prepared and confident.
The London Bridge attack saw the use of a vehicle as a weapon and bladed weapons, however you should ensure that your planning and responses consider the full range or potential terrorist attack methodologies including IEDs (person borne, placed or vehicle) following the Manchester attack.
The police and our partners continue to do everything we can to protect the security of our citizens, public institutions, critical national infrastructure, places and businesses. The public can expect to see additional police – both armed and unarmed officers – across London. In response to the ongoing threat the public will see an increased policing and security presence across the country at key sites, such as train stations and other crowded places to help protect communities.
Protective Security Advice
Stay Safe – Run Hide, Tell:
Advice for the public on the steps they can take to keep themselves safe in the rare event of a firearms or weapons attack.
Recognising the terrorist threat:
Advice for businesses on planning for a terrorist incident and what action to take in the event of an attack.
Advice for security managers to improve your security stance:
Advice for security managers of crowded places to improve their security stance.
Personnel security, good guarding practice
Depending upon their responsibilities an effective security guard must be able to demonstrate they can respond effectively to a number of scenarios including:
- Initial actions at a terrorist incident, see ETHANE
- hostile reconnaissance, how to patrol effectively to disrupt activity, identify and respond to suspicious behaviour
- ensure you maintain your search and patrol regime for the lifecycle of the event including prior to the commencement, during and post event
- suspect items, the ‘four Cs’ protocols and the HOT principles
- a firearms and weapons attacks and the Run, Hide, Tell principles
- how to respond appropriately to a bomb threat, includes advice on evacuation, invacuation, safe areas, and checking your venue for suspicious items – search considerations.
- how and when to report incidents either to the internal security team, calling police using 999, 101 or call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline 0800 789 321. Staff should understand the reason why they use either 999 or Anti-Terrorist Hotline
Preparedness
Are your first aid kits and crisis incident kits (grab bags) checked regularly, complete and accessible? Link to citizenAid
Search Planning
Do you have plans to search your site to deal effectively with either bomb threats or for secreted threat items, and are your staff familiar with those plans?
Do you have a person and vehicle, search and screening policy and plan that you can implement should there be a threat increase?
Business as usual search and screen (looking for prohibited items) should, when done well, provide a very good capability to detect larger terrorist items concealed about the person
- ensure the search and screening regime in place at the venue is done well
- consider provisional search and screening on the approach or outside the venue, for example a visual check inside jackets and bags
- ensure you maintain your search and patrol regime for the lifecycle of the event including prior to the commencement, during and post event
- provide effective public address messaging of people as they approach, asking people to prepare for additional search and screening. This should reduce unacceptable delay
- prior notification (at point of sale or media) of these extra security measures and encouraging people to arrive early, will smooth peaks and allow safe and effective searching
Response
Have you reviewed your evacuation, invacuation and lockdown plans in response to terrorist attack?
Physical Security
Have you checked CCTV systems? Are they all working correctly? Are the date/time stamps accurate? http://www.cpni.gov.uk/advice/Physical-security/CCTV/
Security Culture
Are all staff identifiable and wearing identification? Do you encourage staff to challenge anyone in their building not displaying ID? http://www.cpni.gov.uk/advice/Personnel-security1/Workplace-behaviour-campaign/
Reporting suspicious transactions
If you are suspicious of a transaction or attempted transaction, or discover a theft or disappearance that cannot easily be explained, report it to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789321 or email Chemical.Reporting@Met.Police.UK.
Home Office guidance on selling chemical products responsibly
Storage and sale of explosive precursors
Guidance for the public, businesses and laboratories on using, storing and selling explosives precursors and poisons.
Blast
Remember to stay away from glass and out of line of sight for any devices. See the minimum cordon distances. Once the security services arrive cordons may be deployed, the following are minimum distances.
100 meters – Briefcase or Rucksack
200 meters – Suitcase, wheelie bin, small car
400 meters – Larger items, lorries and vans
News updates
NaCTSO will continue to update our advice as needed, in the meantime please continue to use our current advice. Please check back regularly to these pages for updated information or register for updates here.
You can follow @metpoliceuk and @Terrorism Police UK for Twitter updates on the incident.
Find out more about the Action Counters Terrorism campaign.
If you see anything that causes you concern or raises your suspicions do not hesitate to call the Police confidentially on 0800 789 321 or in an emergency 999. If you get caught up in the rare event of a weapons attack we urge you to follow the Run, Hide, Tell advice.
