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Newsletter for April 2005 Inside this issue:
LTC (RET) Dave Grossman
Copper prices are hitting 16-year highs at $1.51 per pound, pushed up by the demand from China.
Recycling centers are paying $1.18 per pound which has sparked a rash of construction site thefts that are causing some builders to hire private security forces to guard and patrol sites.
The National Association of Home Builders estimates that the construction industry loses about $4 billion annually in stolen items, losses that add 1.5% to the cost of an average house.
Papal Funeral Strains Security Planning
Imagine the extraordinary demands on your security and executive protection planning when dealing with Pope John Paul II's funeral.
More than 200 world leaders and 3 million mourners poured into Rome, essentially doubling the city's 2.5 million inhabitants. The two most recent papal funerals, both in 1978, attracted 750,000 and 500,000 mourners respectively and a relatively few heads of state.
Attendance by President George W. Bush marks the first time a U.S. president has attended a papal funeral mass.
Publicly observable security measures include anti-aircraft rocket launchers and Italian Navy warships patrolling the coast near the capital. Italian authorities continually downplayed the threat of a terrorist attack, however Italy's high-profile participation as a coalition partner in Operation Iraqi Freedom, ongoing investigations into al-Qaida cells in Milan, and the target rich environment of high value foreign leaders certainly gave al-Qaida plenty of reasons to attack.
What If You Called the Police and They Didn't Come?
Your burglar alarm sounds. Is someone breaking into your house? Surely the police must be on their way!
But in growing number of communities, the police won't be coming.
In Salt Lake City, if your burglar alarm goes off, the City requires that a security guard be physically present on the property to visually verify that a crime is in progress before local police will accept a call for service. Lakewood, Colo., has a similar policy.
It's called "verified response" and more than 20 cities have already adopted this type of policy with more considering this approach.
Although this policy is designed specifically to reduce the costs and resources associated with false alarms from homes and business, it has a couple of implications for us.
First, it serves as another notice that you cannot rely on law enforcement officers alone to protect you, your family or your property. Individuals cannot sue police departments for "failing" to protect them. The police department is there to keep the public order and enforce the laws of their jurisdiction. Whether it's policies like verified response or budget pressures, chances are that police officers will not be there when you need them. This is exacerbated in extreme cases when the crisis is large enough that all officers are pulled away on other assignments that have a "higher" priority than your problem.
Secondly, it further fuels the trend toward the growth of private security companies. It is estimated that in the U.S. there are two private security guards employed for every public police officer. That could rise to 3 to 1 by the end of the decade. Corporations, businesses and individuals know that police are essentially reactive in nature. To have a proactive security presence, you will most likely need to deploy private security personnel.
For us as individuals, we must become more self-reliant in the future in providing security and protection for our families, our neighborhoods and our communities.
For business owners and corporations, start exploring your options now for either in-house or contract security services.
New Self-Defense Question: Retaliation
"After the victory, tighten the chin strap on your helmet."
Supposedly, this is an old Samurai saying that pretty much says it all. After the fight, you should EXPECT retaliation. In the newest self-defense question, our member is worried that someone he knocked out in a drunken fight will come back to extract revenge.
OSHA estimates that 2 million American workers are victims of workplace violence annually, ranging from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide. The profile of an employee prone to engage in violence:
Danger signals include:
OSHA recommends a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence, and company-provided training to inform employees of what conduct is not acceptable, as well as on how to protect themselves. Security measures such as photo identification badges and video surveillance are also recommended. Defend University has advised in the past that you stay alert for any co-workers who can be walking time bombs and how to protect yourself if he starts shooting.
Report: Terrorists May Target U.S. Theaters, Schools "Soft targets" in the United States, including schools, movie theaters, and restaurants, could be targeted for attack by members of an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in Iraq, according to news reports that cite a specific warning that was distributed to U.S. security agencies The warning says there are "very credible" reports indicating that Al Qaeda's chief ally in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has developed a close working relationship with Al Qaeda and that movie theaters, schools, and restaurants are typical Al Qaeda targets. The government has said that it currently does not have any information that al-Zarqawi is specifically targeting those types of targets. As the Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement officials increasingly harden security on large infrastructure targets such as airports, bridges, water supplies, and nuclear power plants, it is not unreasonable that soft, unprotected targets such as these would be the natural focus of terrorists. Looking at the pattern of terrorist targets in the recent past, you can see that schools, nightclubs, cafes, hotels restaurants and other unprotected businesses that cater to Americans and Israelis are prime targets.
Philly Schools Installing Security Cameras Outside Buildings Four of the most troubled high schools in Philadelphia
will be equipped with powerful security cameras that are capable of
photographing a car license from a distance of one-and-a-half city blocks. Eight
to 14 of the $1,000 cameras will be installed at each of the four schools. The
cameras will be deployed outside the schools, mounted so they can monitor each
school's perimeter and watch for potential troublemakers via pan and zoom
functions. Paul Vallas, chief executive of the school district, says that he is
unaware of any other school system that uses security cameras outdoors. The
schools that will receive the cameras have not yet been selected. Go here if you want to access the newsletter archives.
Train like your life depends on it. Someday it
might.
Brad Parker
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