Information and Intention
Search and screening protocols will provide you with a good capability to detect threat items concealed on a person or vehicle. Screening people, their belongings and vehicles at entry points can help reduce the likelihood of explosive devices, weapons, and other hazardous or prohibited items or materials being brought into buildings or onto sites.
Similarly, searching personnel as they enter and/or exit can help reduce the risk of weapons or unauthorised materials being brought on to your premises, as well as unauthorised removal of items and information. The implementation of robust screening measures may additionally serve as a significant deterrent.
Vehicle screening should only be considered as a supplement for other risk reduction measures. Having rigorous controls on what vehicles and occupants are authorised to enter the site, for example by checking the drivers’ and vehicles’ credentials and turning away unexpected deliveries, may significantly reduce the risk.
Method
All prohibited items should be defined and prioritised by the organisation as part of a search strategy. This will help to ensure that any restricted items are prevented from entering or exiting the site. Be clear about what the search process is aiming to detect and where the process will be conducted, including a list of prohibited items. Communicate this both to customers and personnel conducting the search.
A list of target items is likely to contain some which are considered essential to detect, some that it is desirable to detect, and other items that are of interest but failure to detect can be tolerated. Note that it is unlikely to be proportionate or cost effective to screen vehicles for smaller threats; a layered approach where vehicles are checked for large threats at the site perimeter, may be supplemented by screening of people and their belongings for smaller threats on entry to key buildings.
You should consider search and screening on the approach to the venue, or outside it, for example a visual check inside jackets and bags. Provide effective public address messaging to people as they approach, asking people to prepare for additional search and screening. Manual person searches should be considered to the extent required to provide confidence that no larger threat items are present. You should consider the privacy needs of the individual as part of any search and screening process. Manual bag searches should be proportionate, systematic, consistent and safe for the person conducting the search.
Consider the arrival rate of people and volume of possessions and assess how this demand might vary at different times of day, seasonally, or for particular events. Make sure the search process is designed and resourced to deal with the maximum expected demand. Consider the space required and optimum location for the search process. This should take into account the space required for any equipment, staff, resolution of searches and possible queues.
Make sure the search process is aligned and integrated with other aspects of the entry process and that it does not interfere with emergency exits. Make sure the search area has the necessary infrastructure (e.g. power, lighting, tables and shelter). Make sure there is advanced notification (at point of sale or media) of your site’s extra security measures and encourage people to arrive early. Consider making use of your website/publications. This will smooth peaks and allow safe and effective searching.
For vehicles, measures may include checking driver and vehicle credentials; turning away unexpected visitors and deliveries; and using off-site search facilities for commercial vehicles. The optimum location for a vehicle search area will typically be on or near the site’s perimeter, and away from any of its key assets. When considering searching vehicles, it is particularly important to be clear about the size and type of threats the organisation is concerned about, and the relative priority of these from a detection perspective.
Different types of threats are detailed on the Screening Vehicles page.
Consideration should be given to how vehicle access could be controlled at the point of entry, particularly in relation to the searching or screening of vehicles in response to a specific threat. Larger sites may additionally have ‘crash’ gates which will require a strict security regime to make sure they are not breached. Access points should be kept to a minimum, with any boundary fences or demarcation lines clearly signed.
All staff involved in carrying out searches should be fully trained in the site’s search procedures. They should also understand the aims of the search and the site’s specific detection priorities. Clear procedures should be in place that set out the actions to take, in the event that a suspicious item is discovered during a search. These are likely to include a resolution procedure, an escalation procedure and an emergency response procedure, with the exact steps to be taken depending on the nature of the item discovered, its location, and the context in which it is found. All personnel involved in carrying out searches or responding to any such incidents should be fully aware of these procedures.
As well as comprehensive initial training, staff should receive regular refresher training and be briefed if there are any changes to the search priorities or procedures. Where casual staff are used, it is particularly important that they are trained to understand the requirements and procedures at the specific site.
Administration
Clear polices will need to be in place that define search and screening protocols, including the aims of the search, and the authority for conducting it. Consider the provision of discreet search areas to cater for all needs.
Procedures to be followed during any search process will need to be outlined. This should include considering roles and responsibilities for all staff involved in the search process and those responsible for its management and oversight.
Risk Assessment
All activity relating to searching or screening of people, their belongings or vehicles should be risk assessed in line with existing business/organisational policies.
There should be the capacity to turn away unwanted vehicles (i.e. a rejection lane) and sufficient queuing space to minimise the impact on public roads. Hostile Vehicle Mitigation should be used in the area to prevent vehicles driving through checks and into the site. Consider how any queues will be managed to reduce the impact of traffic build-up.
Communications
Internal Stakeholder Engagement:
Unless the information is particularly sensitive or involves personal data, all information relating to the check on all vehicles and personnel on entry (including emergency services) in the event of a raised threat level, or in response to a terrorist incident should be shared with your staff members. Staff should also be briefed on what to do in the event of the above circumstances.
It is necessary to ensure points of contact for liaison with other neighbours are known to staff internally, and partners externally. Internal communications should encourage security awareness by general staff and a positive security culture should be encouraged through internal communications.
You must provide regular information for your staff so that they can help deliver on the security plan. Your internal audience will inevitably cross over into your external audience, so you should consider the messages you want these individuals to convey to their external networks e.g. families and friends. Remember that social media is a potential area where this crossover may occur.
External Stakeholder Engagement:
Engagement with neighbouring businesses should be on a regular basis and should be constructive. The sharing of information regarding the check on all vehicles and personnel on entry (including emergency services) with neighbouring businesses and contacts is essential to making the system work.
Early identification and engagement with key external stakeholders is important. Local organisations whose sites are nearby, or have shared use of the site being protected, are also likely to play an important part in developing and delivering on any security outcomes, and consideration should also be given to engaging with any working groups or for a who may already have identified ‘best practices’ and lessons learned from similar sites within the business area the site operates within.
There are a number of key principles that should be applied when engaging with stakeholders:
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The engagement should be different for different stakeholders, at different times – it should be flexible as one type of engagement process does not necessarily suit all stakeholders.
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It should be a two-way engagement process, where information and knowledge are shared.
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Communications should be genuine and timely, where there is the ability to influence outcomes, dependent on feedback.
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Engagement with stakeholders should be open and transparent.
As with all matters relating to security and policing, the relationships with the police are key. The contact may be with either the local police or those specifically tasked with providing policing to certain sites.
External Media Engagement:
Engagement with the media should be encouraged to allow a positive and deterrent message to be disseminated to the general public, as part of a Security Minded Communications strategy. By positively reinforcing a security deterrence message and demonstrating a collaborative security approach between businesses, it is likely that this may deter potential attackers when they carry out online hostile reconnaissance as part of the attack planning process.
Health and Safety/Other Legal Issues
The working environment should be designed to enable effective working; there should be sufficient space to conduct the required tasks and lighting levels should be adequate for the tasks being carried out. Staff should have regular and adequate breaks; periodic rotation of staff between different tasks can also help maintain performance.
Consider the health and safety of staff conducting the searches and of anyone being searched. If any tools or equipment are to be used to aid search, make sure they address a defined requirement, are fit for purpose and are well maintained. Ensure that all activities are assessed in line with Health and Safety and other legal/policy frameworks, such as:
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The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
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The Human Rights Act 1998
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Health and Safety Acts
It is important to consider any change to security processes and/or activities with regards to justification, proportionality, necessity and legality.
You should ensure that there are well-defined governance arrangements and that records are kept of the issues, decisions made and the reasoning behind those decisions, which involve the checking of all vehicles and personnel on entry (including emergency services). Records will provide evidence to any investigations, or public enquiries and assist in defending against legal action, criminal charges or civil claims. The importance of keeping accurate records and having well defined governance arrangements has been demonstrated during the Manchester Arena Inquiry.
Such changes that affect visitors, contractors and the organisation must include consideration of your organisations insurance policies.