So now that we have created this state of awareness, and gathered all this information what shall we do. Last week we focused on the need to be aware of our surroundings in an effort to combat criminality, so now what do we do you may ask. Let us compare this sense of awareness with a RADAR, you know the thing used to alert pilots, ship operators of the approach of potential danger. 

What a RADAR does is very similar to what I described in last weeks article, it essentially sends out feelers in the form of radio waves which after bouncing off the incoming object enables the person who is monitoring, to detect approaching objects. It was this invention by the British during World War 2, which assisted them tremendously in holding off the air onslaught of the German Air Force. The device allowed the smaller Royal Air Force (RAF) a mere 450 fighters to be fore warned of the take off and approach of the much nearly 1000 larger German long range bombers. With this in mind it was critical that the RADAR Operator now alerts all persons concerned about the location, heading, speed and size of the incoming object. By doing this, the RAF fighters could now accurately deploy and counter the Germans as they attempted to crossed the French Channel
 
This sounding of an alarm or sharing of information depending on the method is the next critical step in the efforts of the corporate security manager's efforts in preventing loss and crime issues.  The manager is the lead person in the organizations efforts to reduce loss events and must understand that at this point the awareness function is a departmental operation that must spill into the entire corporation, via the sharing of critical information. For example if neighboring business have been experiencing assaults in their parking lot then it is possible that this type of activity may come into the area of responsibility assigned to you. Is it better to keep this information a secret, or as suggested by a client hide and wait for the assailant and catch him in the act? This may sound good and when seen in the movies even looks good, but when attempted in real life there are numerous logistics, cost, and risk involved. Would it not be better to advise staff of the potential danger, increase patrols, increase lighting, or even close off high risk areas off after hours. All of these suggestions are low risk, and low cost, compared with the amount of man hours that would have to invest in setting up the sting operation.
 
The question I always ask students and clients, which resort do you want to spend your vacation at, the one that has a good detection and conviction rate or the one that has a low incident and crime occurrence. To reduce loss and crime all person who may be affected must be brought up to date CONSISTENLY AND CONTINUOSLY on ALL events which happen. The idea that they cannot handle the news, is dangerous and irresponsible considering that they are most likely to be the 'news' or in other words the topic of discussion because they became a victim.
 
Similarly it is important suggestions for correcting or preventing the problem are garnered, which means listening to persons who may have a different yet valuable perspective than you.  This sometimes becomes difficult for the manager as ego comes between, understanding that the expert really is the person with the problem, or who the one who will confront the issue. Drawing back to the RAF fighters, on several occasions' flight command gave directives on how the pilots should engage the enemy, sometimes they worked but on occasion the heat of the battle demanded other methods.
 
Basically what is being said at this juncture is that the corporate security manager must not only be prepared to give information in there effort to reduce loss but they must also be prepared to receive information in the form of recommendations from persons who are closer to the event. My research and observations has seen where this inability to timely share information could have resulted in the elimination of the loss event. Thus the prevailing problem of ego has cost more corporations, time and money than any other deficiency in security.
 
As we continue this serious, it is important to adequately grasp these points on awareness, what you see, hear and feel, and information sharing based on what was collected as a result of being alert. All other actions will way heavily on these first steps.

Read Part 1 HERE
 
 
Gamal Newry is the President of Preventative Measures, a Loss Prevention and Asset Protection Training and Consulting Company, specializing in Policy and Procedure Development, Business Security Reviews and Audits, & Emergency and Crisis Management. Comments can be sent to P.O. Box N-3154 Nassau, Bahamas or, email gnewry@gmail.com
 or visit us at www.preventativemeasures.net