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The first tranche of presentations at the Skills for Security 2006 National Conference was brought to a close by Don Randall, vice-president of the JP Morgan Chase Bank and an acknowledged architect of Project Griffin 鈥� arguably the best possible practical illustration of private and public sector security harmonisation (鈥楩rom Guards to Guardians鈥�, SMT, May 2005, pp40-42).

Project Griffin, of course, comprises three strands 鈥� counter-terrorism 鈥榓wareness days鈥�, a 鈥楤ridge Call鈥� facility for security managers with live input from law enforcement agencies and the potential deployment of licensed private sector security personnel to work alongside police officers on cordon control in the event of a major incident.

Randall was intent on providing delegates at Birmingham鈥檚 International Convention Centre with a timely update on Griffin鈥檚 expansion as part of the ongoing development of an extended policing family.

鈥淚n the context of growing levels of crime and increased terrorist activity, in combination with policing numbers, it鈥檚 fair to say that the police service can no longer survive without input and assistance from the private sector,鈥� explained Randall in serious tones. 鈥淭he latter co-exists to double the number of eyes and ears on duty.鈥�

Randall then reported that the Project Griffin 鈥榖lueprint鈥� has now been extended from London (where it is backed by major blue chips including Merrill Lynch, Barclays and HSBC) to 13 English cities, in addition to operations in Scotland and Wales.

Indeed, Griffin is proving to be something of an internationally transferable 鈥榯emplate鈥�, its ethos having been implemented as far afield as New South Wales in Australia, within Hong Kong, Canada and also South Africa (where the concepts of trust and harmonisation have to be seen in the context of myriad security problems).

Interestingly, the Griffin blueprint has also been adopted in New York, where it鈥檚 branded as Project Shield. 鈥淭he Americans involved like to claim they invented the idea,鈥� joked Randall (who, along with former Metropolitan Police Service assistant commissioner David Veness, was the real founder). 鈥淚 suppose that鈥檚 OK, just as long as the benefits are being realised.鈥�

Griffin: where are we now?

Randall moved on to describe how some 70 participants in other words a 98% 鈥榓ttendance鈥� are now involved in the weekly 鈥楤ridge Call鈥� (arranged for 5.00 pm each Friday afternoon as this is the time when the security managers involved are, on the whole, slightly less busy).

When merited, additional 鈥楤ridge Calls鈥� can be arranged within 30 minutes. 鈥淭here were five on 7/7,鈥� said Randall, who now wants to energise 鈥榖uy in鈥� from sister banks (to those already involved), more directors of security, the Risk and Security Management Forum, retailers, the utilities and the major communications companies.

The 鈥榓wareness days鈥� have proven a great success. 鈥淪ecurity officers involved are able to feel pride in their level of access to informed experience from senior police officers, members of Special Branch and SO13 bomb squad representatives,鈥� continued Randall. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e also garnering valuable information on subjects including Gold and Silver-designated Command Posts, which people assume others know about when often they don鈥檛. This makes security officers feel like they鈥檙e playing a crucial role in the community security effort, which is indeed the case.鈥�

Moving on to the deployment of Griffin-trained staff in response to police service requests for organisations to make them available, Randall was quick to outline the legal position (which many guarding contractors have been fretting over!). Security officers would be deployed to assist police in 鈥榗learing鈥� members of the public from danger, ushering them towards safe cordon lines. Officers would be expected to persuade members of the public to move towards these safe areas, only calling in the police if individuals will not move.

鈥淧olice commanders must remain fully aware of the potential corporate liability issues in respect of a Duty of Care towards Griffin responders if they are deployed under police instruction,鈥� confirmed Randall. 鈥淥ne key point well worth remembering here is that Project Griffin is a voluntary scheme designed for security personnel to assist police officers at the discretion of their employers.鈥�

Over 4,500 security officers have now attended the 鈥榓wareness day鈥� training, while in excess of 500 premises are covered by the initiative. Where to now, then? Randall duly pointed to some next steps, including additional 鈥楤ridge Calls鈥� that, perhaps, could be 鈥渕ore educational and less dictatorial, more strategic in context and less instructional鈥�. He鈥檚 also keen on engaging smaller client organisations who perhaps don鈥檛 have the necessary resources to employ a full-time director of security.

鈥淎 鈥榖uddying鈥� process is now under consideration,鈥� suggested Randall, who also alluded to plans that could see Project Griffin 鈥榖adges鈥� discreetly affixed to buildings covered by the scheme such that police officers will know trained security staff operate within the company concerned.

Beyond race and diversity

Dr John Coxhead鈥檚 thought-provoking presentation 鈥� entitled 鈥楤eyond Race and Diversity: Total Equality鈥� began with several somewhat controversial remarks that certainly grabbed the delegates鈥� attention.

鈥淏y and large, diversity training in this country just isn鈥檛 working,鈥� stated Coxhead, an educational psychologist by academic background. 鈥淚t is hugely difficult to 鈥榯rain out鈥� ingrained prejudices, but some of the courses on offer are definitely flawed.鈥�

Some of that training, he claimed, induces refined rhetoric or 鈥榮tealth racism鈥�. 鈥淐ertain types of diversity training pay more attention to some areas than others,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n itself, this can create hierarchies and induce displacement, which is far from the desired end product we want to achieve.鈥�

Coxhead is firmly in favour of new and innovative research. Educational psychology enquiries are now being made to assess the causes behind some of the social systems that lie in state today. 鈥淲hat good is a one-day course in this topic really going to have?鈥� asked Coxhead of the attentive audience. 鈥淚n my view, the security sector can learn from the mistakes made by the police service in this regard. If you don鈥檛 want to call it diversity training then badge it as performance enhancement or performance improvement.鈥�

What benefits does salient and effective diversity training bring to the client organisation, though? 鈥淔or a start, companies can set performance outcomes that, when realised, will meet and enhance current work priorities. Less friction in the workplace will lead to reduced staff churn, better integration and a more contented and therefore productive workforce. This is not window dressing. Let me be clear that good quality diversity training is shown to enhance core performance. Invest in that and the return will be tangible.鈥� Food for thought, it seems.

The Security Practitioner

Rob Baker Skills for Security鈥檚 project and development manager delivered an impromptu 鈥榗itation鈥� on The Security Practitioner, a brand new security qualification that began its life in the hands of the Security Industry Authority and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority but which has now been passed over to Skills for Security.

鈥淚t is very much a developmental programme of education wherein learning outcomes are the most important element,鈥� stressed Baker. The initial model has been piloted by 500 operatives working across six security companies and has brought 鈥渁 very positive response鈥�.

So who鈥檚 involved? 鈥淭he learner is the security officer,鈥� stated Baker. 鈥淭he skills coach, who must be trained and qualified for their own role, then supports the learner, using a mixture of coaching and mentoring skills. The last part of the equation is the assessor, which is the Awarding Body.鈥� What does the course entail? 鈥�320-plus guided learning hours, with much 鈥榯uition鈥� in the workplace.鈥� For the time being, it鈥檚 really a case of: 鈥淲atch this space...鈥�

鈥淏y 2010, we want all young people and adults alike right across England to have the knowledge and skills at their fingertips that will be the best in the world and thus realise a far more competitive workforce.鈥� A bold statement to make, but Jan Topping interim senior policy manager at the National Office of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) backed up the rhetoric by placing on record the fact that, during 2007-2008, the LSC will be 鈥渋nvesting 拢11.2 billion鈥� to realise this goal.

Topping鈥檚 organisation is fully committed to meeting the long-term workforce needs of employers through qualifications devised by Skills for Security.