ASIS July17_ASIS_RiskUK_jan16 07/07/2017 15:36 Page 1
INTERNATIONAL
TM
Newsletter SUMMER 2017
UNITED KINGDOM CHAPTER 208
ASIS NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR – WINNER 2015, 2013, 2012, 2008 & 2003 – HONOURABLE MENTION 2011, 2006.
Chairman’s notes Q2 2017 Dear Colleagues It with heavy heart that I write to you. Over the past few months the UK has borne witness to some of the most devastating terrorist attacks on UK soil. The Westminster attack in March was a prime example of just how easy it is for a determined adversary to cause widespread harm and panic in moments using unsophisticated, everyday items such as a car and knife to launch an attack. This was a game changer for the police, UK security services and security professionals everywhere – as well as the public. This was followed by the horrendous Manchester attack where a person borne IED was detonated and caused an unprecedented amount of harm to children and families who were enjoying a night out at a concert. I think we all thought the appetite for this type of attack had gone away in favour of less sophisticated attacks, like Westminster. Then London Bridge and Borough Market were subjected to more unsophisticated attacks using bladed weapons and a vehicle. The immediate Police response was swift and highly effective, clearly lessons had been learned but again we saw how easy it is to launch an attack on innocents. In my view these three attacks have created a watershed moment, a historical change that means we may well in future regard 2017 in the UK as pre and post 2017. Pre 2017 being a period when we thought we were reasonably well protected, resilient and able to respond effectively to a given threat
– and people went about their business feeling safe and secure. Post 2017 being a period where we know we aren’t as well protected as we want or need to be; we’re not as resilient to threats and the ability to respond is not as effective as we hoped it would be. Because of these attacks, it feels that every trip to we take to a high street, a venue, a transport hub potentially puts us and those we care about at risk. This is an unprecedented time in our country, we are no longer safe, every journey, every activity outside of our front door feels like it could put us at risk. Statistically, there is more risk of being bitten by a shark than being a victim of terrorism. We can mitigate against shark attacks by not going into the sea . . . we are vulnerable. ASIS UK and organisations like us are in a position to help reduce these risks and vulnerabilities. As security professionals we all need to do that much more, to help and support the police and security services – and each other. We can share ideas more, we can share information and intelligence more, we can share best practice – we can help those who don’t have our level of training, qualifications, experience and expertise. There are many people who do not share our capabilities and I firmly believe that it is our job, indeed our duty to help protect and support them – it’s why we do what we do, it’s why we’re in the security industry. We can do this not just through physical and technical measures but through increased awareness and response capabilities, through
smarter and pragmatic education, better information sharing, identifying more informed and easily achievable ways of protecting ourselves and others from those who wish to cause harm. We need to change the way we think, the way we act and the way we respond. We need to collaborate more and be bold in our views, our assessments, our measures and our advice – both inside and outside of our work and membership organisations. I call upon all ASIS UK members, indeed all security membership organisations and all security professionals to do more, to take responsibility, to support and help the police, to support and help the security services, the emergency services – and each other in every way we can. I call upon us all – to do more, to do better, to do more together. TOGETHER, BETTER. Your Chairman David