Protecting the Peace: Public protest and private security

We are fortunate to live in a liberal democracy where people are free to engage in protest. But protest is often confrontational, and private security guards are often on the front line, writes Joanna Mathers.

From civil unrest in Hong Kong, to the Ihumātao action in Auckland, protests are ramping up around the globe. While the right to protest is enshrined within our political system, when it spills over into private property, problems can arise.

The Hong Kong protests have seen security guards arrested for allegedly preventing police from chasing protestors into a mall. And most recently, they’ve been at the forefront of angry shouting mobs, as more than 100 demonstrators attempted to enter a shopping complex in the east of the city.

Closer to home, security guards on Waiheke Island were called “heavy handed” when they were involved in removing protestors from private property in 2012. The incident centred around 13 guards, who along with police, stopped locals protesting against the barging of two prefabricated units over an esplanade reserve. Eight people were detained by police, and according to claims, guards carried protestors away from the site.

If not handled correctly, protest situations can escalate quickly and publically. It’s vital, therefore, that security companies have plans in place before such action arises, so they know how to protect their clients and avoid harm to people or property.

Public protest in New Zealand’s recent history has been peaceful on the whole. But with movements such as Extinction Rebellion gaining momentum overseas, it seems likely that acts of civil disobedience may increase in our country. Preparedness is the key to mitigating the dangers of such actions, and there are strategies that can be put in place that will safeguard client’s property and the security guards at the coalface.

Gary Morrison, CEO of New Zealand Security Association, explains that there needs to be a multi-layered approach to dealing with security issues around protest action, which puts the needs of the client at the centre.

“When formulating a strategy around what to do in the case of protest, there first needs to be a discussion between the customer and the security firm to ensure the customer’s needs are met.”

With this as a basis for action, security firms can develop plans for dealing with such eventualities. Morrison says that conflict resolution training is part of the basic training for security guards, but as the mandatory training is brief this is unlikely to be sifficient for dealing with real-life conflict caused by protests.

Many security firms have their own in-house training that may deal more specifically with public protest.

In New Zealand, all governmental departments have mandated protective security requirements (PSR) that are based on a risk assessment approach. Security firms who work within such departments need to adhere to these requirements. They are also a useful template for other organisations wanting to take a “best practice” approach.

Of the 20 mandatory requirements, some specifically relate to heightened risk situations. The requirements around increased risk levels involve the development of plans, and preparations to implement these plans when there is a threat to people, information and assets.

It also spells out physical security mandatory requirements around the protection of people, information and assets, and necessitates the analysis of security risks, threats and vulnerabilities.

When a security firm takes on a new customer, there should be a risk assessment that addresses any specific issues of concern. They client may have areas of particular sensitivity that makes them more vulnerable to protest action, so this needs to be factored into any assessment and the staff trained accordingly.

Options for emergency situations such as public protests can be discussed in these early stages. These measures may include establishing when to go into lockdown, determining property lines over which protestors can’t tread, establishing a relationship with local police chiefs, and having ‘trial runs’ of procedures to ensure preparedness for the real event.

As an aside, part of the mandatory requirements for government organisations includes preparing for the continuation of work in the case of danger. Placing a building in lockdown due to dangerous conditions outside will have a financial flow-on, but if the organisation has put the appropriate measures in place, these should mitigate any effects of a lock-down.

The establishment of protocols can underpin any actions that need to be taken in the event of a protest. It needs to also make clear what actions security guards can legally take, and what oversteps the line.

“Security guards are legally able to defend themselves, but they don’t have any more rights than anyone else when it comes to the use of physical force,” explains Morrison. Making sure that all staff know their legal boundaries can help avoid issues such as those which arose during the Waiheke protest.

Public protest situations can be volatile. While there is usually some warning ahead of time that they will be occurring, this is not always the case. It’s best to have plans around worst case scenarios and establish strategies for descaling tension.

Given the correct training, security guards should know the actions that need to be taken when trouble starts to flare up. Morrison says that, in the first instance, front-line security staff need to go up the chain of command to let either their employers or the clients know of the issues.

“The client is the best point of contact if they are on site; if not the security firm management should be contacted.”

Management should be aware of the protocols around protest, and be able to put in place the strategies developed in the planning stages. If there is any imminent danger to people or property, police will need to be alerted and take action.

Good education around the “cans” and “can nots” of the scope within which guards can act does a lot to prevent such issues. As with any security situation, sound assessment of risks and proper planning can help prevent the worst outcomes.