The Immediate Responder

Incidents like the attack on Ohio State University are likely to increase in the months and years ahead.  For quite some time now, jihadist organizations have been encouraging sympathizers to conduct simple attacks using easily obtainable weapons like vehicles, knives and even fire.  Such operations typically cause less damage than a bomb or small arms attack, but they are, conversely, more difficult to detect. After all, vehicles, knives and flammable materials are common items that do not invite scrutiny.  Beyond the ease of gathering weapons, a single terrorist doesn’t have to worry about co-conspirators who might make a mistake or have a change of heart and turn in their partners.   Given the relative ease of such attacks and the accompanying media attention, other groups, as well as, deranged individuals are likely to be inspired to action.   

It has been said that when seconds count the Police are minutes away. This is not a criticism of law enforcement; just an acknowledgement of the fact that the Police cannot be everywhere all the time. The same goes for Fire and EMS; a great deal of damage can be done prior to the arrival of first responders.

The fact is that you might one day find yourself in the midst of a critical incident. If that happens, it is important to realize that while first responders are en route, you are an immediate responder. 

If you professional training that’s great, but what if you don’t?  Can you do any of the following?

(1. ) Try to prevent the incident by being vigilant, recognizing JDLR (Just Don’t Look Right) situations and reporting them to the Police?

(2.) Help people escape to safety?

(3.) Apply basic first aid and CPR to victims?

(4.) Use a fire extinguisher?

(5.) Calm frightened people?

(6.) Provide detailed descriptions of an aggressor to the Police?

(7. ) Attempt to deescalate a tense situation with an aggressor?

(8.) Engage an aggressor with hands, improvised weapons or legally carried firearms?

While not everyone is meant to, or even has a desire to be a professional first responder, that doesn’t mean you can’t help in a critical incident. Take stock of you capabilities today, obtain some additional training and make a commitment to protect yourself, others and your community.  

A Primer on Detecting Deception

Lies are powerful weapons and those who are proficient in their use can destroy relationships, cause financial ruin and, in the right circumstances, even kill.  Much has been written about how to spot deception. Popular media creates fictional characters that can detect someone who is lying by how they wrinkle their nose while looking up and  to the left...or is that down and to the right? It doesn’t really matter because either way, its fiction. 

That’s not to say that there are not elements of truth to some of these fictional stories. Many of the writers do some surface level research and, to their credit, they create entertaining characters. The problem comes when people who watch these shows think they now know how to tell whether their coworker, business partner or teenager is lying.  Some people get so caught up in the surface level specifics they “learned” from television that they ignore obvious red flags. 

Detecting deception doesn’t have to be that difficult; here are a few very basic skills  and considerations that, will help you, if you cultivate them over time. 

MAKE A HABIT OF LISTENING & WATCHING CAREFULLY:  As the old saying goes, God gave us two ears and two eyes but only one mouth. In other words, we should listen and watch at least twice as much as we speak. When we listen only enough to respond we miss subtile verbal cues, changes in body language and conversational undercurrents that can serve to inform us.

ESTABLISH WHAT IS NORMAL: If someone uses gestures when they speak, uses a lot of filler words or fails to make eye contact, these COULD be indicators of deception or they COULD just as easily be completely normal for that individual.You won’t know unless you take the time to discover what normal is for that person. This is where popular media can get us into trouble. We see a TV show that tells us that a certain behavior is a clear sign of deception when, in fact, it might be perfectly consistent with the individual’s baseline behavior. 

WATCH FOR CHANGES IN BASELINE BEHAVIOR & CORRELATE TO THE STIMULUS: If you are having a conversation with someone and their pattern of speech, body language or other normal behaviors suddenly change it is worth taking note of. As the conversation continues pay close attention and try to correlate the change in behavior to the topic at hand or external factor that might be present. 

ASK QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO & CONSIDER HISTORY: If someone lies to you and you have direct knowledge of it’s falsehood than that’s a huge red flag. People who routinely lie about little things are likely to lie about big things as well. Does the person you are talking to have a habit of lying or just being wrong about key issues? In either case, it is wise to proceed with caution.

REMEMBER, THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE USUALLY AREN'T TRUE: As the popular saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The corollary to that is that if something sounds too bad to be true it may very well be exaggerated. Listen very carefully to what is said. Does the person speaking have a ready answer to every question...even those you didn’t ask? Does the person give so much detail that it seems contrived? Does the person mix few details with a great deal of emotion or excitement? 

REMEMBER, SITUATIONS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE USUALLY AREN'T TRUE: So you received that email from the Nigerian General who says that he learned of you through the U.S. Embassy. If you don’t have friends in the State Department or affiliated agencies how likely is that to to be true?  Even more importantly, how likely is it that a person who has  never met you wants to give you $300,000,000 for safe keeping and, as a reward, he’ll let you keep 10%. Similarly you suddenly meet a woman who looks like she came from a photo shoot in Milan and she seems very interested in you. Ask yourself; is this normal for you? If not, she wants something!  Congratulations! You’ve just won the lottery and you didn’t even enter it... Can you win a lottery that you didn’t enter...no, no you  you can’t.

RUSHED DECISIONS ARE RARELY GOOD DECISIONS: When someone pressures you to make an instant decision you can fairly assume that they don’t want you thinking too much.  Take your time, think through the situation and make a good decision. If necessary walk away.

EMOTIONAL DECISIONS ARE RARELY GOOD DECISIONS: When someone with who you have absolutely no relationship tries to pull at your heart strings, it is almost always a sign of manipulation. Take your time, find out all the facts and then make a decision.

CHALLENGES TO YOUR IDENTITY: Some people will try to subtly challenge your identity in an attempt to manipulate you. If you see yourself as a “good person” who wants help others, the challenger will inevitably be the person who needs help.  In worse cases,  If you see yourself as “non-judgmental” you might very well ignore your gut feeling to leave a bad situation. If you grew up believing that you always had to “be polite” then you are likely to wait too long to draw clear boundary lines 

TRUST BUT VERIFY:  Take time to verify the truth claims of someone you are not sure about. If you can’t verify the claim it might be because the claim is false.

Finally, remember that in most situations, you are not required to call a liar out. You are not required to give an explanation as to why your answer is no and you are not required to debate.  In fact, explaining your reasons for distrusting someone will only help educate them to become a better liar.

Personal and Group Security at Large Public Gatherings

As an introvert, I’ve never been especially fond of large public gatherings. Some people can relax and lose themselves in the crowd; others like me find such events fundamentally unrelaxing. 

As a career security professional, I even have more reason to dislike large public gatherings.  I know that 99% of the people at a given event are there for the right reasons. What concerns me is the remaining 1% that is often composed of drunks, thieves, predators and those prone to social violence.  Rarer still, but with greater potential consequences, are groups that want to disrupt the event, mentally unstable people who want their 5 minutes of fame or even terrorists seeking to kill and call attention to their cause.

Nonetheless, it is unreasonable and possibly even unhealthy to avoid all large public gatherings. Like most people, I’ve enjoyed going to conventions, concerts, lectures, gradations, games and similar events. Unlike many people however I embrace the need to maintain a heightened level of situational awareness not only for my own security but for the protection of those around me.

If you are a protector; if you believe that someone needs to be the adult and look out for others then I invite you to consider the following basic principles on how to deal with personal and group security when in crowded venues.

MINDSET: Understand that bad things happen to someone, somewhere every day and nothing exempts you from trouble. In other words, it can happen to you.

RESPONSIBILITY: Whether you are male or female, young or old, you have a responsibility to protect others within your capabilities. So, if you possess the physical capability to protect others then you should do so. If you are discerning and can see trouble developing, then you have a responsibility to alert others. If you have the ability to deescalate bad situations then you should do so.

ATTEND AS A GROUP: Groups of people present a harder target than an individual or a couple.

COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP: When gathering a group of people try to maintain a reasonable ratio of men to women and children. It is never reasonable to expect one adult male to effectively protect a large group of women and children. The more balanced the ratio the more deterrence and response value is present.

HAVE A PLAN: As a group determine, what you will do in various circumstances. What if someone gets separated?  What if there is an evacuation of the venue? What if someone gets hurt? etc. etc.  An incident will never take place exactly as you have planned, but the act of planning will give you a baseline to make informed decisions.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: Make a habit of noticing details. Where are the primary and secondary entrances and exits? Who is nearby? What are they doing? Do they seem to be carrying a weapon? Does their demeanor seem reasonable given the environment?  Do they seem to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Where is the focus of their attention? If they are paying too much attention to you, your group or the Police there may be a problem.

MOVEMENT & POSITIONING: Most people do not consider how their movement and relative position impacts their security and the security the group. If your group has people who need additional levels of protection, such as children, then those people should be in the middle of the group. The people in your group who are the natural protectors should maintain a box around this group and closely monitor anyone who tries to enter the box. Similarly, when moving, the box should be maintained as much as possible. If you are you not used to doing this it is difficult and can feel alien, but it does provide better group security. With significant practice it becomes second nature.

BE WILLING TO TAKE ACTION: Many crime victims say that they had a feeling that something wasn’t right before the incident. Don’t rationalize danger signs. Take action to either remove yourself and your group from the threat or, if that is not possible to effectively engage the threat.

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY:   By now, we’ve all likely heard the phrase, “If you see something; say something.”  It is almost cliché, but it is nonetheless true.  You should report any activity that looks suspicious to you to the proper authorities. By making the environment safer for others you will also make it safer for yourself and your group.  

KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE: Most people have no intention or desire to hurt you however it only takes one incident to significantly impact you and your group. Be vigilant, plan and be willing to take action, but remember that God is in control.

Still On Watch...In Papua New Guinea

It has been a very long time since my last post and a great deal has happened in the intervening years.

In January of 2014, I left the corporate and consulting worlds, became a missionary and moved to Papua New Guinea, where I now serve as the Security Operations Manager for the Summer Institute of Linguistics in Ukarumpa. 

For readers who are interested in our missionary work, please feel free to visit our mission blog at:

 Highland Mission: The Watson's in Papua New Guinea

As far as this blog goes, my intention is to keep it going in an effort to provide readers with foundational security concepts, best practices and ideas for consideration.

About Consulting & Speaking: 

When I am in the U.S. I typically have some consulting  and security related speaking availability, but my preference is to accept pro-bono assignments for Churches, Christian Schools, Missions etc. 

More posts to come soon...

The Top Ten Things a Security Professional Can Do To Establish Credibility with Senior Management

Many people say that knowledge is power but my own experience casts doubt on such optimism. Although it would be nice if the "correct" answer, from a security standpoint, were readily understood and accepted by those we serve, this is rarely the case. It is for this reason that two of the most common truisms of the security field are as follows:

"Without the long-term support of senior management, a security program will eventually fail."

and

"Security professionals must consistently seek to understand the organization they serve."

I wholeheartedly agree with both of these statements and offer the following ten
tips on how to build credibility with senior management.

1. REMEMBER THE ROLE OF SECURITY: Security is a support function whose purpose is to assist the organization reach its goals and objectives. If we want to be taken seriously, then we should not argue that Security is an end in itself.

2. DEMONSTRATE A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE CORE BUSINESS: There is more to an organization than security and other risk management functions. The failure to recognize this fact can lead senior management to view security as out of touch.

3. BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME: Time is in short supply and senior management has to consider the overall direction of the organization.

4. PROVIDE OPTIONS: It is a rare situation that only has one answer. When providing recommendations to senior management, it is wise to provide at least three options. While it is expected that the security professional will advocate for a particular course of action, the failure to point out other options may be viewed by some executives as a failure to be thorough.

5. DEMONSTRATE CARING FOR OTHER PEOPLE: Security professionals frequently deal with highly emotional issues. A failure to demonstrate caring from others undermines the very essence of the protective mission and leads to a loss of credibility.

6. DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY: Security professionals are in a position of trust. It is not enough to simply avoid violations of law and organizational policy; the security professional must consider law and policy to be minimal standards of behavior and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

7. ENDEAVOR TO BE CONSISTENT: Security professionals are under constant observation by employees and senior management alike. A failure to treat people or situations in a consistent manner may lead to the perception that the Security Department is arbitrary.

8. ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN CROSS FUNCTIONAL TEAMS: Participation in cross functional teams helps the security professional understand operational needs, establish rapport with counterparts from other departments and demonstrate a desire to assist the organization beyond his or her normal duties.

9. PRODUCE ADDED VALUE FOR THE ORGANIZATION: Security is a difficult concept to quantify. After all, is the absence or decrease in the number of security incidents an indicator that security is doing a great job or that security really isn’t needed? Utilizing existing security personnel to provide value added services without compromising the core protective function provides one means of demonstrating the worth of security to senior management.

10. BE DISCREET: Security professionals who handle sensitive organizational or personal matters with discretion are viewed by senior management as valuable assets.

These steps are simple, but they are definitely NOT easy.

By: SA Watson

An Occupational Hazard

I once attended a graduation party for one of my wife’s students. The young graduate was an adept hostess and, in an effort to ensure that people felt comfortable with one another, she began introducing everyone. At one point she introduced me to a woman who was about my age, and jokingly said, “You'd better watch out. Mr. Watson is in the security business.” Inwardly I cringed, knowing what would come next…. Just as I thought, the woman immediately launched into an animated story about how the Security Officer at her place of employment had stopped her because she forgot her badge. Since this type of thing happens to me often, I knew the drill; I politely listened and then made my escape when another person was introduced.

Although the woman seemed nice and was probably just trying to relate to someone she'd just met, I found this and similar experiences rather exasperating. After all, the lady had no idea what type of security business I was in. For all she knew, I owned a gun shop. Besides, did she really think that someone in the security business would be sympathetic to her plight? If so, she was mistaken. My sarcastic nature wanted to say something like, “Oh, that dastardly company! I can’t believe that make you wear a badge, of all things. How terrible, how utterly terrible!”, but I’m not that good of an actor. I’m sorry, but being required to wear an item that weighs less than an ounce doesn’t seem like such a heavy burden to me.

A similar incident happened when I was asked to coordinate security for a children’s event at my church. It was the first time the event had a security staff, so I wanted to make sure we would set the right tone. One lady, who I normally get along with quite well, dismissively said to me, “I don’t even know why we need security!”. Once again, my sense of diplomacy won out. Instead of asking whether she had read a newspaper in the last ten years, I simply tore out a page from the post orders and handed it to her. The page discussed how children are a gift from God and how the church had a moral, ethical and legal responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect them. It then went on to explain how pedophiles often show up at children’s events.

Our Choices Impact Others
I could cite literally dozens of other examples. When it comes to security matters, otherwise nice and intelligent people frequently make uninformed comments. I’ve come to realize that people aren’t trying to be mean or obnoxious when they say such things. They really don’t consider that bad things happen to someone, somewhere every day.

Since most of the people we run into haven’t experienced a critical incident, they dismiss the possibility of it occurring. After all, we tend to filter data through our own experience.

Indeed, after 17 years as a security professional, I have increasingly come to see that my role has a great deal more to do with teaching and sales than I had previously realized. If you regularly read this blog, you probably already have a security mindset. If so, then I encourage you to educate others. Something you say just may save their life. If you haven’t been reading this blog for awhile then I encourage you to do so and to look at other sources of information on personal security. If approached from a rational process, security can be integrated into your daily life without impacting the quality of your life.

By: SA Watson

Building Security Assessments: A Quick Guide for Users

Buildings play a significant role in our lives. We live in homes, apartments and dorms. We work in office parks, stores and high rises. We go to school on campuses and we attend a whole host of events indoors. Still, if you’re like most people you never give the physical security of these structures a second thought. That is until, something gets stolen or someone gets assaulted. In the aftermath of an event, security receives a great deal of attention…for awhile.

As a security professional, I’ve rarely been called in to review the security of a building for proactive reasons. Typically something has already happened; either in that facility or somewhere nearby. When consulting about such issues, I spend a great deal of time emphasizing the need for a proactive mindset regarding security. Sometimes these efforts bear fruit. Other times, people listen politely and then promptly ignore everything I’ve just told them. This used to surprise me, but it no longer does. It is simply human nature. In the absence of immediate threat, most people relax to the point of their previous vulnerability.

Whose Responsibility is it?
Building owners, managers and their agents have legal, ethical and moral responsibilities to provide a reasonably safe environment for the users of their facility. Still, if you’ve been reading this blog for awhile now, you know that you cannot solely rely on others to protect you. A basic knowledge of physical security concepts will help you make informed decisions about your personal security.

Physical Security 101
While the purpose, operating parameters and specific risks of every building are unique, there are some physical security concepts that are universal. I encourage you to take the following into consideration when deciding how your personal security is impacted by the buildings you frequent.

Concentric Circles: The concentric circle theory of security is fundamental to understanding how physical protection measures should be deployed. Concentric Circle theory says that a building should be surrounded by multiple layers or “concentric circles” of increasingly heightened security. In order for an adversary to gain access to the building’s most valuable assets, he would have to first pass through all the other layers of security. These multiple layers of security increase the odds are that the adversary would be stopped prior to reaching his target.

The concentric circle theory of security is not new. In fact, the concept has been with us since people lived in walled cities and castles. Still, many organizations fail to make adequate use of this fundamental concept. Far too many organizations employ an outer layer of security and then call it done. As a direct result of such thinking, once an adversary gets past the building’s outer perimeter, they can wander about freely. While this is very convenient for legitimate users, it is equally convenient for criminals, disgruntled former employees, stalkers and abusers

The Four Ds of Physical Security: The 4 D’s of physical security is a complementary concept to the concentric circle model discussed above. The 4 Ds include Deterrence, Detection, Delay and Denial.

Deterrence: At the outer edge of the concentric circle model is the complimentary concept of deterrence. Deterrence is based on the idea that a rational adversary will make a value judgment about the ease or difficulty associated with committing a particular crime at a particular location. A crime is “deterred” when the adversary judges that the level of visible security poses too much of a risk of being caught and therefore decides to move on to another target. While most people and organizations believe in the concept of deterrence, it is exceptionally difficult to quantify. After all, how does one measure an event that never happened? Still, common sense dictates that deterrence is real and can prevent at least some people from selecting a particular location for their criminal activities.

Detection: If an adversary is not deterred by the visible security at a given location, the next best step is early detection. Detection is the point at which responders learn that the adversary has gained unauthorized access to the facility. Detection includes such countermeasures as cameras, alarms and employee awareness programs to name a few.

Delay: Delay, as the name implies, serves to slow down the advance of an adversary until the arrival of security or police responders. Delay must work in conjunction with detection. In other words, an adversary must be detected first, and then delayed long enough for responders to reach the adversary. Delaying measures typically include various types of barriers and locks.

Denial: Denial occurs when security or police responders arrive on scene and capture or cause the retreat of the adversary.

Note that all four Ds must work together.

1. If an adversary is not deterred, there must be a method of detection

2. If an adversary is detected, the detection technology needs to elicit a response from the security forces.

3. While the security forces are en route, there must be sufficient delaying mechanisms present to allow the responders to reach the scene in a timely manner.

4. When the responders reach the scene, they need to be equipped and trained so as to properly handle the situation.


Characteristics of a Secure Facility
"Secure" is a relative term, but as a matter of practicality the reader should consider how the presence or lack of the following characteristics could impact their personal security program.

Area Characteristics:

1. Is the building located in a high crime area?

2. Is the building located near high profile facilities that are likely to be targeted by criminals or terrorists?

3. Are there any obvious natural hazards that could impact your safety?

4. Are there any technological hazards or unsafe conditions that could pose a hazard to you?


Property & Building Characteristics:

1. Does the property have well established borders and an easily identifiable purpose?

2. Does the property limit areas of concealment and allow for natural surveillance?

3. Is the facility well maintained?

4. Is the facility well lit?

5. Is there a method of actively controlling access to the property?

6. Is there a method of actively controlling access to the building?

7. Are visitors required to be escorted by employees or other authorized persons?

8. Do the occupants have a sense of ownership and/or community?

9. Is there an onsite security force present? If so, do they look and act professionally?

10. Do security personnel or another designated group provide escorts to people walking to their vehicles?

11. If cameras are present, are they well maintained and actively monitored by a real, live person?

12. Is the facility adequately segmented into layers of security?

13. Finally, if you were going to commit a crime, would you choose this facility? Why or why not?

One need not be a security professional to adequately assess the personal risk they face as a user of a particular building. Applying the basic concepts discussed here should assist the reader in determining how the security measures at a given facility may impact their personal security program.

By: SA Watson