Reliance Security partnered with DHL Supply Chain to successfully present the Logistics Security Conference recently, which was hosted by the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire. Providing a detailed insight into a range of key topics and contemporary security challenges affecting the logistics, road transport and distribution industries, the conference attracted over 80 delegates - including DHL management and a selection of DHL and Reliance Security customers. The conference was chaired by Trevor James, Regional Security Manager for DHL Supply Chain.
A brief summary of speakers and themes from the conference is provided below.
Understanding Illegal Immigration Prevention and Penalties Ben Beirne, HM Inspector, Midlands & East Region, UK Border Agency
Ben Beirne of the UK Border Agency presented conference delegates with a useful look at the numerous ways illegal immigrants are able to utilise freight vehicles to gain clandestine entry into the United Kingdom, the methods available to stop them and the penalties imposed on haulage companies where their vehicles are found to have been unintentionally or intentionally involved.
Operation Fairway: Counter Terrorism measures DS Shaun Lord, Counter Terrorist Command, Metropolitan Police
Detective Sergeant Shaun Lord from Counter Terrorist Command at the Metropolitan Police offered seminar delegates an informative outline of police approaches to combating local terrorism threats, with the active participation of the security industry.
Conference delegates were informed of the role of Operation Fairway, the umbrella title given to various workstreams which feed into an intelligence database designed to counter terrorism in its earliest stages of planning. These individual work streams consist of three operations:
Lightning - Intelligence gathering surrounding suspicious activity (such as hostile reconnaissance)
Trammel profiling of offenders and a range of false documentation
Camion gathers intelligence pertaining to acts of terrorism involving vehicle explosives
Those with a responsibility for security are asked to be on alert to the theft of industrial or liveried vehicles which could gain easy access to sites targeted by terrorists, including shopping centres, airports, stadia, bars and clubs or other large public spaces.
The programme asks police officers and security personnel to be aware of the constant threat of terrorism and feed any gathered intelligence, including any concerns regarding individuals behaviour, to their local Special Branch for inclusion on to the National Fairway database. This suspicious behaviour can be anything from employee failure to disclose details of higher education; discrepancies in dates of work history or gaps in employment; supplying forged documents such as P45s; the purchase of commercial vehicles that are sign-written or parked for periods in residential areas; or individuals taking photographs of public places, entrances to car parks or service areas.
ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service / TruckPol update - DCI Mark Hooper, Head of Unit AVCIS
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hooper provided delegates with a comprehensive overview of the roles of AVCIS and TruckPol, two police organisations dedicated to fighting road freight and vehicle crime.
Established in 2006, the ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service is involved in policing a range of vehicle-related crime throughout the United Kingdom, including vehicle theft and links to organised crime; theft from vehicles; exporting of stolen vehicles; clone vehicles; and truck hijackings.
TruckPol is a national intelligence unit set up to collate statistical data and intelligence on UK road freight crime.
Operation Grafton, Hijacking & Thefts DS Jose DeFreitas, Metropolitan Police
Detective Sergeant Jose DeFreitas - from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime Directorate - guided conference delegates through an introduction to Operation Grafton, a Heathrow area initiative dedicated to the investigation of:
The targeting of freight companies and warehouses by organised crime syndicates
Use of bogus police uniforms and bogus police vehicles in organised crime
Vehicle hijackings
Insider threats within airport and baggage-handling facilities
The facilitation of fraud within logistics companies
Criminal groups masquerading as legitimate transport companies
Load diversions and the remote monitoring of controlled deliveries by criminal gangs
Mail and parcel theft
The trafficking of drugs and organic substances such as Khat
DS DeFreitas stressed the importance of thoroughly vetting security and operational staff so that all possible steps are taken to avoid insider threats and insider collaboration with criminals involved in logistics and freight crime.
Protecting your Lone Workers Susan Frith, Deputy Head, NHS Security Management Service; Christine Camilleri, Reliance High-Tech
Susan Frith from the NHS Security Management Service provided conference delegates with an overview of the partnership Reliance has developed with the NHS to supply a full-service protection solution for lone workers. Many NHS employees work alone in the community and face the threat of assault on a daily basis. The principles of protecting lone workers can be applied in almost any industry, logistics included.
After a competitive dialogue procurement process, over 14,000 NHS staff have now been provided with training in Reliances lone worker service. Reliance provides not only the alarm devices themselves, but also an integrated lone worker monitoring service, which together with support from police is already improving the safety of NHS staff. The solution is steadily gaining the confidence of NHS employees, with positive feedback received from many users of the service. Police response times have proven to be rapid in all instances where users have raised an alert that required escalation to the emergency services. On one occasion, a member of the NHS called for assistance via a mobile phone as was informed that the wait time for police support was 20 minutes. On hearing this, the NHS employee activated the alarm; the police response time was within a few minutes.
Christine Camilleri - from security technology experts Reliance High-Tech informed delegates of the benefits of choosing a Lone Worker protection system which complies with the new BS8484 British Standard, recently established as an industry quality measure with a specific focus on lone worker devices and lone worker alarm monitoring infrastructure.
Mrs. Camilleri discussed the specific benefits that a lone working device could bring to the industry. According to data recorded in 2008, there were 310,000 HGV drivers and 216,000 van drivers in the UK. The risks to these drivers while carrying out their day to day tasks vary from accidents, sickness or injury to issues such as load thefts or hijacking. Mrs. Camilleri went on to state that the devices were simple to use, discreet and had the ability to capture better evidence of an incident.
Olympics update Fraser Halliday, Specialist Services Director, Reliance Security Services
Reliances Specialist Services Director, Fraser Halliday, presented conference delegates with a summary of the vast security and logistical challenges London will face in preparation for - and during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mr. Halliday detailed Reliances involvement in the event, and the companys strategic approach to the challenges that will arise. Mr. Halliday gave some excellent advice for businesses make sure you manage your companys tender processes some time before or after the Olympics.
Other issues discussed included:
UK-wide limitations on resources, trained security personnel, facilities and infrastructure
Space and transport impacts
Assessing the risks
Reliances commitment to supporting all of the companys existing customers
Maintaining employee loyalty
Managing your staffs holiday requirements
Planning of executive movements, protest management and business continuity
Working with Police and local authorities to support their 2012 Olympics management strategies
Add a Comment
No messages on this article yet