- 18th November 2014
- Posted by: cssc_admin
- Category: CSSC Scotland News
Businesses are being urged to build their resilience as recent events have shown that the threat from terrorism remains ever present.
In August the overall threat to the UK from International Terrorism was raised to SEVERE. While police forces throughout the UK have reviewed their policing plans to ensure they continue to provide a proper and proportionate response, countering the terrorist threat is not the responsibility for police and security partners alone.
Police officers and staff are being extra vigilant but vigilance and the need to report suspicious activity to the police applies across the community and includes businesses. Police Scotland is seeking to engage the business community, to address any concerns they may have and to assist in their preparations against the terrorist threat.
Businesses in Scotland are being invited to get involved in the UK wide Counter Terrorism Awareness Week, which will run from 24 November. It will feature a range of opportunities and products (outlined below) to help businesses build resilience and the business sector is urged to participate.
Detective Superintendent Gregor Campbell from Police Scotland’s Organised Crime & Counter Terrorism Unit (OCCTU) is coordinating the CT Awareness Week in Scotland. He said: “Tackling terrorism is one of our key priorities and we are fully committed to doing so through every element of the CONTEST strategy. Delivering the CONTEST strategy and countering the terrorist threat is not the exclusive domain of the police; rather, it’s the collective effort that ensures Scottish communities, including the business network, remain strong, cohesive and resilient. I would encourage the Scottish business community to support each of the available products, particularly during CT Awareness Week; they provide an ideal way for you to play your part in countering the terrorist threat.”
The range of products stem from CONTEST, the UK Government’s Counter Terrorism strategy which is based on four workstreams;
- Pursue: To stop terrorist attacks;
- Prevent: To stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism;
- Protect: To strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack;
- Prepare: Where an attack cannot be stopped, to mitigate its impact.
Together these workstreams aim to reduce the threat to the United Kingdom and its interest overseas, from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence. Police Scotland is fully engaged with local, national and international partners to deliver CONTEST and to address the current threat.
The products available are:
Project Argus takes delegates through a terrorist scenario, highlighting the importance of being prepared and having the necessary plans in place to protect people, buildings and reputations. Project Argus generally runs over a three hour period and has been designed for those operating in what may be regarded as Crowded Places.
Project Griffin is an internationally acclaimed protective security initiative aimed at the business, retail and commercial communities. It aims to provide an understanding of the practical measures that can be taken to counter terrorism and extremism in our communities, providing inputs on Bomb Threat Management, Suspicious Packages, Hostile Reconnaissance and Firearms Incidents.
Knowledge gained through Project Griffin is transferable to other emergency situations such as extreme weather. On completion of the training each participant is awarded a Certificate of Attendance.
A number of other products are available which support the ‘Prevent’ workstream. The Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent (WRAP) is an interactive facilitated workshop, which assists participants to identify potentially vulnerable victims who may be susceptible to persuasion by a terrorist ideology.
ACT Now (All Communities Together) is a table top exercise based on a hypothetical terrorism scenario which encourages debate around this sensitive subject. Decisions taken by the participants shape how the ‘incident’ is investigated, providing an insight into how agencies and communities can work together to defeat terrorism. ACT Now is suitable for audiences from aged 14 years and can be delivered in up to two hours.
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For more information on available products, the impact of the threat level on your business or on the forthcoming CT Awareness Week, please contact:
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