Many times I have been asked by business owners “Why should I invest money in a security program; shouldn’t the police provide all of the protection I need?”

This is correct, the local police departments do provide a certain degree of protection; but generally they are not adequately staffed to be your only source of protection.  It is up to the business owner to seek other means of security.

Property owners have a responsibility to provide sufficient security to protect their visitors and employees from criminal activity.  If your establishment undergoes an act of crime, you run the risk of being a victim twice; first by the crime itself and secondly by the criminal’s actions.

Property liability for criminal acts of third parties has been the subject of conversation for business for years.  Businesses have been sued for millions of dollars because they failed to provide adequate security for their employees and customers.  Rental property owners are being sued with increasing frequency by tenants injured by criminals, with settlements and jury awards typically ranging from $100,000 to $1 million.

$12 million in damages

The owner of a frozen-yogurt shop and the owner of the Austin, Texas mall where it is situated agreed to pay $12 million to the parents of four teen-age girls who were murdered during a 1991 robbery in     the store where two of the girls worked. The suit, alleging inadequate security, was settled even though the crime was not solved.

$450,000 in damages

Inadequate security: Failure to warn resident of an Apartments complex.  One night, a man broke into to her apartment through the bedroom window and she was sexually assaulted. The intruder pled guilty to first degree rape and sodomy. She sued the complex owner, alleging inadequate security, alleging the bathroom window’s latch was broken.  During the two years before the assault, investigations of a double murder, three rapes, and numerous prowler complaints.

That was two of many lawsuits and settlements alleging inadequate security. Before I give my opinion on the question “Is a Security Program Necessary” let’s take a look at the definition of inadequate security.

Inadequate is defined as not adequate; unequal to the purpose; insufficient; as inadequate resources, power, conceptions, representation, etc.

Security is defined as the condition or quality of being secure; Freedom of risk; safety; that which secures or makes safe; protection; guard; defense; etc.

Inadequate Security could be defended as one that fails to provide a secure and freedom of risk or harm.  The owner fails to take reasonable measures to protect against foreseeable dangers to the tenants, employees and their guest.

We have talked about providing a safe and secure place for your employees, invitees, tenants and foreseeable dangers. What would be some of the foreseeable dangers?

Imminent harm: Foreseeability determined by evidence that the property owner or custodian of the property knew or should have known a particular crime was imminent based on prior incidences of the crime in the area or on the property.

Prior similar incidences: Foreseeability determined by evidence of comparable criminal acts during a specific time frame on or near the property.

Totality of the circumstances: Foreseeable determined by the location, condition and layout of the premises, and other relevant factors, including any prior criminal activity on or near the premises.

If you’re open to the public and have one employee or one hundred employees, security should be 1^st and foremost on your priority list.

Case history indicates that a crime-free property is good for business and it just makes good business sense.  Follow these steps to get your business on the pathway to a safer environment.

Step - 1: Crime Risk Assessment

Step - 2: Develop a Security Plan of Action

Step - 3: Policy and Procedure Solutions

Step - 4: Physical Security Solutions

Step - 5: Security Management Training

Step - 6: Partnership with TMLA Law Enforcement

Step - 7: Maintain the Standards

Case study indicates that a crime-free property is good for business and it just makes good business sense.  Follow these seven steps to get your business on the pathway to a safer and secure environment.

 Step - 1: Crime Risk Assessment

 Step - 2: Develop a Security Plan of Action

 Step - 3: Policy and Procedure Solutions

 Step - 4: Physical Security Solutions

 Step - 5: Security Management Training

 Step - 6: Partnership with TMLA and Law Enforcement

 Step - 7: Maintain the Standards

Remember, much like the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”. Don’t make yourself a victim when it might be avoidable.

Recommended web browser for higher safety is Firefox.

Who may be at risk?

Windows XP, 2000 and Server 2003 users who use older Internet Explorer Versions. On certain Internet Explorers - Microsoft ActiveX Vulnerability may allow malicious bots or hackers to control computer and possibly obtain private data.

How this might occur:

If a user visits a malicious Web site or a legitimate Web site that has been compromised or infected with malicious code. When a user visits an infected site, the site may deliver malicious software unknowingly to the user’s computer. That in turn could allow an attacker to download more malicious programs, intercept information such as credit card numbers, passwords) or even optain files that which reside on the victim’s computer.

Severity: High Risk

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Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	1  Day 1 of 3C ommission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	2Day 2 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	3  Day 3 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	4	5	6     Personal Protection Officer Class9:00am - 6:00pm
7   Personal Protection Officer Class9:00am - 6:00pm	8	9 Security Re-Qualification 9:00am - 5:00pm	10	11	12    Day 1 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	13   Day 2 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm
14Day 3 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	15	16	17	18 Security Re-Qualification 9:00am - 5:00pm	19	20
21	22	23	24  Day 1 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	25  Day 2 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	26   Day 3 of 3Commission Security Class 8:00am - 7:00pm	27
28	29	30	31 Security Re-Qualification 9:00am - 5:00pm

What are executive protection and security services?

Executive protection services make use of security professionals such as bodyguards, EP agents, or executive protection specialists to protect the welfare and safety of an individual. Executive protection can also extend from physical protection of an individual to protection of a company’s property or assets. In some cases, executive protection professionals also are assigned to help protect an individual’s family.

Who uses executive protection?

Celebrities, corporations, companies, company VIPs, and government officials have all traditionally used EP services to keep themselves, their property, and their families safe. However, in today’s world, more and more everyday individuals are finding that executive protection helps them, too.

Why do people hire executive protection agents?

Everyday individuals hire executive protection for many reasons. EP agents can be crucial in threat assessments, for example, and can help keep those involved in child abuse investigations or domestic abuse investigations safe. If a threat has been made against a person or family, executive protection or bodyguard services can offer protection that local law enforcement cannot.

What is involved in executive protection services?

Usually, a person interested in executive protection will speak to a private investigator who will offer a threat assessment to determine whether a risk exists and what that risk may be. If the client and investigator decide that executive protection is a good idea, one or two agents (either armed or unarmed, depending on the situation) are assigned. These agents go where the individual goes and they aim mainly to provide non-invasive, non-confrontational avoidance, which means that their main concern is to stay out of the way and without aggression to prevent incidents or security risks from arising. If the person who is being protected n threatened, the agents can step in to defend that person, can seek help from law enforcement, and can generally do many things to help defuse the situation. Their main concern in these situations is to get the person they are protecting out of the situation and out of harm’s way.

What should I look for in executive protection professionals?

In most states, executive protection experts or bodyguards need a private investigator’s / security license. However, you should also look for agents who have the skills you need. For example, if you are looking for security in a high-risk area away from home (such as in Israel or the Middle East) look for agents with military and weapons experience. If you are looking for someone to protect you and your property and company systems, look for agents with computer knowledge. Interview several executive protection professionals to find someone you trust and feel comfortable with.