Four easy ways to reassure your customers that safety is a top priority from Counter Terrorism Policing
Your business plays a vital role in encouraging your customers to be vigilant and by doing so, you could prevent hostile reconnaissance and terrorist incidents.
Communicating protective security measures can act as a free and highly effective layer of security, but will it scare or reassure your customers? Evidence suggests that by publicising or talking about protective security, you can provoke positive emotional and behavioural responses and ultimately deter potential hostiles.
Here are four quick and simple ways to reassure your customers through protective security communications from Counter Terrorism Policing’s subject matter experts:
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Clearly communicate your reporting procedures
Research focused on our rail environments has indicated that members of the public are inclined to report suspicious activity to transport staff and nearby businesses, not just the police. Findings also suggest that vigilance messaging, often available as digital screens or traditional posters, can reassure visitors that their concerns will be taken seriously, making them more likely to report. Voicing your procedures and taking reports seriously will create an environment of trust where customers feel confident enough to confide in staff. In turn, this helps you to maintain a good awareness of the activities in and around your premises and manage them accordingly.
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Use protective security to enhance customer experience
Knowing how to report suspicious activity is associated with visitors feeling safer whilst on onsite. Polling conducted by Counter Terrorism Policing found that exposure to security campaign animations at venues and events can trigger positive responses amongst participants, who believed it would make them more vigilant, reassured, and willing to report concerns. In addition, research commissioned by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) to investigate the unintended consequences of public-facing security products and campaigns found no evidence to suggest increased fear or desensitisation as a result of the counter terrorism messaging.
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Take advantage of free security campaigns
Actionable security campaigns and materials can be used to build visitors’ knowledge of the best response to an incident that might happen in or around your site. Exposure to ‘Run Hide Tell’ guidance, for example, was found to significantly increase intentions to adopt safe security behaviours and decrease potentially unsafe behaviours in the face of an attack, without making participants believe they were more at risk. This finding suggests that it is possible to spread awareness within the public by promoting suitable response actions, potentially lessening the impact of an attack in the unlikely event that something happens near your premises.
The ‘Digital Toolkits’ section of ProtectUK contains free vigilance materials, such as printable posters, social media graphics and website content.
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Show potential hostiles that you’re prepared
As well as signalling to customers that you value their safety whilst on your premises, speaking about protective security can also deter hostile actors who might be looking for information about your site to plan an attack. Promoting your protective security measures to visitors onsite or online as part of a Security Minded Communications approach can indicate to hostiles that their reconnaissance or attack will be unsuccessful.
Are you conducting bag checks upon arrival? If so, promote it! Not only is it helpful for customers to know about it ahead of time, but it also sends a warning to anyone who might be looking to bring a prohibited item inside. See the related article Security on you side from The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA, formerly CPNI) on their Security Minded Communications guidance.
To learn more about how to communicate protective security, visit the ‘Communications’ page of ProtectUK.
Keep up to date with the latest developments on Martyn’s Law by visiting the dedicated ProtectUK page. www.protectuk.police.uk
Counter Terrorism Policing.
