Update on National Step Change Programme
Following the terrorist incidents of 2017, Counter Terrorism Policing launched the Step Change programme with the aim of enhancing private public collaboration to improve security. At a recent national Protect and Prepare conference, Superintendent Nick Aldworth, the newly appointed National Counter Terrorism Protect and Prepare Coordinator, provided an update on progress.
Within the programme, five strands of activity have been identified:
- Crowded Places – with education and mobilisation initiatives to enable industry to self-deliver
- Security and Resilience – including an alliance with the SIA, potentially with a new curriculum for licensed security officers
- Cyber and Finance – with the potential for a cadre of industry experts to provide advice
- Transport – including upskilling the maritime workforce and equipping guards on trains
- Travel and Tourism – identifying priority locations, optimising advice and considering whether hotels should be licensed for their security provision.
Each strand has ten to twenty projects and, of these, 25 priority projects have been identified.
The governance for the programme has also been established, including a steering group, programme board and management office.
Chief Superintendent Aldworth emphasised how the opportunity now exists to create a truly mobilised society to protect against and prepare for terrorist incidents and noted the positive response from the security sector to date. However, he highlighted the risks involved: there is no new money for this programme and no new regulation to back it up.
Call to Action
Following this conference, in June Counter Terrorism Policing issued a Call to Action for policing, the private sector and government to support the integrated delivery of the twenty-five priority projects, asking for people to develop them, lead them and deliver them, facilitated by policing and government where appropriate.
To find out more, search the Step Change Call to Action on the government website.
