Project Griffin Industry Self Delivery aims to reach 1 million workers a year

Originally launched in the City of London in 2004, specialist officers around the country now deliver Project Griffin briefings to 100,000 workers every year. However, a new programme, Project Griffin – Industry Self Delivery, aims to reach ten times that number.

Building on the existing partnership between counter terrorism police, emergency services and local companies, this new initiative, launched in April, targets sectors such as retail, hospitality, entertainment and travel.

Self delivery

Detective Chief Superintendent Scott Wilson, the national police coordinator for Protect and Prepare, told an audience at Security and Counter Terror Expo, “Police can help explain what the threats and risks to different sectors are, but companies are better placed to explain to staff exactly what action they can take to enhance their security and how to respond if the worst happens.

“Individual organisations have vital protective security information such as building layouts, security equipment and safety procedures. They have the local knowledge that could be vital to keeping staff and the public safe. This is why we have devised self-briefing packages bespoke to different sectors.

“We have developed excellent working partnerships since the launch of Project Griffin and hope this approach will help us provide many more eyes and ears to assist the police.”

Positive expansion of Project Griffin

The response to the launch has been positive.  DCS Wilson said, “The launch of this campaign has seen many companies approach NaCTSO to enquire about how they can deliver Griffin training. We are continuing our drive to get businesses involved in delivering training to their own staff and have been pleasantly surprised with the level of the response we received following the launch of the initiative.”

Don Randall MBE, Chairman of the National Griffin Executive Board and Founder of Project Griffin, said, “This expansion of Project Griffin is a very welcome initiative and will serve to increase communication and response to substantially more members of the business community. We will ensure the appropriate audits and controls to maintain the standard of delivery and, in line with the original principles of Project Griffin, this will be a non-commercial approach.”

Organisations signing up to the initiative will need to be public limited companies and have a team of qualified trainers. Priority will be given to those who operate in a crowded place, such as a city centre, sporting or entertainment complex.

“Companies who meet the criteria should contact us and we will work with their training teams to ensure they have all that they need to deliver Project Griffin approved training themselves,” explains DCS Wilson.

Police will continue to offer the briefings for smaller organisations in priority areas which do not have their own training teams.

To find out more, visit the National Counter Terrorism Security Office website www.nactso.gov.uk