Summary Public services - Security Procedures - P1

Identify the main threats to the security of people, property and premises in a chosen public service

People, premises and property: There are many threats to people, premises and property. These
threats can be of many different natures; however they are all deliberate attempts to cause damage
of a sort upon either people, premises or property. This distinguishes from accidentally induced
threats where there is no deliberate malicious intent to induce damage. The easiest example of this
is that fire can be accidentally induced and cause damage, however fire can be deliberately started to
cause damage, this is arson which is deliberately induced and in so being a threat aimed at damaging
people, premises or property. Whilst all threats aim to cause damage to people, premises or
property the type of damage varies. The damage can be physically destruction; in can be in the form
of damaging reputation, to undermine or to damage by stealing information/secrets. Therefore it is
important to understand the objectives of the individual/individuals responsible for inducing the
threat.

Terrorism: Terrorism is a method which a group/groups induces fear and then uses fear n order to
achieve their objectives. Often this will be done through a terror campaign aimed at causing as much
fear as possible. As a result terrorism is very indiscriminate in who is affected. However whilst often
indiscriminate there will likely be a particular target it is unlikely that an act terrorism is random, it is
more likely strategic as part of a campaign. So there will be particular targets that are often of high
value or that hold some importance. Therefore for many countries that are at threat from terrorism
they have to take into account for many building the threat from terrorism.

Objectives: No threat is done randomly and always there will be an objective or set of objectives
behind it no matter how incomprehensible they maybe. Therefore it is important to understand the
possible objectives behind each threat as they often determine the nature of the threat and its scale.
For instance an anarchist may attack a building in order to cause disorder simply to cause chaos,
whereas a terrorist may attack the same building but do so in order to lure in emergency service
personnel before detonating a large explosive to kill more people and have a bigger effect.

Tactics and targets: There are a multitude of different tactics that can be employed to escalate or
more precisely use a threat. The tactics used will depend upon the objectives that are behind the
threat and the target it is aimed at. The sort of threat it is also determines the tactics that will be
used. Targets are rarely random and even indiscriminate attacks are targeted to be done in a location
where it will have maximum affect. Of course he target itself is determined by who is doing it and the
objectives they have, a group anarchists and a group of environmentalist will not have the same
target.

Crimes against property and people: All threats are criminal as they are deliberately aiming to
damage in some way people, premises or property. Therefore all threats to people, premises or
property that are initiated are criminal. However it should be noted that failing to have in place the
appropriate measures to deal with threats or failing to identify them is equally as criminal as the
threats themselves.