EPISODE 1 - Security Strategy
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat” Sun Tzu
It is widely recognised strategies are key for success. You have used strategy in business, personal goals and fitness. Why should security be any different?
At points in our lives we have probably all thought is my home secure and could I make it more secure? Perhaps you have suffered a break-in or near miss.
Often, the result is hastily contacting an alarm and CCTV installer who will install an alarm system and some cameras around your home. This is the tactics before strategy approach.
To develop a robust and considered security solution, we start with a strategy. We look at how you live your life, explore how you want to live your life, what risks you face, from where and how we can mitigate these. Once we have established this we can look at tactics.
Conducting a security audit of your property allows us to identify potential vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement.
We can then Introduce procedures and good habits, approved by you, eliminate bad ones, all the way through to introducing technical measures such as CCTV and alarm systems.
Together we can devise and implement a security strategy specific to you, considered and fit for purpose, with the ability to change with you, as your situation changes.
EPISODE 2 - Holistic
Holistic - “the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.”
At BluSkills we take a holistic view to your security, that is we believe it is critical to take all aspects of your life in to account when we look at your security.
Generally speaking, an alarm and CCTV installer, will install home security systems to deter and prevent burglars and stop there. Taking our residential security guidance as a case in point, we look at your life in a larger context to determine how best to keep you and your family safe. Some examples of questions which would help achieve this are:
- What company do you own or work for and what sectors do they operate in? As a leader or owner, your business’s problems are inextricably linked to you and can well end up on your doorstep as was seen with M&S and “Stop the Cull.”
- What are your interests and what are you actively or publicly involved in? Shooting, Politics, Religion, there are many interests and activities that at the right time and with public knowledge could see you face an increased level of risk.
- Who are your family and might their activities make you vulnerable? You may have been discreet with your wealth but your partner or family might attract attention publicly through their lifestyle choices, you may have a more publicly facing family member which may attract unwanted attention or increased risk.
- Have there been previous incidents? There may be a specific person who has targeted you in the past, perhaps an ex-partner. An event could trigger a recurrence of their attentions towards you.
Questions and information like this allows an understanding of your life, the identification of potential groups, types of people and specific people, who may present a threat, informing on the ways they may look to target you and subsequently driving the considerations and approach we would take to yours and your family’s security at home and away from home.
Alarm systems and CCTV may be an important tool in this approach, but with this bigger picture we can look to pre-empt and mitigate risk, take positive pre-planned actions in a timely manner and give you peace of mind.
EPISODE 3 - Impartial
There are currently many security companies and security product companies who offer free home security surveys. It’s a great way for them to build a relationship with you in person and a great way for them to sell you their products, which subsequently makes you and your home safer.
Making you safer is obviously a great thing, but clearly this arrangement is potentially open to abuse and has its limitations.
Surveys if done properly are rarely free and are usually impartial. Home buying surveys are a great case in point. It wouldn’t necessarily be in your best interest to have a home buyers survey conducted by the vendor.
BluSkills Security guidance consist of Personal Risk assessments, a survey of your home, the production of a detailed report and the design and agreement of security policy and procedures all of which contributes to your personal security scheme.
The process is extremely thorough and takes in to account a wide range of factors such as your personal lifestyle, your homes location and other risk factors, as well as the more generic threats posed by domestic burglary, see our previous Holistic and Strategic pieces for more detail on the process.
BluSkills security surveys, assessments and guidance are impartial, much like your home buyers survey. We don’t sell or install security equipment or measures, nor do we currently recommend suppliers so you can be assured we are only identifying what is required.
What our report and guidance will do is inform you as to what you really do require as part of your strategic scheme. So, when it comes to liaising with the various trades, you can be confident in what you do and do not need.
EPISODE 4 - Empowering You
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any” - Alice Walker
Often, but not always, we find ourselves consulting with the victims of a residential crime or burglary when undertaking residential security services. These events have usually resulted in feelings of vulnerability, fear, anger and a desire to ensure the event doesn’t happen again, at any cost.
Many homes unfortunately become the victim of repeated burglaries. Burglars wait a short period for insurance claims to be settled and goods to be replaced before they exploit the same vulnerabilities.
At BluSkills we recognise it is critical that you feel safe in your home and that you know your family are safe, whether you are taking proactive action before becoming a victim and especially if you have been the victim of a crime.
TAKING BACK CONTROL
You can and will take back control. By engaging a security company to conduct a security survey and audit of your security you will identify vulnerabilities. Often these vulnerabilities are a mix of your lifestyle, behaviours, gaps in physical security measures and perhaps technical shortfall.
Your lifestyle and behaviours are a key part of this. Most companies will focus on burglary. Quite possibly this is the most likely threat you face, however if you work in a controversial industry and, or, your home address is connected to your work life then you could at some point see work issues landing on your doorstep in the form of protests, harassment and retribution. Follow this link for a great example of this.
Once these vulnerabilities are identified, recommendations should be made, with recommendations prioritised. You can then set about improving your security.
This process enables you to take back control. Importantly you will understand your security. Why there were vulnerabilities, what these were and how you have mitigated these.
PREVENT & DETER
At BluSkills, we believe for the main part, in a prevent and deter strategy. This is a proactive strategy and unless you employ a residential security team (a team of our security professionals located at your home) you and your family will play a huge part in the detecting the early warning signs and taking positive early action.
The ability to do this comes from education, awareness and good policy and procedure. Once you are conducting this good security behaviour you will feel much more relaxed and reassured at home, with clear actions to take should you detect behaviours you are unhappy with.
SEND A MESSAGE
As we mentioned earlier, many homes are retargeted for burglary. It is important that when a burglar or burglars return, they see a positive difference and you send a message to them not to try again.
If you haven’t been targeted the same is equally important. A Perpetuity Research study showed burglars often employ a period of surveillance, even if it is short, this may be done covertly or under a legitimate activity such as a trade. The greater the risk or reward, generally the greater the period of surveillance.
Now you will have the ability to detect them conducting this and ensure they see good security practice in place, along with robust security. Be a hard target, make them move on to a softer target.
Assessing your current security situation is a vital first step to prevent you becoming a victim or a repeat victim. You don’t know what you don’t know. As one of our clients recently attested, “as a family, we have never felt safer.” If you would like to start your journey to a safer home get in touch with us here to find out more.
