Posts By: Jacob Charles

The three Cs of major event security

On the eve of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Chris Plimley shares lessons learned on securing high-profile events over the past two years and says collaboration, communication and consistency are key   Mess up on security at a major global event and you’re never going to live it down. Just ask Nick Buckles and G4S… Read more »

Ready for anything

Chris Taylor discusses the importance of choosing properly certified training and protection companies when preparing to send personnel into hostile environments Personnel employed in areas of conflict and hostile environments face a different set of challenges compared to those working in areas where conflict is uncommon. These threats range from violence perpetuated by armed militias… Read more »

Border failures

Chris Hobbs demonstrates how the UK’s inadequate border controls allow British-based jihadists to threaten UK security, and warns that armed police units doubt they can meet the threat   So now we have it: British Prime Minister David Cameron has publicly indicated that the nation is at risk from terrorist attack that could dwarf anything… Read more »

Oil and turmoil in Libya

As violence and instability continue to spread in Libya, Matthew Hedges asks whether the Libyan people will be forced to choose between political freedom and security to protect the country’s hydrocarbon lifeblood   The past twelve months have highlighted the critical lack of legitimacy of power in Libya. High-profile examples of the palsy writ of… Read more »

Counter terror comms

John Maher argues that secure, interoperable radio communications are essential for effective counter-terrorism operations and calls for more flexible solutions   All major disasters – from hurricanes to industrial accidents and terrorist attacks – require co-ordinated emergency response. Depending on the scope and incident, the co-ordination must span across local and national agencies. Being prepared… Read more »

Video analytics comes of age

Dave Oliver assesses the new generation of surveillance video analytics software and highlights the importance of government benchmarks such as the i-LIDS scheme   As a technology, video analytics has a slightly underwhelming history. The prevalence of CCTV cameras and the limited attention span of humans – typically reported at around 40 minutes – has… Read more »

Out of Afghanistan Part 2

On the eve of their withdrawal, Anthony Tucker-Jones assesses the achievements of the International Security Assistance Force and considers whether Afghanistan can remain stable as it draws down   The legacy of Nato and ISAF’s achievements in Afghanistan now hangs in the balance. Any residual Western military commitment rests in the hands of the country’s… Read more »

Feeling the HEAT

James Milnes argues that up-to-date situational intelligence is as important as good hostile environment awareness training (HEAT) when deploying personnel to unstable MENA countries   Amid the political and civil turmoil being played out in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), many companies, government agencies, media organisations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are struggling to… Read more »

Boko Haram: taking liberties

In the aftermath of Boko Haram’s audacious kidnapping of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls, John Chisholm examines the group’s history and ambitions, and asks how they can be stopped   The April 2014 kidnapping of an entire class of girls by Boko Haram in northern Nigeria has propelled the organisation into the global consciousness. Public figures as… Read more »

Pirates be warned!

As cargo ships traversing Africa’s west coast face an increasingly deadly threat from pirates, Philippe Minchin explores the countermeasures available to crews and warns that no one solution is 100 per cent effective   The threat of piracy has dogged maritime commerce for centuries, reaching new destructive heights in recent years off the coast of… Read more »