On 22nd May 2017, 22 members of the public were tragically killed during a devastating terror attack at, what was meant to be, a joyous night for fans at an Arianna Grande concert.
Inquiries into the attack are on-going to this day, however faults have been identified in the security processes and procedures at the Manchester Arena where the attack took place. These included: blind spots in the CCTV that allowed the attacker to hide out of sight, lack of security patrolling, inadequate training of staff to recognise suspicious behaviour, and lack of action taken in response to concerns raised.
Following the Manchester Arena bombings, flaws in the safety of public spaces were highlighted and campaigns began to make amendments to legislations that would require a larger focus on security in public venues. From this the Government set out proposals for a new law that requires venues to have adequate preparations in place to protect the public from future attacks. This law comes under the new Protect Duty and came into play early this year. The manifesto for this law commits itself to heightening the safety of public venues, with the standards being consistent but proportional for the venues in question.
At their national conference, the SIA announced to their members that they are requesting changes to the 2001 Private Security Industry Act from parliament, on top of the new Protect Duty, to allow legislation to enforce changes. If passed, this will mean every company will have to operate to a minimum standard in relation to protecting the public from terror attacks. Amendments being called for by the SIA, would create a shift away from licensed individuals and onto licensed businesses. Until this legislation is in place, however, Security Buyers will need to look closely at who provides these services.
Herongrange Group offer bespoke security services that can work with venues to identify and tackle any vulnerabilities in their security systems and procedures. From CCTV systems to trained manned guards, Herongrange provide real-time solutions that can protect public venues from attack.
David Kane, COO details how Herongrange can help venues to be compliant with the new Protect Duty legislation, “At the heart of Herongrange’s company ethos is the safety of others, and our services are designed with that in mind. The Manchester Arena incident highlights the catastrophic consequences that inadequacies in security protocols and procedures can have if exploited by criminals and terrorists. Herongrange works with clients to discover the systems and procedures best suited to minimising the vulnerabilities of specific venues and subsequently tackling these threats promptly.”
