How Safe is Your Small Business?
As the CEO of a specialist security business called Paladin Defence and close protection operative/ private security contractor, I have experienced security threats of all types since 1990. From opportunistic personal attacks to targeted organised commercial crime, I feel there is a lot more we should be doing to defend and protect ourselves. Understandably, Gibraltar is considered to have a relatively low crime rate; but what are the realistic threats and risks to small businesses in our corner of the Mediterranean?
What the Stats Say
The 2022/23 Annual Royal Gibraltar Police Report shows recorded crime (3,488 offences) up by 9% on last year, with an average detection/solved rate of 26%; just over a quarter. Burglary of commercial/non-residential property has risen by 16.5% from the previous year; only 35% of these were detected and “cleared up” by the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP). There were over 300 cases of criminal damage, with only 13% being solved. Within our small population, more crime occurs than we realise, or cleared up by the RGP; but it is obviously difficult to determine the amount that goes undetected or unreported.
Don’t Become Complacent
Threats are everywhere and occur when you least expect them. The divide between the ‘haves and have nots’ has never been greater and economically shows no signs of respite. So, are you protected from risk? When did you last review your security procedures? Being complacent about your security arrangements will always be a risk. However, there are many steps you can take to protect yourself, your property, or your business.
Think Beyond the Obvious
Aside from the obvious physical security countermeasures (alarms/locks/CCTV), you should try to determine who would be most likely to act, how they would do it, and where a security breach is likely to occur.
WHO is the type of criminal most likely to damage/break-in/steal from your business; either opportunistic or professional. Once you establish that and with experience, it is possible to work out that type of criminal methodology. This gives you a good indication of HOW they commonly commit the offence and WHERE, in your business, would be targeted as a vulnerable area.
Red Team Thinking
The same should apply for any business that needs to be conducted outside Gibraltar, for instance travel/hotel security and asset protection. This is known as “Red Team” thinking. Think like the element you are protecting yourself from.
Understandably, most of us would not have experience in thinking like a criminal, let alone predicting what they would do. For example, there are many CCTV placements around Gibraltar; it is a shame many cameras are either outdated, low resolution and probably useless for evidential purposes after an incident. Most do not cover areas of risk/concern. There are gates and fences that are indeed locked, but shaped like ladders, so easy to climb over. This makes me question why they have been installed as such with seemingly little regard for the safety of their clients. Unfortunately, the examples are many.
When was the last time you had a security review from a professional and capable security service? Static guarding is not the only solution; not all guards are adequately trained, paid enough, or had their backgrounds sufficiently checked. And if you think professional security advice is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur. Your security is the last thing you should be cutting corners on.
Don’t Cut Corners
Petty or opportunistic criminals generally go down the path of least resistance. In the case of professional thieves, it would be foolhardy to believe they do not carry out reconnaissance of a target before acting. Opportunistic ones will not take the same amount of time on this. Therefore, if they see up-to-date, good quality physical counter-measures, then it is likely they would move on to a weaker target, as they tend to go for the ‘low hanging fruit’.
Colonel John Boyd, of the US Air Force, coined a term in the 1950s called ‘The OODA Loop’ to train fighter pilots for aerial combat. The term is still used extensively today in the security field, from Close Protection to Counter-Terror Units. It stands for Observe, Orient, Decide and Act.
OBSERVE means gathering intelligence about everything and anyone within your environment. Potential threats, what they look like and how they apply to you. ORIENT is how you interpret the information, analyse any patterns, and understand what assets you may or may not have. DECIDE is choosing a course of action, based on the information and how to deploy any assets you may have in your favour. ACT is implementing that course of action and monitoring its success or failure. It is a continuous loop.
Whilst this model is used as a planning tool by security professionals the world over, it also applies to criminal behaviour. It is sometimes referred to by professionals as ‘the terrorist attack cycle’ as they also follow the same patterns. A good CCTV operator, with good equipment, can detect a hostile actor in the observation phase, well before the criminal acts are committed. A diligent security operator or company must have an understanding of this.
I have been told many times that Gibraltar is hardly a war zone. This is obviously true, but I have unfortunately seen the post hoc struggle to implement security after losses have already been incurred. Now, it is almost impossible to guarantee that no one will attempt a hostile action, even after security has been implemented. After all, defensive security will always be at a disadvantage against offensive action. However, presenting your business as a ‘hard target’ will massively reduce your risk. To mitigate the threats and risks, investing in robust deterrents becomes cost effective against potential future losses.
Learn more about Paladin Defence
This article appeared in the Edition 2 of Thrive, a magazine by the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses. Read a digital version.
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