Introduction
Threat assessment refers to the process of evaluating risk due to a perceived threat in schools, workplaces, communities and individuals. The risk is based on facts and evidence of behavior in a given situation. Threat assessment was developed by the Secret Service in America to deal with incidences of violence in schools. The main aim of threat assessment is to prevent planned violence. It has three major functions: identification, assessing and managing. In identification, the relevant persons seek to know when, how and where concerns can be reported. Assessment involves gathering and evaluating information from different sources such as the social media, friends, and neighbors among others. It also involves analyzing the subject’s current situation. One needs to ascertain whether the subject is going through a divorce process, or whether he or she is involved in a contentious business deal and whether he is filing for bankruptcy among other issues. If the threat can be identified, assessment should be done to find out if he or she has a motive, target and arms. If armed, it should be ascertained whether they have skills on using the weapons they have. In case early assessments detect a threat, potential victims need to be alerted and the subject restrained.
Context in which security for the client is planned
Persons who have the responsibility of countering threats need to be well trained, prepared and equipped. In addition, they need to come up with a comprehensive plan on how to execute their security plan. In this paper, as head of a security detail comprising eight people, I am tasked with the responsibility of protecting one of the white supremacists. He is the defendant in a case where he is accused of being involved in murder and civil rights motivation. He is presently out of custody on a one million bond. He suffers from ill health requiring medical attention daily. Moreover my client is hated by the public due to rumors that he is behind the series of homicides in his neighborhood. They seek his life and may fulfill their threats since he has no police protection. The forthcoming trial is bound to attract many groups such as the media, religious groups, white supremacists and civil rights groups. The trial is anticipated to be emotional due to the many that have lost their lives in the homicides. My role as the team leader is to ensure the client attends the trial and goes back home in Laguna Beach safely. One challenge we face is that our outspoken client insists he would address the press before the trial outside the courthouse.
The first step towards planning protection of the client is coming up with a plan where every one of the eight in the team is given a responsibility. Responsibilities should be spread out and clearly defined such that no one does another person’s duty. The leader’s role should basically be supervisory to ensure all goes as planned. The client should be furnished with the security plans to get his support. I have the role of engaging him in a discussion where I outline the potential threats upon him and his family. I then requested for his full cooperation for ease in our operations. I also need to talk him out of making public appearances such as the one he plans to have with the media before the trial. In spite of his concern about his public image, he needs to consider his safety first. He could always arrange for a briefing with the media once the threats have been alleviated. However he has only one chance to live and so needs to be careful (Fennelly 2004). In the protection plan I will clearly indicate that the security objectives are five. That is to protect our client, his health, family, properties in the estate and his public image.
The protection strategy should go for 48hours. It begins with full security the night before the trial. My whole team would be at the client’s premises on the beach to ensure he is well before the trial. The next day the group splits into two: three of us remain at the premises with the necessary equipment. The family would be advised not to accompany our client to the court to lower risks of threat. It would also enable us to focus on the client only and not three or four other persons. The rest of the team accompanies the subject to the courtroom. We are accompanied by an ambulance since we may not know when the client would require medical attention. Due to the seriousness of the accusations against him threat on his health could be posed. On arrival, two of us will perform a security check of the environment at the courtroom. Once we ensure the way is clear we move into the court’s premises as fast as lighting and escort the client to his seat. My teammate and I remain in the courtroom while the rest go back to the outside to keep guard. While inside, we assess the room and look out for any potential threats. We look at people’s faces, their hands, their body posture, movements to take note of any suspicious acts. Meanwhile all of us on duty have headphones hidden in our caps for communication in case of anything. We are connected to even the other three whom we left at the client’s residence. We are alert about anyone who comes near our client. We take note of words spoken in the courthouse that could pose more threats afterwards. Occasionally, I visit social media to see tweets and updates on the ongoing trial (Pressman AIA and SMA 2007).
Alarm systems should be fitted in the home of the client and on the vehicle used to drive to the courthouse. The car should have at least half full tank of fuel and should have been well serviced on the previous day. A spare tire should be carried along in case of a puncture intentional or unintentional. The car should be bullet proof if possible. If not the client should put on a bullet proof jacket. During the trial, the client should take note of his words. He should not use provocative words. He should stick to facts and only give information that has been asked for. His answers should be sort and precise. In case he feels threatened he should express it to the security officers of my team. He can use gestures as one of us in the room will always be looking in his direction. Once the trial is over, we move the client back to the vehicle very first. We will not allow any members of the press to interview our client. The vehicle which we use on our return journey is not the same as the one which we used formerly. We also use an entirely different route back to the client’s home. The details of our movement would only be known to the security team only and no other persons. Not even the family members. On our way home, we pass by the hospital to check the health of our client to ensure that he is in a healthy state. Then we proceed home.
There’s a higher probability of being attacked on the road more than the courtroom or home. This means I will be very alert when en route the beach, the courtroom or hospital. There should not be any stopovers apart from the destinations. In case we are stopped by any one on the road, we will not stop unless it’s a known police stopover. If men in uniform stop us at a point which should not be a police stopover, I will order the driver to reverse and go back to where we had come from while looking for an alternative route. This is because not everyone dressed in police uniform is necessarily a police officer. We would be shocked to realize that as we stop a group of men perhaps from the rival white supremacist group would attack us. Then it would be too late to escape. Good knowledge on the map of the city would be so helpful to us. Just in case we are followed and we have to drive round the city through different routes. In case there are safe houses in the city, it would also be great knowledge. Just in case we escape from our pursuers, we would need a place to take cover. Once threat has been evaded, we exit the place and continue with the journey to our destination. Sometimes it would even be necessary to exit the city for a while to ensure the client is out of threat.
This execution of the safety strategy is detailed to ensure no loopholes are left out. The duration of offering security to the client and his family should be until the client feels safe to resume his normal operations. It is worth noting that my security would need full support of the client and family. My work is not complete until I hand in a comprehensive report on the team’s work. The report is handed in to my client and a copy handed to my boss. In the report, I will state our perceived threats based on the assessment we did. It will also detail our security strategy pointing out our specific roles and responsibilities in the team. In addition to this, the report would point out the challenges we faced in exercising our duty. I will then make recommendations to help keep threats at bay. This would help in preventing violence against our client in the future.
Planning and threat assessment as you can see from this paper is an important aspect of our lives. It could be the only way to stop being shocked at some of the violence that occurs around us. We can prevent violence and preserve not just our lives, but also keep our property safe. Our families, communities, cities and nations lose lives and a lot of wealth due to sudden violent attacks. If only such attacks would be discovered in time to have them stopped, our economies would be better. Monies used for compensation would otherwise be used to undertake economic developments. This is our way out of unplanned for wastages. Our lives and those of our loved ones would be preserved. We will be safe at all times making more confident of this life and more productive.
References
Fennelly L. J., (2004). Handbook of Loss Prevention and Crime Prevention, Elsevier Butterworth. Oxford: UK.
Pressman A. and American Institute of Architects and Smith Maran Architects, (2007). Architectural Graphic Standard. Brace Man Design, Inc. New Jersey: CA.
