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Transit systems play a vital role in the economic and cultural vitality of our communities, and require a robust, complex and often costly infrastructure. It’s no surprise that as one of our most accessible and important critical infrastructure assets, security for these systems is essential. Protecting ridership, employees and physical assets requires special training, an understanding of the unique aspects of transit security, and a certain level of creativity balanced with the reality of limited funds.

Creating an efficient operating environment in physical security is no small feat—especially when the organization undertaking such an endeavor has a nationwide presence.

How do you get all of your various vendors, services, resources, manpower, and technology to integrate and work together?

Every building, organization and corporate culture is unique. Security programs, and security officers, must be viewed through the same lens.

When a security director or organizational leader makes the decision to begin or enhance a security program, the decision making doesn’t end there. Many types of security responsibilities need to be considered so that the right security officers are selected. With that in mind, what kind of security officers do you need?

There aren’t many corporate executive protection strategy documents lying around in corporate headquarters or in executive protection companies. Blueprints that cover the strategy essentials are not available online. Why? We believe this is due to two simple but interrelated factors.

How can a physical security program ensure the participation of highly engaged security officers and supervisors? A robust learning and development and career “pathing” program for security officers results in a security team that is ready, willing and able to take on the most rigorous and demanding security challenges. 
 

The unpredictable nature of facing a hostile situation means the potential for danger is a palpable possibility every day. Whether it’s inside or outside the workplace, hostility can occur at any time.

Today’s security environment demands agility. In order to keep pace with the needs of our external and internal clients, we must first understand them, and then evolve. The ability to change and improve comes from collecting, understanding and integrating stakeholder feedback. 
 

There is no better test of employee satisfaction and engagement than an employee referral. When an individual is truly happy with their career, they want to share that experience with others. In this example that goes a step further, a security officer referred his son. Their dedication, work ethic and customer service skills—which make them ideal security officers—shine through in this inspiring story.
 

Long term experience is invaluable to any operation, especially security. A highly trained group of seasoned security professionals projects a consistent and reliable presence. They are often the leaders people seek out during a crisis.
 

The first ever National Security Officer Appreciation Week is being celebrated this week. Security officers play a critical role in businesses across the country and it is time that we recognize those efforts.