With growing concerns about security across the nation, there’s a lot of confusion and misconceptions about security training among industry and management circles. Finding answers to issues such as how to provide the best situational awareness, de-escalation, and threat response training can be daunting when being addressed for the first time. However, it’s not complicated if you keep these three points in mind:
Safety and Security aren’t the same thing.
They both focus on keeping us from harm, however:
Safety is hazard avoidance that focuses on our own actions and their consequences.
Security is threat response that focuses on the unpredictable nature of other people.
Security requires a different training model.
Security is occupation specific.
Just as safety must be occupationally focused, so must security. Every occupational sector has unique threats and operational circumstances that are rarely encountered in other sectors.
Security training must address occupation-specific threats and circumstances.
Practical security training isn’t generic.
Training that’s effective for one occupational sector will seldom meet the needs of another. This is especially true of military and law enforcement training. Their distinct missions and objectives require training that doesn’t readily translate to their civilian counterparts. As a result, simply applying their training and tactics in another occupational sector doesn’t work. In some circumstances, it can actually make situations worse. It takes time and expertise to craft occupationally specific training.
Effective security training is focused, not generic; what works in one sector doesn’t work in another.
Remember, people replicate the training they’ve received, so providing the right training is essential. Be sure to select a trainer with expertise in your industry and training that meets your unique occupational needs.