I love being a member of the American Society for Industrial Security for several reasons. Mostly because it publishes articles on such great topics like Anti-Ram Vehicle Barriers. What? Don't you enjoy a good article about protecting major facilities against the ever growing threat of vehicle-borne explosive devices? It's a favorite pass-time between watching the New York Yankees and clicking the StumbleOn button on my computer....LOL. Seriously, Security Management has done an awesome job this week with their article on anti-ram vehicle barriers.
Here's what I liked:
It mentions "crime-prevention-through-environmental-design" as a means to ensure you're not making your facility look like a "fortress". Sometimes that's neccessary but other times it's not. Let's look at why this may and may not be what you want for your facility.
Some places are obviously high value targets which require the huge psychological deterrent a larger sized barrier placement would bring. Imagine you're a terrorist who is doing target selection on a facility that has a massive amount of soft targets (people) and no visible barrier detection. Also, imagine you have another facility which has multiple larger sized barriers serpentines, tower guards, etc. Which one would you choose?
What if you have a facility that's low key for a reason? Well, CPTED could help you maintain a low profile while still protecting your facility. How? Using natural barriers, berms, terrain features, semi-complicated entry routes into the parking area, and utilizing observation galleries (areas in which the public can see you adversary and notice suspicious activity) can all help and save you a load of cash.
The other thing I like about this article is it mentions utilizing a network or working group who meets to "provide critical input to selecting the appropriate vehicle barrier. This group, at a minimum, should include security professionals, engineers, landscape designers, architects, and members of the facility’s law enforcement or security force responsible for protecting the facility and its occupants. These stakeholders are critical in the design and implementation process for several reasons. They know the building’s design, its proposed infrastructure, and some will be responsible for protecting it after it’s built. Once building property owners and its building team decide to integrate perimeter protection early on in their plans and organize a security working group, they can begin the process of developing a perimeter protection plan and choosing what anti-ram barrier is ideal for their facility before construction." The Air Force does the same thing with great success.
What's your next step? The Vulnerability Assessment is absolutely key. It should "identify and take into account the assets protected, the value of the assets, the intended target, the threat and its potential capabilities and limitations. The study should consider the probability and consequences of an attack, including loss of human life."
Too often, people make purchases to enhance security without taking into account certain considerations and I think this article does a good job of introducing the reader to these. Give it a look at http://securitymanagement.com/news/anti-ram-vehicle-barriers-essential-eyesore-008204.
