THE FLAVOR OF THE MONTHPredictability is the the crack that eventually brakes the security dam. If your security program and its procedures are so predictable that an interested party could examine and exploit it, what have you accomplished? Nothing but forestalling the inevitable. In today's climate of mass produced fast fixes and off the shelf answers, we tend to put much faith in "products" both tangible and theoretical for the solutions to our fears. If the business down the road puts up fencing maybe we should. If the anti car bomb barrier is now designed in some business, maybe we need one too. Facial Recognition Software is being used by a company in Europe, so our business may need it too. BUY BUY BUY.
There will always be some hack that will be standing just outside the circle of fire light waiting to "read" you and sell you anything (Everything) to help you sleep tight. Remember, as much as we as security professionals rely on these systems to "aid" us in our job, these systems are not what accomplishes the job. The Human Factor must always play a central role in the program.
The Flavor of the month toy, be it CCTV, Thermal Imaging, Full body Scanners, Bio Metrics, RF sensors/detectors and what have you, are ONLY to support security professionals in their task. These tools of the trade should never be thought of as the solution alone. As an example,Canine units posted around sensitive or critical installations may be very good at detection and deterrent but only a fool would be happy with dogs alone. What works in some environments or at certain times can not be counted on to work at all times and certainly not without human control and restraint. So why should business be different? Closed Circuit Video Systems cannot challenge or confirm nor can they "read" or recognize at a distance what is on the mind of those on camera. 
The Human Factor rules supreme at this task. Yes using selected flavors of the month tools of the trade is important but with the absence of the security mind set they are so much plastic, wire, metal and glass, a mindless collection of junk. Eclectic staffing is paramount.
We are not so much in the people business as the "suspicious" people business. Whatever the job, we are the centennials that stand between our patron and unwanted outside (some times inside) influence. Due to an ever changing and educated criminal and or terrorist element, we are constantly dealing with variables. Nothing is static, all security work should be considered fluid and dynamic. Dealing with these variables takes time training and life experience. The security mind set tells us that some people automatically demand certain attention while others do not. Certain individuals may attract my attention while you feel they are of no consequence. This is merely life experience helping with selection. Why? who knows really. Perhaps some lesson learned as a child or in some other employment or with an ex-lover, ex-Boss, relative, or friend that screams a message no one but you can (will) read. Old school police call it "gut instinct" while others say they had a feeling. Whatever it is called, it is valid and steps should be taken to never suppress it. Courts and other judges of intent will tell us this is unfair, to act upon a feeling rather then cold hard evidence but I remind you we are a "proactive" group and as long as you act sensibly and in good faith you will be well served.
Squeezing the sponge. My tools are people, whenever I interview a prospect for employment I look at the whole person not just what is submitted in writing. The letter of reference and resume information are a starting point from which I will glean much more information. One must squeeze the sponge dry to get the most of a persons capabilities. 
My prospective new hire may not have or know they have skills needed to ultimately be who I need them to be. It all starts with having the right background or up bringing. Little attention is paid to this item for a number of reasons the most obvious is that it is considered "judging" or "profiling" and is a no no in most overt ventures. However it is almost always done privately and in ones mind. Any employment consideration will be subject to the employers feelings as well if not more then what the resume claims. My hiring experiences have been varied, some times disappointing and regrettable, other times satisfying and rewarding as I watch a new security staff member really meld into the team. It is a matter of being able to tap the individuals inner core principles. If you can start with a non typical natural talent that is malleable and receptive you almost always have a winner. I have met few with well cultivated security mind sets but most can be lead to it by exposure and self discovery. If you surround yourself with an eclectic group of people that can draw upon a wealth of life experience and training you will strike gold both for you and your patron.
What are we looking for? Well to start with we don't want the flavor of the month. The saying goes that great minds think alike, I'll steal a thought passed on to me by my Brother in law that I like very much "great minds think for themselves". We need to start by categorizing prospective security staff as we would any other person we are scrutinizing. As we read them we watch how they are reading us. We send signals that start them down a path of misdirection and watch what they react to, then we subtly switch gears and watch how they react. It's an experiment, using the tools they supply such as resume information. As you ask questions based on this information I might take a side path asking purposely non related questions that are only slightly related to the information provided. This can be very illuminating. Most people have confidence in what is on their resume and are prepared to elaborate in much detail as long as we stick to the script. I once took a course through the New York State Troopers on interview and interrogation. My instructor Det, Salmon would ask students in the class to make three statements two being true and the third being false. As a demonstration of "reading" people he would pick the lie out of the list of three. It amazed and amused the class and was a truly impressive demonstration of reading people. I can only hope others in the class appreciated what Salmon was gifting us with. It was truly a look not only into other people but into Salmon himself. Who and what he was, an instrument, a tool, a small wonder. Through life experience and training he was a walking lie detector. His claim that many recipients of his teachings were hard to live with was probably true. Divorce, mistrust and intolerance to others due to having new insight made them look at life in a different light. The light of truth. We tell lies every day. White lies that smooth our path and help us get things done in the most streamlined and efficient way. You do it, I do it and that's okay. As long as we are not formulating and fabricating falsehoods that others count on. For example I may be pages deep in paper work that just must be done today when a knock on my office door distracts me. Standing outside is an employee with a non critical request that I read as something that can wait without causing inconvenience to the employee or myself. I might say I'm very busy now and they should try me back later in the day or phone for an appointment. This can send the message that their need is not important to me and I have better things to do. Trust and respect are important components to what we do so instead I might say they caught me just as I was about to join a conference call but please stop by and try me later. This sends an emergent signal that they can truly relate to and with this understanding are more then willing to stop by another time. A lie to be sure but one without expectation, no disappointment associated with it, not rejected just postponed. A camera cannot tell the difference between the truth and a lie, it collects information that must be collated and sifted through by a human being. The only thing that we can count on in the end is us. In a court room we are judged by twelve people, maybe with the aid of other evidence but people none the less.
General George Patton claimed the most dangerous battle field instrument was the M1 rifle in the hands of a well trained "solider" (one well aimed shot) not the tank or helicopter or even the atomic bomb. Humans thinking, adapting, evaluating, responding and reacting. This is the core of what we do and who we are as security professionals. Nothing, no trade show tool or flashy toy type flavor of the month can do that as well as the ultimate security machine......the human mind.
Posted by RJ MOSCA at 09:09
