Good Security: It does exist!

Kia Ora,

Alot of my security blogs are about the need for the NZ security industry to bring itself up to speed.

But that is not to say there is not good security companies here. Today there was an interview with an operator from a company which I was aware of having good standards.

The operator also naturally had good standards as he comes from outside NZ so understands good security.

There is also one good events security company, but it is good for the NZ environment as I often tell its owner for the Rugby World cup 2011 it is a whole new step up in level & in particular mindset.

There are a lot of good people who have left the industry because they have being punished for actually carrying out security.

So there are individuals, companies that do provide real security, but it needs the powers that be to recognize that the industry as a whole needs to improve & that does not always mean carrying out some recognized course or a course based on how people perform in the class room.

Security is a physical profession that should value experience & skills people bring to it.

Training is of course needed, but as couple of stories from Iraq reminds me, courses are not always the answer.

Two individuals with time in Iraq had to attend a course prior to starting with their new company. The drills taught were the standard body guard drills with national variations, but in one incident they told the story where they stood & laughed.

The Instructor said "I don't like your attitude" or words to that effect, but these two just replied " you do that in Baghdad, just roll out the extra body bags" or words to that effect.

Second story is about a group of higly qualified instructors arriving in Baghdad to take a newly required course & after the first session been basically told to f... off by the staff they were training as it might have its place in some environments, but not in Baghdad.

Bodyguard training as I received from experienced operators in NZ on a formal NZQA course gave you a base, but when you are required to do the real thing it quickly becomes obvious that each situation requires a totally different approach.

On return I was offered an upgrade for free with assessment by an instructor as my level had never being tested on a practical basis.
First issue with NZ training industry was on a couple of courses you were, but most you were not so standards were different. We had been tested to a practical level.

The other issue is having that experience & higher skill level, how does someone without it understand where you are coming from or assess you?

It is something the military in many countries have found over the years when soldiers come back from operations & stay in the military they then go on promotion courses & when told something will not work, calmly reply "well it did in so & so" & it can not be argued that it does not work. But it does cause issues for instructors.

That is why some military courses changed their stance on tactics & you could not fail on tactics. A successful tactic is one that works, no matter how crazy it might seem in the light of day.

We also seen though that systems can be too inflexible if people don't have that wider mindset to see where each fits.

                                           http://www/foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Will a Forum Make a difference?

Kia Ora,

It has been announced that a Forum has been created to combat crime during the Rugby world Cup.

It maybe the Cynic in me but I am not sure what this group will actually achieve.

I believe the camel is described as a horse designed by a committee.

The impressive list of groupings named in this forum all have their own agendas & from experience in dealing with a few of them there is very little likelyhood of any real solutions, but there will be a lovely talk fest.

Now before 'Mr Angry' gets upset I will detail in broad terms my dealings that have brought me to those conclusions.

In one of the major groupings involved the people on the ground have the answers, but it is appearing more & more often its top level seem to be out of touch with them. That comes from talking to those on the ground.

Shortly after leaving the NZ army & entering the security industry I carried out a good old fashioned military appreciation of a major local issue at the time, came up with a solution. When presented to this group, which would of saved their industry thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollar's, their reply was we don't do that.

Funny thing is I got different replies from different members of that group each contradicting the other.

Another member of the forum basically required me to drop my standards or they would not deal with me & their standards are supposedly gained from another member of the forum.

These two also require no criticism of members of their associations. If there is no criticism or frank discussions then there is no way people can move forward.

In fact that is another major difference between those coming from the military & those in the civilian environment, especially in  the NZ security industry.

It is not uncommon for you to achieve your aim, then look to see how you could of carried it out better, where as your civilian counterpart thinks it is all Ok because it was successful.

Not only do I suspect it will be not that successful, but it will bring methods of crime that usually take time to get to NZ shores here much qucker than normal.

Considering the average attitude in NZ is that we are too small & too far away those sort of crimes or as I often emphasize terrorist attacks will never get here, unless something is done that is different from the norm then Crime will accelerate even greater than it will due to the worsening economic conditions.


Not to mention the fact there in the last few years there has being a rise in crime against tourists.

Visitors to the country need to be aware that though the country appears nice & safe, appearances can be deceiving & they have to take the same precautions they would at home.

      http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Mayhem & Terrorism!

Kia Ora,

Few days delay here from when this was going to be posted, but being working on how social media interacts to assist a business. The effect is huge when you realize what it can do.

Anyway to Mayhem & Terrorism. Am I talking again about Suicide bombers?

No, but Christchurch's very own brand of terrorism & the lack of respect for others that todays society brings.

Over the last two weeks we have had to put up with a group talking loudly on their balcony whilst trying to sleep. They do not realize it or didn't until told, that it is a breach of the Resource Management act. On Friday added to that was the base in the music, although the person in charge did try to keep it down for as long as he could.

Invariably other issues arose.

As I was getting ready to go over to point out the music needed to be turned off as after midnight heard a noise & looked out to see one of party goers head over to a station wagon full of young people, one of whom then decides that the frontage of the complex is his toilet. Well until he got a bollocking & party was also told to cut the noise.

Just prior to that though a group had gathered on the edge of the complex to smoke pot, which of course they didn't think was a drug.

Finally the party was over & then the police were called as two females decided that the best way for them to travel was in the boot of the car.

It is illegal because it is dangerous. People have died doing that before.

So nothing major, but don't need to go to do security when it is coming to you.

But it had reprecussions the next night.

You could hear the Christchurch Terrorist's better known as boy racers in groups in the area.

At about midnight went down stairs to office to turn off an item & as I open the door about four feet away a girl comes through the trees on our boundary & takes her pants down, looking to use the front of our office as a toilet.

She got a sharp wake up, & ran off but then a mate of hers came around the corner where she had being going between our company vehicles.

About 0215 am were woken by a noise to see a van that had being at the party parked in same spot & just as badly as night before. But instead of guy & his girlfriend it was the homeboys who were wandering around the place, looking like they were up to no good. But as got ready to call the police, they left.

Head outside to make sure there is no tagging & look down the road to see boy racers setting up a diesel then starting use it.

Police rung & this time police units & fire units blocked the road. Apparently a large amount of diesel had being applied to the road in a dangerous spot just around a cormer & it appeared that a jumbo rubbish bin had also being set alight.

Now they may seem tame incidents but they are normal activity in many areas of Christchurch on any given night.

Why do I call the boy racer's terrorists because that is what they do. They go into an area & terrorize the inhabitants so that people are too scared to give out too many details in case they come back to threaten or do harm to them.

I am aware of one incident recently were a group of these Terrorists (they use a form of intimidation or terrorism to  try to get their way) alledgedly went onto an address of informants as a group & threatened them.

I have personally attended a series of incidents where it went from intimidating staff at a 24 hour factory, to once the business owner was there, so his workers could leave, putting a flue through the buildings windows, trying to tip over the owners car & trying to intimidate security on our arrival.

The following week they stoned the static security guard two nights in a row when he began to take their details.

In a susequent action they broke windows in other businesses & tried to set the one in question on fire as I arrived, which were all cover for burglaries in the area.

More recently of course they have taken to attacking & shooting at police patrols & then attacking an aviation security patrol.

They like to class themselves  as car enthusiasts. They are nothing of the sort.

The real car enthusiast has respect & treasures their vehicle.

Sorry but they are terrorists & so far all attempts to deal with them have failed as they just don't care. As far as they are concermed no one has the right to stop them.

Welll not initially but the new security service we are about to launch will in time become a bane to their existance. We do expect a reaction but are prepared for it.

Security Upgrade in Industry needed now!

Kia ora,

In the last few weeks the Sovereign debt crisis has brought bombings & riots to Greece. No I haven't got the wrong blog. As it is expected for the worlds economies to get a lot worse over the next few years (what recovery? Any upswing has being due to stimulus & they haven't created one new job) the security threat is going up.

The bombings in Greece were against immigrants & as jobs become tighter in each country there will be the predictable backlash against immigrants.

During one riot even a union official was attacked.

Here in NZ the Government has proposed new measures for those on the benefit.

As any beneficiaries will tell you it is hard enough to survive on the benefits on offer as it is. If they are cut as proposed then crime will rise & it is already at epidemic proportions.

People are hurting financially already & armed robberies have jumped.

Just today though I saw a turn of an even more disturbing nature on a social media site.

With the recent moves by the government seen as undemocratic, upset over the foreshore seabed & other issues, there were two comments about arming themselves to sort things out.

There is also upset over the charges those who were arrested in the Tuhoe terror raids are up on.

Now Tuhoe have geniune grievances but most of those arrested weren't Tuhoe, but part of the largest terrorist network in the world. Eco greens.

Between Eco Greens & anti abortionists they are more a day to day threat than Bin Laden & his co horts & only probably outnumbered by those other terrorists, organized crime.

The Mind set that thinks they are doing more good when they shoot someone or blow up something is in line with the suicide bomber who is expecting to meet 72 virgins.

Of course in NZ people don't relate to the greens being terrorists. People are pushing for the person who jumped onto the Japanese whaling ship to be released when under international law he actually committed an act of piracy.

It is also the country that recently let three 'terrorists' off for attacking a government installation.

There is a lesson there. Terrorists do not think that by giving them the benefit of the doubt, they will leave you alone. It actually encourages them to carryout more audacious actinities.

Bringing this back to the security industry it means that action has to be taken now to lift it into the real world & to stop playing at security.

Otherwise  it is going to jump up & hit the industry between the eyes.

The reporters from the Sunday Star times have already sent a wake up notice. The industry & the government needs to take heed now.

Not after the fact!

Tasers. Useful or torture device?

Kia Ora,

Since their introduction to the NZ Police force, the taser has being the object of debate.

But hopefully the incident recently in Invercargill will put that to rest.

Prior to the incident the UN had asked NZ to stop using tasers as they were intruments of torture.

It is a classic case of someone sitting in an office & at most carrying out a quick visit, but not really getting to know their subject.

NZ is an extremely violent society despite it appearing nice clean & open. & it is becoming worse. Police in one city have commented on how virtually every person they arrest has a knife. Security at one bar have indicated that they find on average a knife on the floor of the bar once every two weeks.

Because of low population base spread widely it appears there is not much crime. Work security at night & you virtually hear a firearm used most nights & a reporters undercover investigating showed weapons being fired into the air to prove they worked, but nothing was reported.


But everytime the NZ police need to use their firearms which is increasing, there is upset. So there needed to be something in between the firearm & other options.

The reports of the incident in Invercargill was firearms & possible shots were involved depending on which article you read.

On arrival a brawl in process in the street & two persons approached police with weapons (baton & stick), so weapons were drawn by two officers, but it was the intervention of the third officer with a taser on one of persons refusing to stop or lay on the ground that ended the situation.

Most interesting were the comments of residents. They were sure they were about to see someone shot in their street. One went so far to say they had being anti the taser but after witnessing what happened they have changed their mind.

What was less widely reported was a second incident in Dunedin where a woman was threatening self harm & despite hours of negotiation she would not come out & was armed with a knife. Fearing for her safety, police have gained entry & used a taser to subdue her.

In both instances it would appear the best option.

In the first it was used in conjunction with firearms as back up. A fire arm once used isn't as forgiving as a taser.

& in the second it was best option for woman's & police safety. People threatening self harm find extra strength & when dealing with them it is almost certain to sustain some sort of injury if they are really determined.

Huge Change in mindset needed!

Kia ora,

Well the debate continues over the terrorist stunts carried out by a NZ newspaper.

When you read the articles they actually did very little but walk in with alcohol & minature explosives, gain access to restricted areas & dress up as construction workers on one occassion.

Yet the authorities have aimed their remarks at the reporters not on those who are to provide the security.

Their are comments that the security will be a lot different for the Rugby World Cup. Why should it be different then? In todays world the threat is always there. To be ready for the  Rugby World Cup, the changes need to happen now, because the biggest change that has to occur is a mindset change.

One thing that was noticed in Iraq was former NZ soldiers fitted in well, but many former NZ police officers(without a military background) struggled initially with the change in mindset required.

Even as dangerous as the street of NZ have become with crime so random, it is still a huge change in mindset to be in an environment where you have to shoot to maybe kill & be aware that death may come from anywhere.

As one person I had quite a few dealings with in Iraq said "the west has already lost this war as these guys are committed".

Having, as the police organizer said " a heavy but low key presence" isn't going to work.

With the prospect of suicide bombers, you need to be meeting them at a distance from the objective. The tactics they use have being refined & adapted.

Thanks to briefings whilst in Iraq at the time of the attack on Abu Gharib, internet footage provied by the attackers & looking at past attacks it was easy to see the similarities in the attack on a prison in Afghanistan. This time it was successful.

These attacks are seldom carried out in isolation & they will come armed to get further in to their target.

That means meeting them at the furtherest point from the target.

It means with the police already overstreteched & undermanned, professional private security are required for the more in the face roles. Leave the polce to their jobs or specialist roles.

Experienced police officers both in & now out of the force, have being worried for sometime that what I have being talking about would happen & they are not ready.

How many of the current force are ready to shoot to kill? Even most soldiers over history have not actually shot to kill. It is more likely now, but pulling the trigger is not what everyone can do when the time comes.

At worst case & suicide bombers do show up, they are mission orientated & the only thing that will stop them is to kill them.

Harsh, but that is the fact of life. After 18 months of training how many of the current event security staff will be ready for the possability they could die?

About 1% I would say & they would be all ex military.

Security! In reality NZ is just playing at it.

OSH, the right Questions & more of the same.

Kia Ora,

It has being a while as there were many tasks on, but now back to a more sedate pace.

During that time though a few things have arisen.

First was the concert in Hawkesbay where a patron climbed a fence to get out, fell down a cliff & died.

So what has that got to do with security? Well first he was seen climbing the fence. Second as a patron of the concert there is still some responsibilbity for people as they leave or are in the vicinity of a venue. Last of all what started as a police investigation, quickly turned into an OSH investigation.

Recent discussions with an OSH inspector the following are the points that came up. 1. You must plan for worst case scenario you can think off even if it has never happened to you. (bit hard for me as having dealt with suicide bombers I now can't say they will never happen).

2. If say you are subcontractor  & you have a part in the incident, they first look at your procedures. If they cover it well then they move onto the next group up the line. They carry on with this until either are satisfied that everything possible was done or they have someone who has not covered that particular eventuality.

In someways this is counter productive. With events in NZ, the first people they will look at are security, yet often even the good ones are hamstrung by failure of governments to regulate numbers required. So if my procedure is minimum of two guards as practiced overseas, but client thinks they only need one, apart from pointing out your requirement there is nothing you can do.

It is going to take a few more deaths before maybe someone will wake up to fact that maybe the international requirements for events have a reason behind it.

To the questions part of the title. Last week on Breakfast an international security person was being interviewed & Pippa Wetzel asked properly the best question of them all. "Don't we have to watch out where ever we are" or words to that effect.

Whilst the person was focussed on high risk areas, she repeated the question & I felt made a good point. Problem in NZ is locals & visitors put the blinkers on, as to what is actually happening on our streets.

Right next to me I have a clipping about the ACC bill for assaults on teachers at school these days. So Pippa,s question or point is relevant where ever you are in the world.

In the meantime I see we have introduced ground hog day with the re appointment of a University lecturer who the media go to for comments on security etc, but in reality has little or no understanding of security at a higher level.

Reading books, writing papers & analyzing the issues does not make you knowledgeable in the real world of security.

Attacks on Police!

Kia Ora,

The last week has shown a disturbing trend. Two, what amounted to gang attacks on police officers. Where is our society going too & yet again I say it. When will NZ wake up.

This is exactly the sort of thing I envisaged when we confronted those ten youths a few weeks back who were carrying iron bars.

Over this last week I have noticed a propensity when you challenge young people their first instinct is to want to fight where as in the past you would of being given your pedigree.

It is also frightening as too how many in the security industry just still have their head in the samd.

During a task over this week, I reported certain people camping up near by drinking & was told to ignore them.

Now if this person had being doing their OSH Assessment then they should of, as I did, looked at worst case scenario. They were there to look for an opportunity to cause trouble.

In fact that is what you could see they were looking for. Unfortunately for them they left before the opportunity arrived which it duly did. In fact several incidents did, one that had potentially another even more dangerous outcome.

So why is it the police & security industry still continue to breach OSH by operating alone instead of at least in pairs.

Personal Security

Kia Ora,

In the last few days I have had words with someone who shares some facilities leased by one of my security companies. The issue that kicked this off basically comes to our differeing views on security.

Their view is it is not that bad here in Christchurch. My view is I actually felt safer in Baghdad as we knew what to expect.

Like most people this person has stuck their head in the sand over security. Not only that in this case it involves the security of my offices which contain items that I have no wish to loose.

But it is time for a reality check. Recently talking to a mate he told me not once but twice about another mate of his who had set up a security company in another part of NZ. He started to have an impact & so the opposition companies started to try to bully him out of industry & police became involved.

In the days leading up to this differing of views, I had being working in office when someone began to slowly open the door. As I was expecting a mate I thought he was playing around so I coughed. The door slammed & someone took off.

The next night I see a vagrant walking past taking a keen interest in the office area.

In the past few months my vehicles have being interferred with & items stolen as well as people trying to & entering the office area before it was set up due to a fault in the doors locking mechanism.

That is just the light stuff.

There was someone working in the industry just after I began who had being investigated for two murders, but no evidence could be gained, was dismissed from a previous job due to a heinous crime (the police were aware but it was taken as an employment matter to cut publicity so no complaints laid). At the time I became aware of him, he was also known to be going around threatening people claiming to be a police officer (a crime he had being convicted of before).

Again though he was not able to be convicted because as soon as people heard he might be connected to a well known crime figure they dropped any complaints.

Under the current legislation the police could do nothing to have his licence revoked.

NZ is not the nice safe place we like to make it out to be.

In the last few days the amount of violent or aggravated crime has risen.

Even a female Maori Warden has being robbed  at knife point. Something I would of never thought would happen. People are becoming desperate & yet the attitude still remains that this is a nice safe place.

Like my friend, because they were in another part of the building they have the attitude that it is OK to leave the door unlocked or open.

Almost weekly if not daily people are burglared by being in the house or out back in the garden & they leave the front door unlocked or open to let the air flow through or their friends in when they arrive.

Basic personal security requires you these days to lock your doors.

My rule is if you are going to be out of visual view for more than 30 seconds then lock it. No good saying " I should of done it after the fact".