Elementary Consulting Group (LMNTRY) are specialists in public realm, precinct, and crowded place security. In 2017, the Australian government released the Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism. The strategy establishes that all owners and operators of crowded places have the primary responsibility for protecting their sites, including a duty of care to take steps to protect people that work, use or visit their site from a range of foreseeable threats, including the threat of terrorist attack.
To understand whether a site is a crowded place requires owners and operators to undertake a security risk assessment. Security risk assessments are comprehensive reviews of a site and its location, which identifies all foreseeable threat actors and assesses the likelihood and consequence of the risks that these threat actors pose to the site.
Security risk assessments are generally supported by a security management plan, which details appropriate security measures that are proportionate to the identified risks. Security measures extend beyond CCTV cameras and electronic access control, but also include elements such as vehicle security barriers, policies and procedures, visitor management, and police coordination.
LMNTRY have expertise in developing all elements of a security strategy in collaboration with our clients to achieve their objectives for the precinct. Robust security can be provided without creating a ‘fortress’ mentality or image, and security can be highly integrated into the public realm and still achieve the required outcomes. Importantly, as with occupational health and safety incidents, personal liability can attach to some of these security obligations if breached.
Key requirements
LMNTRY can provide advice and support compliance with the following Commonwealth Guidelines in response to Australia’s Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism:
- Australia's Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism
- Active Armed Offender Guidelines for Crowded Places
- Improvised Explosive Device Guidelines for Crowded Places
- Chemical Weapon Guidelines for Crowded Places
- Hostile Vehicle Guidelines for Crowded Places
These guidelines should be implemented in the public realm and crowded places developments. For some sites, police coordination is required, and this is determined through a Crowded Places Assessment. Capturing these security requirements early in the design phase of the public realm can reduce cost and minimise retrofitting of security measures after the fact.
Security measures can be resource intensive, costly and, if not correctly managed and communicated, can alienate staff and the public and significantly disrupt the day-to-day operations of a crowded place. This is why expert specialist advice is essential and why careful consideration and planning is required before implementing any protective security measures. The following principles should underpin all decision-making:
- It is not possible to protect everything, so owners and operators must prioritise the highest risk areas of a crowded place;
- All protective security measures should be proportionate to the level and type of threat; and
- Security is more cost effective when incorporated into the design phase of a crowded place.
