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24th April 2024 Issue no. 702

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BSIA to co-host thought provoking webinar on tackling vehicular terrorism

On Thursday 1st June 2017 at 15:00 BST (10:00 EST), the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) will be co-hosting a webinar with the United States' Security Industry Association (SIA).

Titled 'Stopping vehicular attacks: how we can protect against the latest terror weapon', the webinar will explore the role of the security industry in tackling the increasing threat of vehicular attacks.

"Over recent years we have seen an increasing number of terror attacks in which a vehicle was the main weapon, particularly in Europe. Last summer in Nice 86 people died and countless others were injured as a cargo truck mowed down crowds celebrating Bastille day. Following that, we have seen vehicular attacks in Berlin, Ohio, Westminster and most recently, Stockholm. With this in mind, we felt that hostile vehicle mitigation was a very topical and important subject to base an international panel discussion around," comments Felix Parker-Smith, BSIA Public Affairs Executive, who is co-hosting the webinar with Jake Parker, SIA Director of Government Relations.

Lasting 60-90 minutes, the webinar will feature short presentations from a panel of knowledgeable speakers from both the USA and the UK on their area of expertise. The speakers will then take part in a panel discussion regarding the best methods for tackling vehicular terrorism, followed by a Q&A session where viewers will have the opportunity to direct their own questions to the panel.

While a full speaker line up will be announced closer to the date, confirmed speakers at present are:

* Andrew Majoran, Lead Terrorism Analyst, The Risk Advisory Group -Originally from Canada, Andrew attained a Masters of Science (MSc) degree from the Royal Holloway University of London. After graduating, he was offered an internship with NATO Canada which led to a series of opportunities around the world conducting independent international security consulting and policy analysis. Such opportunities include working with the Delegation of Canada to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, Austria, where he has conducted research and analysis under the direction of the Canadian Ambassador and her staff on various security matters, including the Ukraine crisis, small arms and light weapons control, and cyber security.

* Rob Reiter, Co-Founder of the Storefront Safety Council - Rob is a consultant and expert on pedestrian safety technology and perimeter security. He became active in this area of security in the post 9/11 environment and co-founded the Storefront Safety Council in 2012, where he used his expertise to tackle the rise of vehicle attacks on retail premises in the United States. Rob is also a regular news commentator in the United States for various media outlets including ABC News, CBS News and a multitude of other state-specific media outlets.

* Ian Mansfield MBE, Security Adviser for Vision Security Group (VSG) - Ian served as City of London Police Constable for 25 years before joining VSG as a Security Adviser. During his time as a Constable, Ian was a Counter Terrorism Security Adviser and led a multitude of counter-terror operations with the force during the height of the IRA bombings in London. In 2014 he was awarded an MBE for his work on Project Griffin, an initiative that has brought the Police and the security industry together in a combined effort to tackle terrorism.

Key learning points from the webinar will include how the public and private sectors can maximise the effectiveness of protections against vehicle-borne threats, the return on investment from both a safety and security standpoint, as well as potential policy solutions that could spur implementation.

Those wishing to participate in the webinar can dial-in from their devices for free. To register for what promises to be a thought-provoking and interesting discussion, go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5732090948462731523

The British Security Industry Association is the trade association covering all aspects of the professional security industry in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of UK security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards. For more information see www.bsia.co.uk, email [email protected] or telephone 0845 389 3889/020 3585 1444.

24th May 2017