The incident was a workplace violence disaster at Henry Pratt Facility in 2019. The incident involved an employee shootout after dismissal from work. The offender, Gary Martin, went on a shooting rampage killing five co-workers and injuring five police officers and one unidentified individual. According to MacMahon, (2019) Gary had anticipated being dismissed from the facility after violating a safety regulation). Nonetheless, he was adamant about accepting the dismissal and vowed to kill everyone if fired.
The Role of Private Security vs Public Security
Private security is vital in safeguarding the company, including human resources and the organizations property. Further the security is responsible for preventing and controlling emergency situations such as workplace violence. The security manager would have called for help in the incident since the perpetrator was armed. In violent incidents involving armed weapons, security personnel tasked to call reinforcements, such as other security officers (Sennewald & Baillie, 2021). Further, the manager should inform the management and emergency services like the police, medical services and fire brigade in case of a fire.
The Role of Private Security in Emergencies
Security managers are in charge of directing employees and other individuals to evacuate the premises in an orderly manner to prevent a stampede and get to safety. Afterwards, they should secure the scene and assess the situation, reporting and recording events as they occur for further analysis and reference. The role of private security differs from public security in terms of response, using weapons and force. Private security provides service through assessment, implementing security measures and responding to the incident as they occur (Sennewald & Baillie, 2021. On the other hand, public security provide backup if the situation demands force and armed weapons (Dinstein, 2022). Thus, they are called reinforcements if the situation cannot be contained at the organizational level.
Telltale Signs and Prevention Measures
Telltale signs that appeared prior to the incident include verbal exchanges between the perpetrator and his colleague. Gary threatened to kill everyone if he was dismissed from employment. Secondly, cameras recorded the offender picking something from his workstation and wearing a hoody before heading to the manager’s office (MacMahon, 2019). The signs could indicate he was armed, requiring quick security intervention to avoid a calamity. Security managers can anticipate incidences of violence by conducting prompt checks among employees to retrieve weapons. Finally, another approach would be training employees to conduct emergencies and establish effective communication lines.
Post-Incident Measures
Measures that could be put in place post-incident to protect physical assets include installing security cameras and securing the valuable asset. Cameras help monitor events in an organization and anticipate incidents before they happen (Sennewald & Baillie, 2021). Installing the cameras can enable security to identify odd behaviours among employees and individuals and prevent a dangerous event. The organization could install bullet-resistant glass in risk areas where valuable assets are kept.
Significant Factors in Security Management
I believe control measures, training, and awareness are the most important factors to be considered in security management, security components and operational conditions to prevent workplace or school violence incidents. Installing control measures such as security cameras and metal detector systems can prevent the passage of unauthorized objects such as guns (Dinstein, 2022). Training and awareness are important in ensuring employees, students and the public are equipped to respond to critical situations like armed perpetrators.
Administrative Challenges in Security Management
Security managers face significant challenges in incidents of violence at school, and the workplace, including effective communication and inadequate resources. Communication is vital in emergencies and requires coordination from all sectors. In case of an incident, security managers face communication challenges addressing various areas in schools and organizations to ensure the safety and prevention of a crime. Inadequate resources refer to policy challenges in possessing weapons. Unlike public security, private security officers are not allowed to possess weapons which may hinder effective protection and prevention of violence (Dinstein, 2022). Thus, the administration must focus on better communication and arming security for violent incidents
References
Dinstein, Y. (2022). The conduct of hostilities under the law of international armed conflict. (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
MacMahon, J. H. (2019). Facts and circumstances of a deadly shooting. Office of the Kane County State’s Attorney. Web.
Sennewald, C. A., & Baillie, C. (2021). Effective security management. (7th ed.). Butterworth-Heineman.