Understanding of Sensitive Situations Builds Strong Security Program for State Agency
Situation
A state agency that is dedicated to protecting children, improving child and family well-being, and supporting and preserving families by respecting and working with families and the community has four mandate responsibility areas: child welfare, children’s behavioral health, juvenile and prevention services for those who are under age 18.
In total, the state agency manages 17 facilities and offices throughout the state where they could be serving over 36,000 children and 16,000 families.
There are few agencies in the nation that offer the same, comprehensive services as this state agency. Staff protect and help children who are being, or have been abused or neglected, or are facing emotional and behavioral challenges. The goal is to help to build on the existing family and community to strengthen the child in hopes to someday return the child safely, and permanently, back to the community.
Challenge
The state agency’s primary facility has a high amount of daily foot traffic. Visitors can vary from parents and guardians to legal authorities, councilors and state agency staff, meaning there are many different interactions constantly happening throughout any given day. Situations could be highly sensitive, so security needs to be prepared to respond and be extremely respectful of the nature of the business conducted at this location.
Additionally the physical layout of the building and its surrounding neighborhood, posed additional security challenges. The lobby area is small, and visitors must be processed thoroughly, but quickly, to keep people moving and avoid congestion. The bustling urban neighborhood may bring in unwanted dangers that could threaten the well-being of state agency staff, families and visitors.
According to the state agency’s emergency staff, there was a lack of security at this location, despite their efforts to work with a contract security provider. “We needed a more dependable, noticeable security team that is trained for our specific needs. It is our goal to keep our staff, clients and visitors safe, as well as anyone else who comes onto the property.”
Communication is vital at the state agency and staff needs to be informed of daily details. All incidents need to be reported to the state agency’s emergency and security management, but that can be difficult since this team is not based out of this location.
“There was very limited communication between security and state agency management,” said the state agency’s security director. “Sometimes we would not hear of an incident happening, even when local law enforcement was involved. It is important for us to know what has happened and how the issue was handled so that we can ensure the ongoing safety of our clients and visitors.”
Solution
Because of these challenges, the state agency began a search for a new security services company that could provide a comprehensive security presence for their staff, clients and visitors.
AlliedBarton Security Services had recently been named to an exclusive vendor list in the state as a preferred security services provider. This listing made it easier for both AlliedBarton and the state agency to gain much needed information about each other and streamlined proposal submissions.
State agency management met with AlliedBarton Business Development Manager David Monson to view first-hand an AlliedBarton training class at the local office. “We were able to show the high level of quality training that we recommended for this type of location and the management resources AlliedBarton could offer to improve the location’s security efforts,” said Monson.
AlliedBarton committed to complying with the state agency’s hiring practices and policies which included conducting their own background check on officers, a physical, a qualification checklist, and confidentiality and HIPAA agreements, as well as AlliedBarton’s screening processes and background checks. After extensive talks with the state agency to learn about the needs for security officers services, AlliedBarton began providing security services in October of 2010. A total of 10 security officers were hired, all with college degrees and military, law enforcement or security experience.
Tom Bidmead, AlliedBarton Operations Manager for the location, fully understood the need for security at such a high-traffic location that is prone to highly sensitive situations. A Site Supervisor was also assigned to the location to assist in providing constant communication between security and the state agency, especially to those not located on site.
“In the past we wouldn’t hear about an incident or problem until two or three days later and now we hear about it right away,” said the client. “Security is constantly communicating to us by phone or email through a state agency provided computer. Communication and documentation is now easy and clear.”
The security officers at the location met and exceeded all of the state agency qualification requirements due to AlliedBarton’s training programs. All officers are trained in fire safety, CPR and first-aid and have had training in management of aggressive behavior and ready response. They have also been through the AlliedBarton Master Security Officer program and the Safety Officer Specialist program. “The state agency needed to significantly upgrade their level of security officers at this location and we were able to provide them with exactly the type of experienced officers they were looking for,” explained Bidmead. “The security officers are a level three officer, which is required by the state and is the highest unarmed level.”
Security officers have specific post orders that are integrated into state agency policy to ensure the safety and security of all staff, clients and visitors. “Security officers control all access points and are constantly monitoring who is entering and exiting the facility,” said Monson. “Each person needs to be wanded, registered and buzzed in and out of the building.” Three parking lots are also patrolled daily with escort services available to staff.
The security officers also work in conjunction with local law enforcement. “Since we work with some sensitive and volatile situations, sometimes the local law enforcement needs to be involved. It is nice having a security company that will work with the local law enforcement to handle those types of situations,” said the client.
Result
The presence of AlliedBarton security officers is well known at the state agency.
Security staff now plays a role in the monthly safety meetings at the location and on-site and other state agency staff have noticed the security changes. The client is happy to know, and have developed a relationship with, the security staff. It is also refreshing for the client to be recognized by the security staff.
“The staff has commented about how much safer they feel coming to the facility and how much more professional the security staff is on a daily basis,” said Bidmead. “State agency clients have noticed a difference as well. They know what to expect when they come here and they know what will and won’t be tolerated.”
“The security officers have a professional demeanor, attitude and look to them that make us feel safe,” explained the client. “Their backgrounds, as well as their training and understanding of our needs were immediately clear. Initially there was a resistance to the new security services but now everyone understands and appreciates that security is here for a reason. Management at this location has continuously stated how impressed they are with the willingness of the security officers to go above and beyond.”
“I believe the relationship we have with the state agency is working very well and the results show we have found the answer to their problems,” added Bidmead. “Recruiting, training, management support, reporting and ongoing communication has made a big impact here.”
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Note: Due to client confidentiality, we’ve withheld the client’s name from this case study.
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