Security Checklist for Businesses

This checklist has been created by Counter Terrorism Policing to assist businesses in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year. During this period we can see a significant increase in the number of people visiting retail and night time economy premises. This checklist will help to ensure that the right protective security measures are in place.

• Review your Security and Business Continuity Plans
• Identify your risks, based on the current threat
• Increase staff vigilance: Ensure all staff are fully briefed to positively engage with customers and report any suspicious activity to security or police
• Enhance your security presence where appropriate and consider staff patrolling in high visibility clothing
• Security officers should have a visible presence, clearly display their ID badges and be briefed
• Review your Emergency Assembly Point
• Review and communicate any emergency/evacuation procedures to staff and ensure all necessary equipment, including first aid supplies, are readily available
• Review Evacuation, Invacuation and Lockdown procedures, ensure that you have plans for vulnerable staff and visitors and designated marshals to support this activity
• Check the ability to control access points to your premises
• Check CCTV is fully operational and that you have available staff members who are trained to operate it
• Suspicious Items: Ensure staff understand how to respond to suspicious items. Do staff know the HOT principles?