Strathclyde launch Project Griffin

Security staff in Glasgow are being offered specialist awareness and training days by Strathclyde Police in an effort to further enhance the level of security and information provided in the event of a major incident in the city.

Community safety officers from Glasgow Central and West Division will team up with local businesses to deliver the Project, an initiative originally introduced by the City of London Police aimed at developing resilience within the financial sector in London.

The project will focus on the training of security guards for use in times of emergency and the establishment of a Bridge Call facility.

Launched on July 5, around 40 security personnel from businesses throughout the city attended the event, which covered issues such as:

• current terrorist threat
• bomb procedures – search, evacuation and suspect packages
• powder packages
• hostile reconnaissance
• table top exercise
• role of Griffin on July 7 bombings

Chief Superintendent David Christie, Divisional Commander at the City Centre Division, said: “This project has been in the pipeline for sometime and has not been implemented as a result of any increase in the terrorist threat. It builds on the good work already carried out by officers via Business Continuity seminars which are held throughout the year.”

The Bridge Call facility is an extended conference call service, which will provide member organisations with weekly access to issues that may affect business such as terrorist threats, disorder and crime trends.

They will be arranged and co-ordinated by the Community Safety Department at ‘A’ Division, in consultation with the Force Counter Terrorist Security Advisor, Divisional Operations Planning, Crime Analyst Section and Traffic Department.

Inspector David BaMaung of the Divisional Community Safety Department said: “Such a facility will prove invaluable where businesses are seeking guidance and information from the police on how to deal with certain situations.”

Susan Nicol, General Manager of the St. Enoch Centre, and Regional Director for The Mills, added:

“Project Griffin is an excellent initiative which will see the public and private sector working together closely to deliver real benefit to business. Its effectiveness has already been demonstrated in London and we look forward to working alongside the Project Griffin team and our colleagues in the business sector as the initiative is rolled out in Scotland.”