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OAK RIDGE, Tenn.—Cameras and sensors have been repaired or replaced and more security patrolmen are on the job, along with additional staffing at the central alarm station at the Y-12 National Security Complex since last July’s security breach.

Efforts also are being made, here, to reduce the false and nuisance alarm rate at the facility, which houses bomb-grade uranium, according to a report from Oak Ridge Today.com.

The Y-12 security update came to light because of another, albeit less serious, breach this month, on June 6. Early that morning, a 62-year-old woman, looking for an apartment, mistakenly followed a line of traffic to the complex and was waved through the main entrance by security officers. She drove around the complex a bit before being stopped when she tried to exit. Federal officials said Y-12 security failed to follow proper procedure. Three security police officers and one supervisor have been suspended as a result.

The Y-12 security update, requested and obtained by Oak Ridge Today in the wake of that incident, said the complex has “carefully examined the circumstances" that led to last year’s July 28 break-in by three elderly protesters, including a nun. The trio cut through perimeter fences and splashed blood and paint and otherwise vandalized the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility.

The three anti-nuclear protesters were found guilty on two federal charges last month and will remain in jail until their sentencing in September. 

“Y-12 … is applying the lessons learned to our security posture and operations,” the security update said, according to the news report. “These actions included adding key leadership personnel, restoring to service critical security elements and refining alarm system components to enhance reliability.”

The security update said all the Perimeter Intrusion Detection and Assessment System, or PIDAS, cameras at Y-12 were replaced, and extra concertina wire was  installed to fully enclose all critical areas. Also, retired Brig. Gen. Rod Johnson was brought in from B&W Pantex to assume responsibility for Y-12’s Safeguards, Security and Emergency Services, the report said.

Education in the physical security sector remains remarkably low. According to a 2010 Bureau of Justice Statistics report, only 12 percent of security professionals have bachelor’s degrees, 42 percent have some college, and the remaining 46 percent have a high school diploma or less. However, many leading security professionals throughout the industry are working to change those statistics by putting education at the forefront of their security programs.

Marilyn Hollier, CPP, CHPA, is the director of HHC Security Services at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers. In her leadership role, she has made it one of her career objectives to ensure her security staff has the opportunity to achieve a higher level of education.

In January of 2014, Hollier will have a wider opportunity to share her outlook on education with other security leaders when she takes the helm as president of the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS). As president she will continue building the membership of hospitals around the country and the world promoting training and certification programs. IAHSS has also recently developed an educational partnership with American Military University to promote the value of education within the security industry. This partnership will jointly encourage those in the hospital security profession to pursue higher levels of education and help “professionalize” the security industry.

“I want a well-educated staff to help us be successful,” said Hollier. “As a leader, I tell all my employees that they are resources—their success is mine and my success is theirs.” She encourages all her employees to get their bachelor’s, master’s or other certifications. Employees are offered incentives to further their education, from bonuses after they complete programs to flexible work hours to account for school schedules.

The proof of her dedication to education is in the numbers. Out of her 166 staff members:

• 12 have high school diplomas
• 20 have Associate’s degrees
• 123 have Bachelor’s degrees
• 11 have Master’s degrees

Hollier makes a point to talk about education even during the interview process. “Before they sign on the dotted line, we make a verbal contract where they agree that they will train beyond their job,” she said. “They understand they are resources to this department and that I want them to be successful and continue their education if they can. It’s a win for us and a win for them.”

She attributes her focus on education partially to her own career experiences, specifically addressing some of the obstacles she faced during her early career. After getting her master’s degree in Urban Studies/Human Resources in 1987, Hollier said she had difficulty getting recognition for her academic achievements. “I struggled to get law enforcement and/or security leadership positions because I was often more educated than the people interviewing me,” she said. “I would think to myself: ‘I’m a resource to help you be successful,’ but they often saw me as a threat. That stayed with me and I learned from that,” she said.

Hollier also stresses the importance of professional certifications. Many on her leadership team have obtained theirs. She has eight Certified Healthcare Protection Administrators (CHPA) through IAHSS, four Certified Protection Professionals (CPP) and one Physical Security Professional (PSP) through ASIS International.

She has found that education helps build self-esteem and confidence among her employees. “It is common sense to me,” she said. “You get good at your job when you have a combination of education and experience. Education teaches you tools that you can try out in your job.”

Leischen Stelteris the coordinator of Social Media Integration at American Military University, writing about issues and trends in the physical security and public safety sectors. Stelter is the former managing editor of Security Director News. In addition to contributing to AMU Security Info, she also manages the blog, In Public Safety, which focuses on issues and trends in law enforcement, fire services, emergency management and national intelligence.

TSA Administrator John Pistole has thrown in the towel on his proposal to allow airline passengers to carry on knives with blades that are 2.36 inches or less.

Pistole’s plan, announced in March, was for those small knives to be allowed as of April 25. His proposed rule change would also  have allowed passengers to carry on hockey sticks, golf clubs and billiard cues, which had since been disallowed. After he was confronted with outcries from the Flight Attendants Union Coalition, representing 90,000 members, and a public petition with 400,000 signatures and other protests, he delayed the rule change, then said he was reconsidering.

Well, he has.

"After extensive engagement with the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, law enforcement officials, passenger advocates and other important stakeholders, TSA will continue to enforce the current prohibited items list," Pistole said in a news report from Reuters.

Pistole had previously defended the rule changes, saying the TSA needed to prioritize threats, and that its time was best spent looking for more lethal weapons such as explosive devices.

The flight attendants union praised Pistole for hearing their concerns and reversing his position.

What do you think?

I am unable to attend the National Retail Federation’s Loss Prevention Conference & Expo June 12-14 in San Diego, but I did speak about the show at length today with Richard Mellor, NRF’s VP for loss prevention. From his personal preview, it sounds like a great lineup is in store from start to finish.

The kick-off, featuring Rorke Denver, lieutenant commander for the U.S. Navy SEALs who has trained and led the special force in missions all over the world, will address “elite leadership.” “Talk about leadership and motivating your team,” Mellor said. “From theft to weather emergencies, active shooters, the LP team is responsible for that response and recovery efforts. How do you get a team ready to deal with those things?”

Organized retail crime will be a focus. “ORC just won’t go away, and it’s more impactful on retailers every year,” Mellor said. So will the latest in retail security technology, including analytics that determine theft trends, and information on how retailers can use that information to their best advantage.

Crisis management and workplace violence prevention expert Larry Barton will speak on “New Dynamics in Threat Assessment and Violence Prevention: Emerging Issues and Challenges to Protect Your People and Brand.” Investigating retail crimes using online tools, includiing interviewing those involved using face-to-face internet sites,  and dealing with effectively managing multi-generation employees on a LP team also will be featured.

Mellor said one of the highlights of the show for him will be the Annual Loss Prevention Awards program. Three awards are given to honor a law enforcement officer or agency that has gone beyond the norm to help retailers, especially with ORC (Hint: this year it’s someone from the Secret Service, Mellor said.); a person or team within a company that did a superb job of investigating a case and bringing it to closure resulting in successful prosecution; and an individual whose LP career is worthy of earning him or her induction into NRF’s Ring of Excellence for “lifetime achievement,” he said.

I’m sorry I won’t be there to participate in the sessions, but I’ll be doing some follow-up interviews with Mellor and his speakers after the show. So stay tuned. And if you attend, please let me know your favorite takeaways.