Homeland Security Asks Retailers To Heighten Awareness

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security held a conference call asking the retail sector to heighten its level of awareness and report anything suspicious to law enforcement immediately.

According to the Department of  Homeland Security, businesses have to operate under the premise that other operatives are in the country and could advance plotting with little or no warning.? They also said U.S. officials “lack insights in specific details, timing and intended targets,” but trends indicate terrorists are looking for “smaller, more achievable attacks against easily accessible targets.”

During the call with business leaders, Homeland Security officials requested private sector companies to consider the following points:

• Institute aggressive awareness campaigns
• Identify entrance areas where crowds will collect and common traffic choke points exist.
• Pre-identify primary and secondary evacuation routes.
• Look at how you asses unattended vehicles in your area.
• Vary security patrol and surveillance routines.
• Rely on the people working in your buildings and stores every day. These folks will be more aware of things out of place in their normal environment.
• Remain alert for potential secondary devices. (In one case, small devices were used to force an evacuation, then larger devices were triggered to kill people.).

DHS has also released a video (seen above) that will assist retailers in reinforcing the message with employees and others.

Additional Info and Videos – Dept. Homeland Security

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