Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
July/August/September 2022 I 35 Best Practices for Planning and Managing Physical Security Resources: An Interagency Security Committee Guide. While this document is intended to address the physical security of federal buildings, it can easily be adapted to general use buildings as well. One of the first things this document establishes is a chain of command in the event of an emergency. Why is this important? There needs to be a leader that is in charge to direct the operations in the event of a physical attack, a person that coordinates across all entities within the organization in regard to resources (e.g., human, equipment, systems, IT). This document takes a sensible approach to developing a plan for physical security that includes the following: Determining Critical and Sensitive Operational or Administrative Needs • Mission criticality • Symbolism • Facility population • Facility size • Threat to tenant agencies Conducting a Risk Assessment • Research • Test phases • Security surveys Identifying Vulnerabilities • Deficiencies in security countermeasures • Information technology systems • Security protection systems • Loss prevention programs Determining How to Mitigate Risk • Threats • Vulnerabilities • Identified risks Solutions for Identified Risks Enhance Three Facets of Security • Policies and procedures • Physical/electronic security systems • Security personnel Section 5.1, Key Concepts of Physical Security Resource Management lists the following items: • Physical security programs should be holistic and the allocation of resources should be integrated into the agency's mission, objectives, goals, and budget process. • Physical security functions should be consolidated within an internal security office, led by a Director of Security (e.g., CSO), who reports to a high-ranking senior executive official who has ready access to the agency head, as needed. • Director of Security should be responsible for man- aging and allocating physical resources based on risk assessments and using performance measures to justify security resources across the agency's portfolio of facilities. • Development and implementation of the physical security program should involve collaboration among top agency management, security, facilities management, emergency preparedness, budget, health and safety specialists, and other stakeholders. • Physical security programs should be aligned with the agency's mission, strategic goals, and multi-year budget cycle. • Physical security programs should meet the cost-effective expectations of the agency leadership in terms of totally integrated security support and safety services rendered. • Physical security programs and countermeasures should be balanced with other operational needs and competing interests. • Physical security resource allocation should be periodically assessed, including historical spending records, which may be useful in future resource allocation considerations.