Pete Dordal
Journal of International Peace Operations
Volume 6, Number 1 – July/August, 2010
The choice of security can reflect on the client.
RISK management when it comes to security is not about the what: it is about the who. Who a security firm employs, and who they task to provide said security. What is important is the individual’s qualifications, his or her experience, the understanding of the client’s mission, the understanding of the environment, and, as always, the company’s best practices, lessons learned and resource allocation.
As recent events have vividly demonstrated, failure to carefully select a private security company (PSC) can result in significant problems for clients ― be they government agencies, NGOs or private firms ― seeking to protect people and assets both at home or abroad. Taking the time and making the effort to choose the right PSC is the surest way to minimize or all together avoid such problems. It also helps ensure you are working with a company that will deliver the services you need in the manner you require.
Good contracted security starts with hiring quality personnel and managing them throughoutthe contract period. In today’s economy, with tight budgets and an emphasis on cutting costs, there is an undeniable temptation for clients to make their security decisions based on cost alone. However, though cutting corners may reduce initial costs, chances are that such a strategy will result in longer-term problems.
If cost does form a very large component of the decision-making process, you must ask yourself: What skills are you willing to tradeoff quality for cost?
