The Manchester Arena Terrorist Attack

The terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena in 2017 has shown how security and policing of large-scale events MUST be improved, if we are to have any chance of preventing further tragedies.   The idea that anyone can be a CCTV operator, security guard or steward (and, of course, paid the minimum wage) must be changed.   It is dreadful that eighteen-year-old steward, Kyle Lawler, must now live with the fact that he had spotted the terrorist, Salman Abedi, but did not intervene as he was afraid of being called a “racist”. Likewise, police officers deployed to spot offenders should be properly selected for the role.

We now know that Abedi had visited the Arena when fans were queuing for a Take That concert, to conduct hostile reconnaissance.  He did not fit the demographic for that event or the Ariana Grande show on 22nd May 2017.  If the CCTV operators, security staff had been tested for human Super Recogniser skills, then someone may have noted his presence and alarm bells may have rung more quickly – giving more time for action.   These tests can also be conducted for police officers – what police chief would not want to know if officers and staff have these skills?

Also, if these Super Recognisers were trained to spot suspicious behaviour AND justify what they had seen, they would:

a.     Have spotted Abedi faster, by his actions

b.     Not been afraid of being accused of “racism” as they could account for their actions.

Automated facial recognition may also help with security, but again, some believe that anyone can operate such systems.  The US National Institute of Standards and Technology made clear that trained facial examiners or Super Recognisers must be used.  The former role takes years of study, the latter, Super Recogniser, can be selected and trained in a week as it is a natural skill.   Added to all this, we have the challenge of a mask wearing public.  With much of the face covered, identification is even more difficult, but again, we know that Super Recognisers can recognise suspects just by their eyes.

We need to remember the chilling words of the IRA, after the Brighton 1984 bomb, which killed five in an attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister - “…we only have to be lucky once — you have to be lucky always.”    We can improve our chances of identifying those who want to harm us.  We must change how we train and select CCTV operators, security staff and police officers, who are deployed to spot suspicious individuals and known terrorists and criminals.   The deaths of twenty-two innocent people in Manchester demand it.

https://www.associationofsuperrecognisers.org/courses

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-54695580