Protecting Business from Terrorist Attacks

NJBIZ: Is New Jersey more vulnerable to a terrorist attack than other states are?

Lagg: Absolutely. New Jersey is especially vulnerable because ports are vulnerable and New Jersey has a large port presence.

NJBIZ: How can it be protected?

Lagg: Accounting for things coming in and

accounting for things that are going out is necessary and it's a very hard thing to do. Only a certain percentage of goods are checked and we need to beef that up. We need to grow our security capacity to protect things being imported and exported. We have to be more thorough using X-ray machines and understanding better where packages are coming from and who is doing the shipping.

NJBIZ: What are some other areas that call for concern?

Lagg: Transportation is probably the biggest area of risk, as we saw first in Madrid and then in London. We need to increase camera coverage in some transportation hubs. NJ Transit is starting to step it up here. We need to better understand who is getting on and off trains. Airports are much further advanced, but what about the trains, buses and tunnels?

NJBIZ: What can be done to ensure the security of industries like the chemical sector that would pose a threat to public safety if attacked?

Lagg: I think you're seeing some changes in the chemical sector. There's an alliance now that wasn't there before, the American Chemistry Council. They get together on a periodic basis and they communicate on how to protect the industry. There isn't one thing that one chemical company is experiencing from a security perspective that another similar company isn't experiencing.

NJBIZ: What special concerns do small businesses have when it comes to security?

Lagg: It all comes down to money and whether businesses are resource-strapped. Smaller business have to be more focused on [providing security] more accurately and cost effectively. If a smaller business makes a mistake, it might not survive. And if it doesn't address security issues at all and something happens, it could be out of business. Its security antenna needs to be raised more than [that of] a bigger business that has the resources to throw money at a security problem

Other than financial aspects, it's the same for a small, medium or large business. You have to understand who is in your building, understand the people who work for you and where they are traveling. Companies also need to understand the assets in their buildings and where some of those assets may be going.

NJBIZ: Is terrorism the largest security threat that businesses face?

Lagg: No. But it certainly has the greatest impact on people and assets. Workplace violence has always been the most likely [security threat], but you are more likely to recover from a workplace violence issue. The impact is far greater with terrorism.

NJBIZ: In what areas is the security market growing?

Lagg: There are certain areas, like Xray technologies and guard agencies, that have grown and improved considerably. Since 9/11 my guess is that the market has grown 10% to 20% each year. Access control is always growing, with better cameras and digital video recorders now available. Visitor software registration is growing.

NJBIZ: How can security professionals make management aware of the need to take security seriously?

Lagg: You have to keep events [that illustrate security breaches] in front of the right people. You have to Introduce concepts like business continuity and test security procedures once or twice a year.

NJBIZ: What should a business look for in security professionals?

Lagg: They should be familiar with various guidelines to keep employees safe, like what the lighting should be in a parking lot. They should be aware of what tools are available to track people and assets in a building and what sort of evacuation procedures should take place in an emergency. They should be interested in building long-term relationships with people who have common security goals.

NJBIZ: What can a small or mediumsized business take away from the conference next month?

Lagg: If you are a business owner, I think the opportunity to meet and greet various security professionals in a seminar like this, as well as the opportunity to know certain guidelines and opportunities and resources available, is most helpful. If someone is trying to hire a security vendor, [he or she] can learn about what qualifications to look for in a security professional. If nothing else, they will be able to understand ASIS, which is available to them at anytime.

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Richard Lagg chairs the Western New Jersey chapter of the American Society for Industrial security International (ASIS). The chapter's 200 members provide security services for executives. A 15-year veteran of the FBI, Lagg last week became manager of executive security services and investigations for Basking Ridge telecom-equipment maker Avaya. He previously was head of corporate security for industrial-coatings maker Englehard in lselin. Lagg is coordinating a day-long ASIS seminar to be held October 11 at the Hyatt Headquarters Plaza hotel in Morristown. Speakers will include: New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey and Sidney Caspersen, director of the New Jersey Office of Counter-Terrorism. Lagg discussed security issues with NJBIZ Staff Writer Brian Quinlan.