February 8, 2010
I would be willing to wager a significant amount that the next call I get to respond to a security incident, the first thing the owner or captain will say is, “We have never had a problem here before,” to which I always respond, “You won’t be able to say that again.”
After hearing that so many times I began to wonder what was the common denominator among first time crime events at previously perceived safe moorings or slips? After looking back, my unscientific answer is the captain and crew had become complacent in performing their practiced security protocols because they thought they were in “safe” locations.
The other unfortunate piece to these calls for service is that I normally get the response requests not from the captain but from a corporate person, representative of the owner or, worst-case, the owner.
Another common thread is the fact that in most instances the captain and crew had a good security plan in place; it just was not followed prior to the incident because of this never-had-a-problem-here-before mentality. The losses run the gamut from relatively minor theft or vandalism to physical harm to a crew member or guest.
When meeting with the captain and crew, they always have had a chance to CSI the incident to death and have long lists of causes, suspects and reasons why it was beyond their control. The significant piece that normally is missing is that they had likely been under surveillance for a period of time, providing the perpetrators significant intelligence as to the security weaknesses and valuables on board. All too often, the captain and crew take on the mentality of "We are too big, too intimidating and too smart to be a victim of these dumb, unprofessional thieves."
Most of those choosing to be thieves as a career are, in fact, quite resourceful, packed with street smarts and lack a conscience. These traits along with plenty of spare time allow thieves to study us for long periods of time to learn our vulnerabilities. In cases where we continue to return to the same locations year after year, the temptation to the perpetrator just becomes too much to resist.
And returning to these "safe" locations year after year increases our temptation to lower our guard, while the thieves' temptation to take advantage increases, resulting in theft or other harm.
Criminals with patience and planning are much more successful than those reacting on impulse. This trait is valued among thieves, especially those with intent on attacking our operations. In the culture of those committing crimes on yacht operations, the success stories and the methods used are shared quickly.
We all have been affected by the downturn in the economy and its impact on operating budgets, which unfortunately becomes a significant factor in a captain’s decision-making process. It is difficult for a captain not to see the impact to the operating budget of his decisions. Of course, it should be secondary and not primary in the decision process.
Security hardware too often is looked upon as a luxury or a wish-list item for better times ahead. When asked to cut back, too often security and safety expenses are the first to go, especially when the decision is made by those back at the office.
It is understandable to look at ways to cut back as opposed to cutting a position, but it should never be done at the cost of security to crew and guests. The long-term cost, impact and viability resulting from a breach in security can be catastrophic to a yacht's operation. Security procedures and proper protocols, on the other hand, are virtually free and should be practiced frequently, even at those locations where "nothing ever happens."
A key component to a cost-effective yacht security program is continuous and ongoing training. This pertains to all aspects of the yacht operation, whether it is safety, handling, security or navigation. The purpose is to assure proficiency in operation as well as education in the latest techniques and advances in the particular discipline.
As part of an onboard safety and security program, periodic reviews and inspections are required to guarantee that recommendations made in the initial inspections are carried out. Many times, I find the captain and crew who were enthusiastic about new security procedures have become complacent as the months pass.
An effective way to insure that security procedures are not only practiced but become part of the culture of the yacht's operation is to make them part of the captain's (or his designee’s) performance objectives.
If pay and promotion opportunities are tied to the crew's security awareness with documented drills, then in most instances a good security program will be maintained. If not, it is up to the captain's superior to hold him or her accountable at evaluation time.
Complacency is as easy to spot as those safe places we like to visit. If we drop a procedure or fail to comply with security protocols because we are at a place where “nothing ever happens,” then consider yourself vulnerable to those waiting to take advantage.
As we know, we are watched all the time and often by those looking for that next opportunity.
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