Maritime Security - No Room For Complacency
Op-ed by Ryan Pearce of Beowulf Defense And Security
The following op-ed is provided as a cautionary tale in the field of maritime security. Whilst it is acknowledged that a level of success has occurred in the deployment of armed security on ships, it must be borne in mind that it is a State or Flag State responsibility to permit them to operate. Private armed security is not sanctioned by the IMO, and the carriage of weapons continues to attract close attention in ports around the Arabian Gulf States and Indian Ocean regions - OCEANUSLive Team.
North Hollywood Shootout
To many, the date February 28, 1997 may seem somewhat inconsequential — just another day with no true bearing on events in the Indian Ocean region that we all find ourselves so focused on now. However, the lessons learned on 28/2/1997 apply just as much to Anti-Piracy as they did to the Los Angeles Police Department. Unlike the LAPD, it would seem the Mar Sec industry has not learned from the mistakes of others.
On February 28, 1997, Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu opened fire on the LAPD after robbing the North Hollywood Bank of America. Until this point, most American police departments issued patrol officers 9mm handguns and 12-gauge shotguns to be stored in their vehicles — there were no complaints from the public, as it was understood that SWAT had access to heavier arms such as the M16.
During what has been dubbed “the North Hollywood Shootout”, police found themselves outgunned and outmatched by Phillips and Matasareanu, both wearing body armor and armed with fully automatic AK-47s. Their 9mm Berettas had no effect on the two juggernauts, and for nearly an hour, police found themselves in a woefully precarious tactical position (a nice way of saying they were on the receiving end of 1,300 rounds of 7.62x39mm rounds) while awaiting SWAT to arrive, finally resorting to “appropriating” Armalite rifles from a local gun store.
While SWAT ultimately killed both shooters, the realization had fallen on police forces around the country that there might not be time to await a SWAT response. This was again reinforced during the Columbine High School Massacre in Colorado just two years later, in 1999. Now, taking into account the lessons learnt, patrol officers in the US are issued M4 rifles, and are trained in “Active Shooter” techniques. No longer do they need to await SWAT to respond, as they are fully capable of responding independently in an urgent situation.
House of Cards
By now, you are probably asking yourself, “How does this pertain to the Maritime Security world?” In short, we have already had our 28/2 event. Except ours was August 6, 2011. Mar Sec in its current state is a house of cards. The AK-47 is the world's most prolific firearm, with over 175 million copies in existence, and an effective range of roughly 400 yards. Hunting rifles, shotguns, and the other off-the-gun-store-shelf weapons, that have been seen or heard of being used in the area, are simply no more of a deterrent to the AK-47 than the 9mm Berettas used by LAPD on that day in February. Not to name names, but one firm touted 9mm Beretta CX4 carbines in photographs on their website!
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| (Photo: Maritimeaudits.com) |
Not Fallen Yet
We, in the industry, like to tout that no vessel has been successfully hijacked with armed security on board. This is no different from proclaiming, “I haven’t fallen yet” while standing atop a tight rope during gale force winds. True — you have not, but you will. No ship has been hijacked — yet (also a view of EUNAVFORs Chief of Staff) — but it will happen, if we, collectively, continue to deploy undertrained and underequipped security teams. On the same note, the knee-jerk retreat to the citadel to await military forces (AKA, wait for the “SWAT team”) is just as flawed. During the Columbine Massacre, the police fell back on their version of the wait-it-out tactic. They secured a perimeter — and waited. All the while, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were free to roam the halls of the school killing and wounding 37 students and teachers. This is why Police Forces developed the active shooter technique referred to above. Mar Sec firms would do well to do the same, as retreating to the Citadel should be an absolute last resort — with the new tactic pirates have displayed of setting ships ablaze out of frustration, the citadel can become a coffin as opposed to a safe haven.
Confidence, Education and Knowledge
Many clients may not be fully aware of the disservices that many “cowboy” companies give them. However, that is our job, as security providers, to inform them. Success need not be measured on how many transits we undertake, but instead on how many mariners under our protection make it home at the end of the day. If just one is killed under our collective watch, we have failed. With ever-changing PAG tactics and increasing levels of aggression, we need to adapt as well. We need not be “Security Companies”, but instead “Companies Providing Security”. We are contracted to give our clients the freedom from doubt, anxiety, or fear that comes with sailing the HRA (High Risk Areas), or the coast of West Africa, or anywhere a client may face a threat. We are here to provide confidence. That confidence must come through education of the threat, and the knowledge that a properly equipped and trained team has the means to deal with that threat.
Ryan Pearce - Managing Director Beowulf Defense and Security
Beowulf strives to position itself as the market leader in all of its operational sectors by consistently providing the finest operational, logistical, and ideological solutions—while maintaining and expanding a reputation for confidentiality and fidelity. In January of 2012, Beowulf will officially enter the Maritime Security market, followed by entrances into the Close/Executive Protection, Static, and Dynamic security, and the Kidnap and Rescue sectors.
This shift in focus from consultancy to security reflects a new and revolutionary vision for how Private Security Companies should operate, focusing first on the clients, rather than the bottom line. As the Founder and Managing Director of Beowulf Defense and Security, Ryan, a defense consultant by trade with a background in operations-other-than-war and the study of private military companies, serves as the principal representative of the firm's ideologies and mission statement.
The views stated are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of OCEANUSLive.
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