Global News & Analysis

May's Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Podcast is Up!

Security has partnered with Cyjax to bring you an entertaining and insightful monthly Cybersecurity and Geopolitical vodcast on the enmeshing of cybersecurity and geopolitics and the new challenges and intriguing flashpoints these bring to enterprise security and risk professionals. In this month’s podcast, CISO Ian Thornton-Trump dives into the alarming and threatening world of misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories.

Don’t miss this informative, insightful and entertaining monthly video podcast and find out the latest talking points affecting your industry, your career and the future of security. Watch Episode Four now!

NEW: an audio-only version that you can listen to directly from our website or anytime you need. You can also listen to the audio version on Apple Podcasts, at The Security Podcasts!

To listen (and watch!), please visit https://www.securitymagazine.com/cyber-and-geopolitical-vodcast

It seems that every day there’s a new story about a security lapse, emergency lockdown or violent act taking place at a school somewhere in the United States. Today, it’s simply inexcusable not to have adequate security measures in place — regardless of how safe you think your community may be.

In School Security: How to Build and Strengthen a School Safety Program, Second Edition, Paul Timm, board-certified Physical Security Professional, nationally acclaimed expert in school security, and recipient of Security magazine's 2020 Most Influential People in Security, explains how to make your institution a safer place to learn with easy-to-follow steps.

The newest edition emphasizes a proactive rather than reactive approach to school security. Readers are introduced to basic loss prevention and safety concepts, including how to communicate safety information to students and staff, how to raise security awareness, and how to prepare for emergencies. The book discusses how to positively influence student behavior, lead staff training programs, and write sound security policies. This book isn't just for security professionals and will help educators and school administrators without formal security training effectively address school risk.

As school safety challenges continue to evolve with new daily stories surrounding security lapses, lockdowns, or violent acts taking place, this revised edition will help explain how to make educational institutions a safer place to learn.

To find the book, please visit https://www.elsevier.com/books/school-security/timm/978-0-323-85266-1

Paul Timm, Physical Security Professional and School Security Expert, Releases Second Edition of School Security

Americans Want Public Safety Agencies and First Responders to Improve Response to Mental Health Crises

Rave Mobile Safety (Rave) released its 2021 Mental Health and Emergency Response Survey results. The findings show that Americans are concerned about mental health generally and want to see first responders, including 9-1-1 dispatchers, police, EMS and fire fighters, improve emergency response involving mental health crises.

Almost all (94%) respondents are concerned about the state of mental health of Americans, and one in three respondents are extremely concerned. That worry has grown more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic; two-thirds of respondents say they are more concerned about the state of public mental health now than they were this time last year. The survey findings also show that the impact of mental health is a personal issue for many — nearly half (49%) of respondents say they or someone close to them has experienced a mental health crisis. To help responders know more before they appear on scene, 79% of respondents are completely or very willing to provide first responders with information on their mental health history or that of their loved ones.

Respondents are also concerned about the state of mental health as society reopens. Roughly half of respondents are extremely or very concerned about mental health among K-12 students returning to schools (52%), college students returning to campuses (52%), individuals returning to public spaces (51%) and employees returning to workplaces (49%).

While respondents are fairly confident in first responders’ ability to respond to mental health crises, 33% expressed some level of distrust that their local police would provide the right response. Eighty-six percent of respondents completely or somewhat agree that those tasked with public safety need to make improvements to better respond to mental health crises.

Respondents expressed the collaboration of first responders with mental health professionals as a desired approach. Eighty percent of respondents said first responders and mental health professionals together are best suited to respond to emergency situations involving mental health crises. Ninety percent of respondents completely or somewhat agree that 9-1-1 call centers should have the ability to dispatch mental health professionals as well as police, fire and/or EMS services.

To learn more, please visit https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/95172-americans-concerned-about-mental-health-and-want-public-safety-agencies-to-improve-response-to-mental-health-crises