29/06/2026
Security is not judged by the events that occur during an attack.
It is measured by everything that was done before the attack ever had the chance to happen.
As a Security Professional, I have often heard this question from decision-makers:
"How many security guards do we really need?"
Perhaps we have been asking the wrong question all along.
The better questions are:
โข Have we identified every vulnerable entry point?
โข Can every visitor entering our premises be properly screened?
โข Are our security personnel trained to recognize suspicious behavior before it becomes a threat?
โข Are our emergency response procedures tested, or do they only exist on paper?
โข If an armed individual enters our facility today, how many layers of protection stand between that person and our employees, students, customers, patients, or visitors?
These are not merely security questions.
They are leadership questions.
Every incident of violence follows a chain of vulnerabilities. Criminals look for opportunities, not miracles. They exploit weak access control, unattended entrances, poor visitor management, inadequate security staffing, and the absence of trained personnel capable of identifying threats before lives are placed in danger.
Break just one link in that chain, and a tragedy may never happen. That is the true purpose of professional security. Not simply to respond after violence begins, but to prevent violence from reaching innocent people in the first place.
This is why security should never be viewed merely as an operational expense or awarded solely to the lowest bidder.
When organizations invest in competent security professionals, continuous training, effective supervision, and comprehensive security planning, they are investing in something far more valuable than a contract.
They are investing in human life.
To every CEO, School Administrator, Government Official, Procurement Committee, and Business Owner, allow me to leave you with one question:
If your own child, spouse, parent, or loved one walked into your establishment today, would you have complete confidence that your current security measures are enough to protect them? If that question gives you pause, then perhaps the issue is no longer about the cost of security.
Perhaps it is about the value we place on prevention.
The recent tragedy in Tacloban reminds us that violence can happen anywhere. While no security system can guarantee that every incident will be prevented, every organization has a responsibility to assess risks, strengthen its defenses, and prepare before - not after - a crisis occurs.
The strongest organizations are not those that react the fastest. They are those that prepare the earliest.
