When it comes to security, there is no room for error. Organisations protecting our safety must operate at the highest standards for every second of the operation. This is why G4S Guam place such value on experience, excellence and preparation.
G4S Guam is on a mission – to establish itself a major, all-in-one go-to for security. In 2004, G4S established its presence in Guam through the acquisition of three of the islands’ largest security providers; Securewest, International & Armored Express Services, and Pacific Security Alarm. In 2008, they continued to expand their operations by establishing Document Solutions, a reliable document management, shredding, imaging and storage company that expanded G4S’s reach to the realm of printed data. Not content to stop there, they later established Care and Justice Solutions in 2010, this branch focusing on government justice and community safety solutions.
Following their motto of “Securing your world”, G4S Guam have kept innovating. In an industry where they must constantly stay one step ahead of the threats, the company has no choice. Amongst their developments was a programme for electronic offender monitoring. The technology took a year of testing to develop, working towards hardware and software for tracking citizens who are facing trial, on probation or who otherwise require monitoring by the judiciary system, but not to the extent of incarceration. Government resources on the island are largely reserved for rehabilitation and incarceration, leaving offenders in these other brackets largely unwatched. G4S’s work on this technology began in the earlier half of this decade, when such systems were still finding their feet, and were more of a contentious issue to pitch than they are now.
The system began by using bracelets with a SIM card inside that is GPS traceable and linked to software that can allow online, real-time monitoring, as well as sending alerts to email and mobile devices. Should the offender enter a restricted area, alarms can be set to alert officials. Having this kind of monitoring capability is vital in cases such as restraining orders for violent offenders.
The fact that this now sounds like a standard precaution shows how on the pulse G4S were were when they began work on the device many years ago. This is particularly true for Guam, a small island that does not boast the same degree of security as the UK and US, for whom various IT systems have made escaping law enforcement almost impossible, whether you have a tracker on you or not. In Guam, this technology is cutting edge and could be a legitimate and worthy means of decongesting the prisons and cutting expenditure.
The company’s Country Manager revealed in a statement that he tested the product personal during a trip to Saipan, and the results were both promising and shocking. The team was able to tell exactly where he was and what he was doing for the entire trip – even when he went for a swim. The programme now forms part of the Care and Justice pillar of services that were created by G4S Secure Solutions.
Other areas where G4S Guam operate include their Visitor Safety Officers programme, created in conjunction with the Guam Visitor’s Bureau, to make sure the beaches and tourist spots are a safe place. These officers oversea public spaces frequented by tourists, working to reduce crime and dangerous situations, from petty to fatal. In situations such as this, and their other security details on the island, G4S feel is it their swift and efficient response that sets them apart. In security, this can make the difference between a smooth operation or a chaotic one; a successful mission or a failure; a safe target or a vulnerable one.
The key to this swift response is communication. Most of G4S’ staff are guards who can be contacted immediately by the National Control Centre, as can the Guam Police Department and other emergency responders. They also use their own software to track and monitor island activities digitally, and the team stay constantly connected through radio, cell phones and online. In today’s world, there’s no excuse not to be connected. This communication not only allows them to coordinate their own team effectively, but to also coordinate with emergency responders and government authorities, and to arrange a smooth and strategic operation without a redoubling or clashing of efforts.
Meanwhile, these tracking and monitoring systems are also used to create running reports, which are kept in G4S’ records as well as shared with their clients when relevant. As with all parts of their operations, this system is constantly being improved and updated to utilized advances in technology, as well as to keep up with crime.
Of course, simply developing their technology and equipment is not enough – whether they are introducing new techniques to their operations or simply maintaining quality, it is essential that G4S’ staff receive constant training. Whether employees are new to the field or have years of experience, keeping training up to date and fresh in their minds is key. As we’ve said, in security, there isn’t room for error. Clients want to know that the people protecting them are the most motivated, reliable and resourceful personnel available.
To expand on this need, and to see the company grow further, G4S went as far as opening a training academy in Saipan. This allows them to bring new personnel into the field and know that they are trained to their own personal, exacting standard, as well as providing supplemental training to existing personnel.
The G4S Marianas Training Academy will help develop a local skill set for this sector, which will cut the reliance on hiring foreign workers from other countries – essential for the small island’s economy. As the island’s tourism trade continues to grow year after year, so does the call for reliable security, and thus the Academy provides one of the many ways Guam can continue to benefit from their foreign visitors. In turn, this boost allows them to improve their security measures for the good of the local Guam people, thus creating a safer, more prosperous island for themselves and the generations to come. That really is securing their world.
