Security's Role on the Team

The role of the corporate security professional is a protective role: the protection of people, information, and physical assets that belong to or are a part of any corporation. It is more than just a checklist of duties to be performed and responsibilities to be met. It is a commitment to a corporation's management and employees to provide a safe and secure work environment. A safe and secure work environment reduces the chances of disruption to the business. (Kovachich & Halibozek's The Manager's Handbook for Corporate Security: Establishing and Managing A Successful Assets Protection Program.)

The NISPOM (February 2006) states that the FSO is an appointed contractor employee responsible for supervising and directing security measures for implementing the NISPOM and related Federal requirements for the protection of classified information.

Your role may be the corporate description, the NISPOM definition, or somewhere in-between. Does your job description indicate which? Do you know what management feels is the top 3 priorities of your position? The top 10?

Too often the FSO or SSO has multiple roles in an organization and must learn to prioritize what is most important and when it is due. Sometimes we need the list of top 3 (or 10) priorities to enable us to work efficiently and meet expectations.

Always consider how much disruption to business is caused by protective measures -- no business equals no job. Is it possible to say "Yes" instead of "No" and still protect what needs protecting?

Teaming with Other Departments

Personnel Security is more than setting up the facility clearance, processing individuals' investigative paperwork for eligibility requests, and training. 

 

This function can consume 90% of your time as a security officer.  As Facility Security Officers (FSOs), we should be working hand-in-hand with Human Resources, Legal, Contracts, and with the project managers. 
 
Human Resources and the legal department focus on employees.  You need their expertise and their assistance to properly administer the personnel security function of your position.  You should be involved with the recruiting, even if only as the designated verifier of clearances held by prospects. 

 

You should be aware of any background screening programs that your company uses and if there is any security relevant information you may or may not be required to report.  If an individual is in need of assistance, you should know before it reaches the point of dismissal and you are debriefing them.

 

While your review of an individual's SF-86 or 85 is only for the purpose of ensuring completeness and adequacy (NISPOM 2 § 202 a.),  you may be able to assist Human Resources and Legal in understanding the requirements and regulations that your facility signed up for with the DD Form 441 (the Security Agreement).
 
You want to be on good terms with the project managers and contracts department, because they are usually the ones determining which positions need to be filled and what expertise they need.  You may be able to provide assistance by explaining the security requirements like filling an SF 85 versus an SF 86 or if there are special security briefings needed for the individuals. 

 

Provide a benefit and your security department may receive a direct labor charge number for a few hours a month per project and thus offset some of the direct overhead costs of the security department.