Mike Rock
Division Director Asset Protection Wal-Mart
(773) 380 3764
Spring Conference 2013
Developing Future Leaders
for Tomorrow’s Challenges
Don Knox, CPP, CITRMS
Security Risk and Analysis Manager Caterpillar
(309) 494 1523
Career Opportunities in
the Security Industry
What Is Security?
• Security is Dynamic
• Security is Growing
• Security is Diverse
What Is Security?
• Security Can Be Proprietary Contract
• Security Can Be Public Or Private
Security Disciplines
• The security field is divided into a number
of specialized disciplines. In a large
organization, a security professional may
work full-time in one of these disciplines. In
smaller organizations, a security
professional may need to have some
proficiency in each of them. These
disciplines may be found in most of the
Security Specialty Areas
Security Disciplines
• Physical Security focuses on the protection of
people, property and facilities through the use of
security forces, security systems and security
procedures. Physical security personnel oversee
proprietary or contract security operations,
identify security system requirements, assess
internal and external threats to assets and
develop policies, plans, procedures to counter
those threats. Physical security can include the
use of barriers, alarms, locks, access control
systems, protective lighting, closed circuit
televisions and other security technology.
Security Disciplines
• Personnel Security deals with ensuring the
integrity and reliability of an organization's
workforce. Personnel security encompasses
background investigations, drug testing, and
other pre-employment screening techniques, as
well as adjudication of results and granting
security clearances and other information
access privileges.
Security Disciplines
• Information Security involves safeguarding
sensitive information. It deals with issues such as
who should access the data and how the data is
stored, controlled, marked, disseminated and
disposed of. It can include privacy data,
proprietary information, contractual information,
and intellectual property.
Security Disciplines
• Information Technology Security is information
security applied to computers and networks. It
includes processes and mechanisms by which
computer-based equipment, information and
services are protected from unintended or
unauthorized access, change or destruction. Key
areas include anti-virus and malware protection,
firewalls, encryption, intrusion detection and
Security Disciplines
• Homeland Security is a government umbrella
term originally designed to refer to prevention of
terrorism and critical infrastructure protection. It
is now inclusive of crisis, incident and emergency
management including planning, preparedness,
response and recovery. This can also include
business continuity management and continuity
of operations planning.
Security Specialty Areas
• The following areas are some of the
specialties within the security field. Each
specialty area will give you a typical
description of an average security
professional and duties associated with
both entry and management levels, as well
as prerequisites necessary to enter that
• Government Industrial Security
This industry is concerned with the classification, declassification, and protection of national security
information in the custody of industry. Personnel within this specialty must meet the requirements, restrictions, and other safeguards necessary to prevent unauthorized disclosure of classified information released by US Government
Departments and Agencies to their contractors. Government industrial security professionals protect special categories of classified information, including restricted data, formerly
restricted data, intelligence sources and methods information, sensitive compartmented information and special access
program information. All of these procedures are applicable to licensees, grantees, and certificate holders to the extent legally and practically possible within the constraints of applicable
• Transportation Security
Security in the transportation industry airports, airplane hangers, trucking, land and/or sea operations and more is a multi-faceted and challenging endeavor. Terrorism is
becoming more and more prevalent in today's global
economy. Airlines and airports are heightening security to prevent terrorist acts. Transportation security
professionals are responsible for protecting gift shops, restaurants, retail stores, parking lots, transportation drop-off and pick-up stations, and customs offices each requiring different protection needs.
• Retail Security
Asset protection and loss prevention are practices employed by retail companies to reduce and deter losses from theft and
fraud to aid in shrink reduction. Responsibilities often include observing for shoplifters and conducting internal investigations. Practices are reinforced traditionally through a visible security force matched with technology such as CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) and EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) security barriers to minimize the loss to a business. Asset protection
and loss prevention departments have also become involved in civil loss recovery.
• Manufacturing Security
Manufacturers make products which, in turn, are sold either to wholesalers, distributors, or directly to
consumers. Professionals within the manufacturing
security specialty are responsible for issues involving not only sales transactions, but transport issues, ordering and purchasing of raw materials, and the protection of
resources against loss or theft. Manufacturers are
becoming increasingly aware of the potential for loss. Prevention of loss can be accomplished only through employing competent security directors and managers who can help integrate the security function into the total operation rather than allowing it to remain isolated.
• Educational Institution Security
The primary objective of an educational institution security program is to educate the campus community on the potential for crime both on and off campus. The central theme of a
campus crime prevention program is awareness, self-protection, and prevention. Educational institution security has been a
growing concern throughout the 1990s. With increasing publicity about campus crime, it is likely that the trend will continue. The level of violence on and around educational
institutions has brought about a need for security at public and private educational institutions at both the elementary and
secondary school levels. Many educational institutions operate a commissioned police department which makes police
academy training or law enforcement certification a
requirement. Interested college students can often enter this field by working for campus security departments on a
part-• Insurance and Financial Services Security
Careers in this industry include those associated with banking, stock brokerages, insurance companies, and other financial institutions. Unlike other industries, the financial industry is regulated by various government agencies. Financial institution security directors and
managers must deal with the generic concerns that can result in losses for their organizations and these
regulations. The financial services industry's
competitiveness has caused banks to search for new ways to market their services to attract new customers.
However, this has also added to their security-related
concerns. With an increasingly large number of customers becoming involved in financial services, the need for
• Healthcare Security
Security in the healthcare industry provides opportunities not only in hospitals, but also in long term care facilities, clinics, and nursing homes. The healthcare industry is a multi-faceted, challenging field which includes dealing with immobile, unconscious and emotionally distraught patients, and providing security to gift shops, cafeterias, parking lots, pharmacies, and emergency rooms.
Employee investigation plays a substantial role in asset protection. The work environment is oriented toward
patient protection and service. Security opportunities may include being a security officer, security director, or public relations person in charge of interacting with the medical community as well as patients.
• Information Technology Security
Information Systems Security (ISS) shares protective features, such as administrative and organizational
measures, provisions that ensure the loyalty and reliability of personnel, and traditional physical and environmental safeguards with other types of security. It includes
securing hardware, software, and communication
networks for their organization. ISS includes the security specialties of computer security, telecommunications security, and internet security. The functions of ISS are critical in today's business environment to prevent the organization from losing its competitive advantage.
• Pharmaceutical Security
Ensures protection and product security. Includes multiple aspects of security including manufacturing, transportation, supply chain, logistics, brand and investigations.
• Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Security
Facilitates protection of people in high risk environments and locations of value. Includes many aspects of security including physical security and personnel security. Involved in many
other areas including travel, investigations, brand, environmental and transportation.
• Lodging Security
The lodging industry has become a very lucrative business. The owners of hotels are becoming very aware that they need to protect their guests, as well as their assets. The best way to accomplish this goal is to invest in security professionals. The primary interest must always be on the protection of life, and the secondary focus on the
protection of property for the lodging industry to continue to be successful. With huge lawsuits filed against hotels alleging inadequate security in recent years, hotel security has expanded greatly. Hotel security jobs generally pay
well and have good benefits within a professional work environment. As increasing amounts of people take more leisure time, the outlook for the lodging industry in
general looks promising, and career opportunities continue to expand.
• Food and Agriculture Security
Proactively identifies food defense and agriculture security
issues to ensure farm to fork protection for average consumer. Areas include bioterrorism, agro terrorism, copyright and
• Utilities Security
Utility security takes appropriate measures for the protection of personnel, property, equipment, and other corporate resources in the event of crime, natural disaster, technological emergency, resource shortage, civil disturbance, or war. A utility is a public service, but not necessarily a "public utility." Both public and private utilities answer to a public utility committee that
approves rates and provides some form of guidance and oversight. Security responsibilities may include but are not limited to security staffing and equipment for 24 hour access control, employee ID systems, visitor registrations, security
inspection, reporting of findings to management, procedures and practices to ensure accountability, and plans for coping.
Certification
• Certified Protection Professional (CPP)
• Physical Security Professional (PSP)
• Professional Certified Investigator (PCI)
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
• Industrial Security Professional (ISP)
• Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA)
• Certified in Healthcare Security (CHS)
• Certified Lodging Security Supervisor (CLSS)
• Certified Lodging Security Director (CLSD)
Certification
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional
(CISSP)
• Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Global Information Assurance Certificate (GIAC)
• Loss Prevention Qualified (LPQ)
• Loss Prevention Certified (LPC)
Conclusion
• A career in security presents challenges to
one’s skills, creativity, and ability to work
well with people at all levels both within
and outside organizations. Regardless of
the security specialty or career opportunity,
a good education is necessary to cope
successfully with the multitude of security
problems and situations faced on a daily
basis.
Questions?
Mike Rock
Division Director Asset Protection Wal-Mart
(773) 380 3764
mike.rock@wal-mart.com
Don Knox, CPP, CITRMS
Security Risk and Analysis Manager Caterpillar
(309) 494 1523 knox_don@cat.com