A residential security detail is often thought of and described as boring, uneventful, and unnecessary by agents that feel they are “stuck” working in a static security position. However, residential security is a crucial process that bears the same importance as escorting a client to exotic locations and high-profile events.

The terms used above were some of the exact phrases used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers assigned to the property of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien before the night of November 5^th, 1995. What started as a quiet Sunday evening turned to chaos at 2:33am as an assassination attempt was made on the Prime Minister and his wife Aline.

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Property Layout

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Incident

Andre Dallaire, a 34-year-old male breached the fence of the PM’s residence, which set off an alarm, and proceeded to move toward the house unobserved by RCMP officers on duty. Security camera footage later revealed that Andre had wandered around the property for 20 minutes, waved at the security cameras and threw a rock through a window to access the residence. He made his way toward the master bedroom with a knife where he was confronted by Aline before she retreated into the room locking the door behind her and informing her husband of the intruder. Prime Minister Chrétien dismissed her warnings as “a bad dream” but she immediately called the RCMP officers stationed in the gate house by the end of the driveway. After her phone call, seven minutes passed before the RCMP officers arrived at the bedroom door to arrest Andre and take positive control the property.

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Opportunities for Improvement

When a mission fails, leaders have an obligation to find out what happened, who was involved, where it happened, when it happened, how it happened, and why it happened. Once this information is consolidated, leaders must take action to mitigate future risk and increase performance levels for future tasks.

• The officers were not positioned to provide additional layers of protection around the residence
• The officers were consolidated into one corner of the property
• There was no investigation performed for the tripped alarm
• The “patrolling officer” was not notified of the tripped alarm
• The cameras were not being monitored by any of the officers at the RCMP hut
• The “patrolling officer” did not observe the intruder while on patrol although he was visible and obvious to the cameras
• The officers misplaced the key to the residence
• The “patrolling officers” were not issued additional keys to access more than one door at a time
• The officers secured the perimeter before moving inside to assist the PM and his wife
• The officers provided no instruction to the PM or his wife over the phone
• There was a 7-minute response time for the officers to move from the RCMP hut to the bedroom door
• Several officers spoke negatively to the press about the residential security assignment

It is generally not extremely difficult to consolidate information for the first 5 parts of this assessment model. However, it is generally not easy to understand why an incident occurred or where the poor performance began. Each one of the bullet points above represents an issue that would likely have been prevented by proactive leadership. Great leaders build quality systems for their teams to function within. Let dive in a little deeper to review the underlying factors that have been found to habitually contribute to team performance across most organizations.

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Human Capital

Human capital is the single most important piece of exemplary team performance. Simply stated, if you hire the correct people, fewer issues will exist, and many problems will be solved at lower levels in the organization. This is important if the organization is attempting to provide services on a larger scale because leaders cannot feasibly make every decision for their team members as the company grows. New hires shouldn’t only have relevant experience for the position. They should also be the right “fit” for the company culture. This issue of the right “fit” is where most organizations miss the hiring objective. There are many talented people that would be better suited to work for your competitor because they will clash with your organizations values, policies, objectives, and trajectory. Also, relevant soft skills should be non-negotiable for all people occupying leadership positions.

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Relevant Training

It is important to hire people that meet a baseline of knowledge, but it is also important to conduct internal training for team members. Many companies are reliant upon the training that employees received in other companies/segments within the industry. It is also important to understand that similar training is not the same as relevant training. One example we can pull from this incident is the RCMP’s response to Madam Chrétien’s call for help. In most cases, police personnel are trained to secure a perimeter, wait for backup then enter a structure or pursue an assailant. That training is relevant for most police operations however, this trained response almost cost the Prime Minister and his wife their lives. It is important to remember that under stress people revert to their training and will usually do what they have done thousands of times before. This is why consistent and relevant training is needed for every specialization within the organization.

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Effective SOP’s/Policies

Standard operating procedures are important for establishing organizational norms that result in productivity. Every high performing organization has SOP’s/polices in place to not only set standards for incidents that may commonly occur but also to guide team members in the right direction if they must make a decision on something that is not written in the policy. The record of this incident does not reveal the policies of the RCMP however, we can deduce two things from the outcome. Either the policies were not followed by the officer, or the policies were not relevant to the task, threat, and environment. It is impossible to hold people to a standard that does not exist or has not been communicated. Effective policies also allow organizations to enact the next part of this model which is accountability.

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Accountability

Accountability is not difficult, but it is also not a popular subject amongst many managers. If your SOP’s and policies are guiding the organization, accountability is simply enforcing those SOP’s and policies. If you hire or promote the wrong leaders this task will not be accomplished for two reasons. #1 Improper hires may not be willing to bear the unpopularity that comes with enforcing policies with team members. #2 Improper hires may lack the awareness to understand the difference between defiance, negligence, and ignorance in their subordinates. Hiring leaders with these necessary soft skills will result in employee retention and workplace satisfaction. In this case the officers spoke negatively about the detail calling it boring and uneventful. Explaining and highlighting the value that team members bring to their jobs and the necessity of their performance is a part of creating an atmosphere of accountability.

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Customer Service

Many people that work in the security and law enforcement industries do not think of customer service as vital to their job function. In this case the only contact the officers had with the client was the call for help made by Madam Chrétien. No questions were asked, and no instructions were given to the PM’s wife by the officer that picked up the phone. Customer service is about anticipating the needs of your client and your team. Asking relevant questions and providing updates to the client and the team is vital to mission success. Prime Minister Chrétien was so angry with the RCMP that the assigned officers and their supervisors were suspended and/or reassigned. He also suggested in a later statement that it was his belief that the guards were caught sleeping by the assailant. Remember that the client’s perspective may not always be accurate, but it is often the only one that matters.

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David Hobson, MBA is a project manager for LaSorsa and Associates, and former US Army Airborne Infantryman.

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References

Four Mounties Suspended After Break-in at Prime Minister’s Home. (n.d.). AP NEWS. https://apnews.com/article/ec59402f0e79e52399e4fa69d2f89132

Wikipedia Contributors. (2022, April 4). André Dallaire. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Dallaire

‌ November 5, C. B. C., & 2021. (2021, November 5). Canadian PM’s Wife Stops Murder Attempt by Locking Door | RealClearHistory. Www.realclearhistory.com. https://www.realclearhistory.com/2021/11/05/canadian_pms_wife_stops_murder_attempt_by_locking_door_802080.html#

Farnsworth, C. H. (1995, November 7). Intruder Is Charged With Attempted Murder of Canada’s Premier. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/07/world/intruder-is-charged-with-attempted-murder-of-canada-s-premier.html

Gourgon, J. (2022, May 11). Break in at Prime Ministers Home [Review of Break in at Prime Ministers Home].

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Read the full article featured in The Circuit here: Residential Security Recommendations

For Security Consultant Training Course see here.

For most people, the consideration for an in home security system or at least some type of countermeasure derives from the concern for protecting themselves and their assets. Assets can be the valuable property within their home or apartment, or perhaps the most valuable property of all – their family. Given those considerations and the importance of protecting those assets, the residual risk equation of  R = T x A x V (where R is risk, T is threat, A is asset and V is vulnerability) the threat (likelihood of a break in in your neighborhood) is almost irrelevant as the asset is so important to you that you cannot accept any vulnerability and some sort of security countermeasure should be put in place. This is not to say that every American should welcome a door-to-door security salesman into their home and sign the first contract they are presented for a cookie- cutter security system – that is not at all what is recommended in most cases. In fact, given statistical analysis of break-ins across America as well as surveys of incarcerated burglars, the top two deterrents that kept criminals from burglarizing a home were general visibility (to include lighting) and sound (alarms, dogs, etc.)  Another strong form of deterrence is a sense of ownership and territorial reinforcement; so in a way the most inexpensive and unobtrusive piece to your home physical protection system is a proudly displayed American flag out front.

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My Front Door – Note Double Dead-Bolt near window and American Flag.

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Below are the most cost-effective methods to deter criminal acts and keep your assets safe.

1. Increase Deterrents

-Warning signs can be displayed around the perimeter of your home and property to warn intruders of what security treatments have been implemented to reduce opportunities for crime. If nothing else, the presentation of control is sometimes all that it takes to deter a criminal act.

-Security (motion) lighting can be installed around the perimeter of the property, particularly over access points, to provide more effective illumination during the hours of darkness; timers can be programmed to turn the lights on and off in a rational cycle when away for a prolonged period.

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 Motion Lighting

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-Contact sensors are also a useful tool as most would-be burglars visually check for them prior to a break in. Do-it-yourself kits can be inexpensively installed, and although they may not initiate emergency response (which is recommended they do), their presence and perceived capability to do so can deter a break in.

-Surveillance systems and home monitoring systems have the same effect and project the same “sphere of influence” around your property, defining what is yours, and deterring crime through the fear of being recorded with the additional fear of “what other systems do they have?”

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“I would kick in the door rather than break glass. Loud bangs are better than loud glass breaking, plus you run the risk of getting cut,” said one inmate. Read more: We asked 86 burglars how they broke into homes

2. Decrease Attractants

-Mail and newspaper deliveries can be stopped or arrangements made for a neighbor or friend to pick them up as to not give notice to a would-be burglar that you are out of town. The same goes for social media posts – wait until you return to post vacation pictures and do not post your plans prior to travelling.

-Bicycles, grills, lawn mowers, and other garden resources can be stored in a locked garage or shed, or if left out in the open they should be locked to an immobile fixture.

-Shrubs and trees can be pruned away from sidewalks, driveways, porches, doors, windows, and gates to eliminate hiding places and increase visibility to and from the street.

-If they must be there, bushes under windows can be pruned below the sills and tall bushes should be pruned from the ground up to expose feet and legs.

-Tree limbs and branches can be pruned upward at least six feet to open a clear field of view both onto and out from the property.

-Knowledge of who is home or away should not be discussed to strangers on the phone or otherwise.

-Overhanging branches can be trimmed to prevent burglars from using them to access other parts of the property, e.g. using a tree to get to an upper level of the house.

-Fences and gates should be see-through. Privacy fences provide privacy for residents AND burglars. Gaping wooden slats enhances visibility.

-Windows, fences and gates should be regularly maintained to maximize their effectiveness and ensure their good working order. Reduced maintenance elevates the risk for targeting.

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3. Access Point Hardening

-Strike plate mounting screws should be checked for solid engagement in the door frame and 3″ * screws should be used to mount the plate (*most plates come with 3/4″ screws; if 3″ does not fit, use the longest possible screw)

-Fences can be used to define the property boundaries and restrict access to the property.

-Consider the use of self-closing gates and lock sets.

-Ladders and other equipment that could be used for climbing should be secured.

-Gates, garage and shed doors should be locked after every use with a high security padlock with a protected shackle or a disc lock to hinder bolt cutters.

-All exterior doors should be solid core or metal cased, with deadbolt lock(s) keyed on both sides, reinforced strike plates, and guard plates to hinder prying.

-The garage door can be fitted with a strong security lock, preferably fixed into the floor.

-Any windows should be secured by a secondary lock, or a barrier in the window track.

-Extra keys are retained with a trusted neighbor and never hidden under a doormat or anywhere outside the house.

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Cyber Security 101: Securing Your Home

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-Breakable glass access points or within 40” (arm’s reach) of a lock or asset can be mitigated by the application of glass security laminates or break resistant glass. Additionally, a double sided deadbolt should be installed in these locations.

-Sliding glass doors need extra security against prying and lifting. A charley bar or an old broom handle can prevent opening. Three screws into the top track, backed out to just clear the top of the door, will prevent lifting.

-A safe must be selected based upon its intended function – a document safe is intended to protect against fire, a security safe is designed to protect valuables, etc. and should always be well concealed, fixed to the floor or embedded in foundations.

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Glass Break Detector

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4. Initiating & Enabling Emergency/Police Response

-The most effective aspect of a ‘monitored’ alarm system is it alerts your security company and emergency services of intrusions, fire, carbon monoxide, etc.

-Window break sensors (barometric, audio or shock) should be installed; while most criminals do break-in through a door, windows can also be used as a point of entry and are commonly used to unlock the door used for entry.

-Consider having a peephole or monitor installed on the front door to identify visitors at the door.

-The street number should be prominently displayed at the front of your home and visible at night and from a rear alley (if applicable) to enable emergency services to identify your home.

-Serial numbers of electronics such as flat screens, laptops, desktops, audio components, firearms, cellular devices, lawn equipment, bicycles and any other valuables with identifying numbers should be recorded. Take digital photographs of valuables, especially jewelry and collectibles without serial numbers.

-The whole family should be aware of what to during emergencies, break-ins, etc.

-Communication should be available in designated safe areas, safe rooms, etc. with emergency number and emergency contacts stored into the phone and/or written next to it.

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Window Contact Sensors in View

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If there are any questions regarding these recommendations, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to address your concerns, and answer any questions you may have about protecting your home.

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Click here to download as a PDF:
General Residential Security Recommendations

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Joseph M. LaSorsa, CPP® is currently employed as a senior partner managing and conducting: Protective Operations Training Courses, Executive Protection & Bodyguard Services, Risk Management Consultations & Seminars, Workplace Violence Prevention Seminars & Intervention Services, Security Consultations & Seminars, Private Investigations and Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures with LaSorsa & Associates – an International Protection, Investigations & Consulting Firm.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmlasorsa

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