Tip of the Week – November 5, 2026

Professionalizing the Security Workforce

The physical security threat landscape facing the water and wastewater sector today is increasingly complex, dynamic, and volatile; the sector is viewed as an attractive target by a wide range of threat actors. Given this heightened physical security threat, it’s critical for water and wastewater utilities to maintain a professional security guard force. A dedicated security guard force provides continuous monitoring, rapid response to physical security incidents, and a visible deterrent that reduces the likelihood of an incident occurring in the first place.

According to guidance from the UK’s National Protective Security Authority, “security officers can help to create a positive security culture and help to embed behavior change. They will often be the first point of contact that staff and visitors have when entering your premises and the way they behave and carry out their duties will set an example of how your organization priorities security.” Moreover, with opportunistic threat actors looking to exploit security gaps, a motivated, attentive and observant security staff in these roles can form a highly-effective deterrent presence and final line of defense where other interventions (e.g., electronic security access) have failed.

Resource(s): UK National Protective Security Authority – Professionalizing Security