The latest intelligence reports from Whitehall suggest that terror mastermind Osama Bin Laden is not only alive and kicking, but actively regrouping what's left of his Taliban army to mount another serious attack on Western soil.

After what happened Stateside on that horrific September morning, anything's possible. Indeed, the head of MI5 – Eliza Manningham-Buller – is actively using the national press to tell UK citizens there's "every chance" of a 'dirty' bomb being planted on both mainland Europe and home shores.

Certain broadsheet and indeed tabloid journalists – among them Peter Hitchens of The Mail on Sunday – have criticised the MI5 supremo for scaremongering. Only time will tell if that's the case, but one suspects Manningham-Buller isn't far from the truth. Certainly, security mandarins should be under no illusions that biological, chemical or even nuclear attacks are no longer the stuff of academic debate. They could well become reality in UK plc in the not-too-distant future.

That being the case, the 43 police forces across England and Wales will need to call upon as many 'eyes and ears' on the ground as they can muster. In line with Home Secretary David Blunkett's blueprint for a wider police family, it's time for guarding contractors to really sharpen up their act – and the police to show a little trust in their colleagues from the private sector. Let's not wait for licensing. Let's do it NOW.

Commendably, the private force that is The Port of Liverpool Police has grasped the nettle by working hand-in-glove with specialist contractor UK Nationwide Security Services to safeguard shipping and commercial concerns along the banks of the Mersey ('Vintage Port', pp22-27). Here, the relationship is such that SITO-accredited police trainers instruct the private sector security officers in every aspect of their duties, from conflict management through to Health and Safety and crime prevention. Splendid stuff.

According to chief of police Ray Walker, this has created a "strong bond" between police and contractor. There's now a security workforce in place that patrols alongside the Boys in Blue, and understands the idiosyncracies of port security.

When talking theft, many commentators have long suspected that The Port of Liverpool leaked like a sieve. No more. Since 1999, crime has dropped by 30%. Such a climate of reassurance is just what we need in these harrowing times.

Source

SMT