Security Management: Assessment of the Security Function - Research Paper Example

 Assessment of the Security Function Introduction The security function is an important part of the United States national security defense. It is sourced from the national security policy. Policies regarding national security rely upon orders from the legislature and the executive. Additional guidelines arise from a command from the defense, attorney general, National Security Council and Secretaries of State. It is responsible for carrying out investigations as well as maintaining order for the good of all citizens (Ball 2005).

Body The security function provides mechanisms for consideration in most of the decisions and pronouncements that the government makes. The security function involves safeguarding of employees, property, information and assets. It further involves safeguarding against loss, fraud, misuse, disclosure or sabotage. It also ensures that the employment of personnel in areas that are sensitive is in line with the national interest and the position sensitivity. The security specialists involved developing, evaluating and also do implement the security policies (Fay 2002).

Materials and information that affect the public welfare and national security are of a wide variety of forms. They can be in the form of documentaries, medical supplies, electronic equipment’s, concepts and ideas in the minds of individuals. This complexity in the classified forms of sensitive information emphasizes the fact that security is vital in all state agencies and industrial facilities. It prevents intrusion, trespass, thefts and actions of violence to premises and staff in such agencies.

Security teams develop and integrate policy directions in organizations. They conduct oversight reviews on the levels of effectiveness of programs and practices on the supported organizations. At the operating component, the installation and regional levels, the security specialists interpret and define the policy guidelines. Security teams’ further participate in the project and planning efforts in order to evaluate and recommend methods, systems and procedures to be used. Reviewing intelligence and counterintelligence reports is a strategy that the security function utilizes to combat crime.

From the analysis, they design security systems in an effort to reduce the security vulnerabilities. Nuclear weapons and nuclear materials are prevented from destroying humanity through measures employed from such analysis (Watson 2008). The difficulty and nature of the work they do gets affected by the environment in which they carry it out. Some carry out their duties in foreign countries where threats and dangers of terrorism are real. The reliability on water and electrical power further harden the situation.

In developing and implementing the security plans, reliability on the local defense forces and police must also be evaluated at the initial stages (Tadjbakhsh & Chenoy 2007). The terrain and geographic factors are of concern as it determines the placement and the number of detection devices and police forces to be used. At local installation levels, security specialists monitor internal security programs that are under management of the subject-matter employees. They administer systems for violations upon which they recommend appropriate corrective actions (Johnson 2005).

The security function further mandates for planning and administration of law enforcement protective programs to federal agencies. Such a mandate equips the security function with the planning and advising responsibilities. The mandates work on staff members on the policy and budget of the protective forces level (Davies 2008). Conclusion The concept regarding human security, which emerged from the old days of cold wars, needs serious scrutiny. Proper security for the whole country starts at the individual level.

However, people have a centered view that appropriate security is necessary for stability at the national, regional and global level. This is a fact which should not be ignored at all. References Ball, H. (2005). U.S. homeland security a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. Davies, S. J. (2008). Security supervision and management the theory and practice of asset protection (3rd Ed.). Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann/Elsevier. Fay, J. (2002). Contemporary security management.

Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann. Johnson, B. R. (2005). Principles of security management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Tadjbakhsh, S., & Chenoy, A. M. (2007). Human security concepts and implications. London: Routledge. Watson, C. A. (2008). U.S. national security: a reference handbook (2nd Ed.). Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO.