The Action Counters Terrorism App for businesses won ‘Outstanding new security product’ of the year and ACT’s online learning platform was named ‘Outstanding training initiative’.
The Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, said: “Despite facing unprecedented challenges brought about by the pandemic, Counter Terrorism Policing continued to keep the public safe by making 185 arrests across more than 800 live investigations – stopping three possible terror attacks in the process.
“While the rest of us have been focused on protecting ourselves and our families from this terrible disease, terrorists have not stopped planning attacks or radicalising vulnerable people online.
“As we follow the Government’s roadmap out of the tightest restrictions there will be greater opportunity for terrorists to operate, and we want the public to join the police, security staff and retail workers in a collective community effort to minimise the chance of attack.
“When we say that ‘Communities defeat terrorism’ it is not just a catchphrase. We know from experience that public information and action helps saves lives and lead to the significant arrests detailed in these statistics.
“I would urge everyone to remain vigilant and ACT if you see anything suspicious by reporting it to us confidentially via gov.uk/ACT or by calling 0800 789 321. In an emergency, always dial 999.”
ACT Awareness e-learning has developed into a nationally recognised online interactive tool that helps people better understand, and mitigate against, current terrorist methodology. Designed for UK businesses, but now open to the public, over 10,000 businesses have signed up to benefit from the free e-learning programme with over 880,000 modules completed since May last year.
Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Orchard, CT Policing National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare, said “ The importance of our collaboration with business cannot be underestimated, the police need the support of everyone to make our communities safer. The ACT App helps us to ensure that businesses have the latest security information at their fingertips allowing them to understand and mitigate against possible threat. The eLearning is a powerful tool for empowering individuals to feel confident in what to look out for, how to report and if the worst happens what to do if there is an incident.”
Advice and guidance on how to encourage people to register and actively take part in the ACT e-learning can be found here.
At this time the App is for business use only for more information go to the NaCTSO website