​ASIS 2017 INFOSEC PARTNERSHIPS

ASIS and the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), a global organization of information security professionals and practitioners, signed an event partnership that will fully integrate ISSA into the ASIS International Annual Seminar and Exhibits (ASIS 2017), taking place September 25–28 in Dallas. ISSA will develop information security tracks, host organizational meetings and social events, and showcase cybersecurity-focused solutions providers on the exhibit floor. 

This agreement builds on the success of last year’s partnership with InfraGard, who will once again colocate its Annual Congress and Conference with ASIS 2017.

“As we move into year two of our partnership with InfraGard, and now with the addition of ISSA to our program, ASIS 2017 offers an even greater forum for education, peer-to-peer connections, and product and solution evaluation to address immediate challenges and impending threats,” says Peter J. O’Neil, CAE, chief executive officer of ASIS International. “As we strengthen these alliances—and explore even more—our focus remains on reinforcing the ASIS International Annual Seminar and Exhibits as the industry’s premiere event for many years to come.”

“There are numerous synergies between ASIS and ISSA that make this partnership an ideal fit for enhancing member value,” says Keyaan Williams, ISSA International board member and chair of the Strategic Alliances Committee. “This alliance will heighten the knowledge, skills, and professional growth of security professionals across the globe.” 

In the months ahead, ASIS and ISSA will look to expand information sharing and the development of best practices so security professionals across disciplines—and at all stages of their careers—get access to the information and resources they need to succeed personally and professionally. 

“As we continue to welcome security’s most respected allied association partners to our flagship global event, it truly underscores our commitment to reinvestment and excellence across the profession,” says Thomas J. Langer, CPP, vice president of security at BAE Systems, Inc., and 2017 president of ASIS International. “While other corporate-owned security events pull financial resources out of the profession, I’m proud to support an event that reinvests all of its resources back into programs and education that support and advance the profession all year long. And I’m pleased to welcome ISSA to ASIS 2017.”

Learn what else is new at ASIS 2017 by visiting www.securityexpo.org/new.

ASIS NYC HONORS JAMES P. O’NEILL

At the 27th ASIS NYC Security Conference and Expo, to be held June 7–8 at the Jacob K. Javits Center, the New York City Chapter will honor New York Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill as its Person of the Year. O’Neill, whose law enforcement career spans 34 years, will be honored for his dedication to law enforcement and the security profession, as well as for his steadfast commitment to a safe and secure nation. The Person of the Year luncheon will be held June 8 at noon.

The two-day ASIS NYC program opens with keynote remarks by Paul A. Fitzgerald, superintendent of the Boston Police Department’s Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC). Fitzgerald leads the region’s threat assessment, risk management, emergency management, security planning, and crisis response efforts. 

During the educational sessions, Fitzgerald will participate in a panel discussion focused on protecting America’s cities. He will be joined by James Waters, counterterrorism bureau chief with the New York Police Department; John Cronan, chief of the terrorism and international narcotics unit, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York; and Lori Hennon-Bell, CSO, global security, Prudential Financial.   

Additional education sessions include “Cyber: The New Frontier for Terrorist and Geopolitical War,” “How to Become a CSO and Thrive in Today’s Complex Market,” and “Fake News and Alternative Facts: Force Multipliers of Fear in Terrorism.” 

ASIS expects more than 2,500 security and law enforcement professionals to attend the conference and expo. Learn more at www.asisonline.org/nyc.

PCI AND PSP JOB ANALYSIS COMPLETE; REVISED EXAMS TO LAUNCH NOVEMBER 2017

The ASIS International Professional Certification Board completed a job analysis study for the Professional Certified Investigator® (PCI) and Physical Security Professional® (PSP) certifications. 

Undertaken every five years, the job analysis study ensures that the board certification exam content aligns with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful investigators or physical security professionals. While the domains of the PCI and PSP remain the same, the percentage of questions per domain has changed.

For the PCI exam, the Case Management domain will increase from 29 to 35 percent of the exam, and Case Presentation will decrease from 21 percent to 15 percent. Investigative Techniques and Procedures will remain at 50 percent.

For the PSP exam, the Physical Security Assessment domain will increase from 33 to 34 percent of the exam; the Application, Design, and Integration of Physical Security Programs will decrease from 38 to 34 percent; and the Implementation and Management of Physical Security Measures will increase from 29 to 32 percent.

Besides the readjusted domain emphasis, there are some new and modified knowledge statements in each domain. These can be found at www.asisonline.org/newdomains. The new exam contents will first appear on the exams starting in November 2017.

NOTE: The PCI Professional Investigator Manual and the four-volume PSP reference set will remain the same. For more information, please contact the certification team at [email protected].

 

ASIS RENEWS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH DHS

During the first week of March, ASIS renewed its strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), continuing close collaboration between ASIS members and the agency. 

“This MOU facilitates critical working relationships and information sharing between ASIS members and exhibitors and government program directors,” says Peter J. O’Neil, CAE, chief executive officer of ASIS International. “It helps advance technical innovation for national security and the security profession as a whole.”

S&T’s Director of Research and Development Partnerships Jay Martin notes that “the MOU assists S&T in communicating DHS technology needs more broadly to industry by leveraging the extensive ASIS network of security professionals.” 

For more information, email ASIS Legislative Director Kristin Rubin, [email protected]. 

MEMBER BOOK REVIEW

Criminal Enterprise Investigation. By Thomas A. Trier. CRC Press; crcpress.com; 215 pages; $69.95.

Author Thomas Trier explores the challenges and rewards of disrupting and dismantling criminal operations—from terrorists to fraudsters—in Criminal Enterprise Investigation. Every step is considered, including identifying the problem, establishing a task force, collecting intelligence, and taking action.

The book describes investigative avenues that may involve personnel from various agencies, who by legal mandate may have different enforcement responsibilities. Prosecutions at different levels (federal, state, local) are also explained, as are issues involving politics, egos, and turf. The absolute need for members of the task force to fully comprehend, buy into, and remain focused on the true objective is mentioned frequently.

A very useful section of this book looks at federal statutes that would prove valuable when investigating a criminal enterprise, especially for a newly assigned task force officer. 

On the other hand, more coverage of federal forfeiture laws would have been valuable. A more comprehensive explanation of what happens to seized assets and how to divide assets among participating agencies would be useful. The division of seized assets among agencies involved in a task force investigation has become increasingly important due to shrinking budgets. 

Overall, the book achieves exactly what the author hoped to accomplish. It provides guidance on establishing a multi-agency task force, as well as investigative steps to use for dismantling a criminal enterprise. 

Reviewer: Michael Rogan, PCI, is a senior investigator with Charter Communications. He has 24 years of law enforcement and investigation experience. He is a member of ASIS and the ASIS Investigations Council, and serves as co-chair of the Central New York Chapter.

NEW BOOK FROM ASIS

ASIS published a new book that looks at the future of the security industry. Security in 2025 employs crowdsourcing to conjure a vision of what is to come. The book’s 34 contributors, ranging from new entrants to longtime security pros, offer their predictions on a wide range of security topics from many different perspectives. Some chapters (on high-rise buildings, kidnapping, and electricity distribution, for example) extrapolate from existing trends. Others (on drones and knife attacks) address issues that are just emerging. The book examines such diverse topics as analytical methodologies for predicting terrorism and the future of security officer training. For more information, visit the ASIS Store at www.asisonline.org.​ ​