When Security Teams Feel Safe to Speak Up
By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services
Security officers, controllers, and analysts are often the first to spot a vulnerability, suspicious behavior, or emerging threat. But if they don’t feel safe raising concerns, critical intelligence can be lost.
Google’s Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as a key factor associated with effective teams—creating an environment where people can speak up, ask questions, and acknowledge mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment.
For security organizations, this matters. Leaders who actively listen, encourage reporting, and respond constructively can help turn front-line observations into actionable intelligence.
A strong security culture isn’t just about procedures—it’s about creating a team where every voice can contribute to protecting people, property, and operations.
Sources:
Google re. (n.d.). Understand team effectiveness.
Security Management. (n.d.). Psychological safety.
#SecurityManagement #SecurityGuards #ProtectionServices #SecurityLeadership #RiskManagement #WorkplaceSafety #PsychologicalSafety
Understanding the Mind of a Shoplifter
Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services
Shoplifting isn’t always about financial need. Research suggests that opportunity, impulsivity, perceived risk, and situational factors can influence theft behavior.
For protection security professionals, understanding these factors can improve prevention without relying solely on confrontation. Vigilant observation, visible security presence, effective customer-service engagement, and well-designed loss-prevention procedures can help reduce opportunities for theft while maintaining a safe shopping environment.
The goal isn’t to profile people—it’s to recognize behaviors and circumstances that may indicate elevated risk and respond professionally.
A proactive security strategy protects merchandise, employees, and customers while supporting a positive retail experience.
Source: Hayes, R. (1997). Retail security and loss prevention. Wiley.
#Security #SecurityGuards #RetailSecurity #LossPrevention #ShopliftingPrevention #ProtectionServices #PrivateSecurity #RetailSafety
Skills That Strengthen Retail Security
Four decades on the front lines of retail security offer more than experience—they reveal the skills that help mitigate threats before they escalate.
Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services
Mike Lamb’s career highlights the importance of combining situational awareness, investigative expertise, communication, technology, and sound decision-making to address evolving retail security challenges.
Effective security professionals must recognize suspicious behavior, assess risk quickly, communicate clearly, investigate incidents thoroughly and adapt as criminal tactics change.
Technology can enhance these capabilities, but people remain at the center of effective security protection.
The strongest retail security programs combine trained professionals, actionable intelligence and proactive strategies to deter theft, identify threats and protect employees, customers and assets.
In retail security, experience matters—but the ability to continually learn, adapt and anticipate threats is what makes experience valuable.
Source: Loss Prevention Media. (n.d.). Mike Lamb: Four decades on the front lines of retail security.
#RetailSecurity #LossPrevention #AssetProtection #ThreatMitigation #SecurityProfessionals #RetailSafety #RiskManagement #SecurityProtection
