Nothing sells like sex, so they say, and it appears that goes for the blogosphere too as the stratospheric amounts of online material has recently proven. So I shall jump on the proverbial ‘online media wagon’ and add my take on the whole debacle. If you have been on a long range mission to Mars you may have missed this one so here is the link to the story I am dissecting for the purposes of today’s discussion. http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/04/19/secret-service-sex-scandal-to-cost-at-least-three-agents-their-jobs/.

Although the story has exploded around the world apparently this is not the first of these types of incidents to hit the secret service and neither should it come as a huge surprise. Especially in light of the New York Times article titled “Wheels Up; Rings Off” which described the escapades of the Secret Service once the President left town. According to the link below the White House denies that these types of incidents pose a threat to the security of the President! http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SECRET_SERVICE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-04-17-19-28-14.

As an industry professional I would have to disagree with these statements. How can one say the President’s security is not at risk when you are exposing yourself to multiple risks factors?  Let’s momentarily forget about the risks of outsiders gaining insight into the operations of the agency tasked with the security of the most powerful man on the planet by observing their movements, hotels of choice, advance time spent in the country to be visited or the drunkard bragging that may or may not be uttered by any of the agents in question. Let’s just focus on how organized criminals typically operate, these are not criminals of the opportunistic kind but the ones who strategically plan and execute their diabolical schemes. Using ladies of the night to gain secrets has been a long time strategy of not only criminals but also governments as a recent Ottawa politician learnt the hard way by the exposure of his affair with a Chinese National as this article in the Globe and Mail highlights. http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/former-spy-sounds-alarm-on-relationships-between-mps-chinese-journalists/article2255430/?service=mobile

By using these one night stands, not only does the criminals of the world have access to information needed to bring harm to the President of the United States but also fanatical homegrown militia extremists, hostile governments, fanatical religious fundamentalists, political adversaries  and of course El-Qaida themselves.  The sub-list of the above is endless and as history shows the President of the United States is a constant potential target. The absurdity of the comments coming from the White House that the safety of the President was never compromised highlights the power of needing to gain approval of the masses. This type of official response demonstrates to me that they are more concerned with the negative political public relations fall-out of this whole debacle which seems to be growing by the day as this CBS video link highlights http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7406644n than the potential threats posed by these types of shenanigans. As the title of this piece tries to probe, if the agency tasked with the protection of the President couldn’t keep their sexual escapades a secret, how effective are they at keeping the security secrets surrounding the protection of their President?

One can hardly turn on a television, radio or computer in today’s connected world and not be subjected to the views of various groups protesting in some form or another. These protests can vary from a unionized worker protesting unfair wages to an individual on a sidewalk with a placard protesting global warming. The fundamental right to protest is entrenched in Canadian society and protected by The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and is listed as a “fundamental freedom” under the tagline of Freedom of Expression.  Justice Peter Cory once wrote that it “is difficult to imagine a guaranteed right more important to a democratic society.”  This is the “good”, as I firmly believe in a free and democratic society and that we absolutely should have the right to express our opinions, beliefs and highlight injustices in an attempt to right wrongs and build a healthy society. As long as this is done in a way that doesn’t inflict harm, pain or destruction and avoids violence, theft or damage.  That being said, sometimes it isn’t always possible in autocratic or dictatorial societies. For the purpose of this piece I will limit my opinion to where I find myself, in a fair, democratic and advanced society where democracy is healthy. The “bad” is when we find ourselves confronted with the ‘professional protestor’. These are persons not necessarily affiliated with the movement they are joining ranks with in protest and move from city to city wherever they get an opportunity to spread their chaos and dissent, usually this crowd is characterized by violence, destruction, substance abuse and even assault. When pressed on the issues they are protesting, they are not able to cohesively communicate the message at hand other than it’s a right of theirs to protest. The “ugly” is the legitimate protestor with a right to protest in a democratic society but doesn’t recognize the right of the defending party to take the necessary and reasonable steps of protecting their own right to protect themselves and their property from destruction, violence and physical harm. Mob mentality is a phenomenon that exists and one only has to look at the recent Vancouver riots to observe how average free thinking people can get swept away in a mob setting; this risk alone necessitates society taking reasonable steps against such risks. Usually those steps involve using either law enforcement resources or private security officers. Too often we see the mob turn their anger and insults against the defenders of truly free and democratic societies. These men and women are our brothers, sisters, neighbours and friends employed in noble professions ensuring the safety of not only corporate interests but the very protestors themselves. An example of this can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwbSxPCFSeU

Too many times I have seen people being subject to threats of violence, assault, sexual harassment and hate speech. The meaning of ‘expression’ has been accepted in Canada as any activity that conveys, or attempts to convey meaning excluding acts or threats of violence. The presence of security officers are a manifestation of due diligence and a necessity on behalf of targeted parties. If these officers were not present and injury and mayhem were to follow, ultimately we would hold those parties accountable for not taking the reasonable steps of protecting third parties from harm. Let’s embrace the “good” of protesting in a democratic society, eliminate the “bad” and banish the “ugly”.

In a recent case coming out of Alberta, Canada, an employee’s employment with Home Hardware was terminated after seventeen years leading to a costly penalty imposed on the employer. The employee was in a supervisory position with a Home Hardware distribution centre and was accused of “sexual harassment” by a female employee who was later found to have ulterior motives for making the claim. Amongst these motives was “payback” for a bad performance review and a transfer away from her boyfriend.  The allegation came 4 months after the transfer and witnesses came forward stating they had overheard the accuser saying she would get back at the supervisor for the transfer. The existence of ulterior motives by no means diminishes the validity of claims of this nature and the employer has a duty to investigate these claims. The facts in this case show that the investigation was flawed in a number of ways and the accused employee was awarded a total of $680,000.00 by the court! That is a heavy price to pay due to the actions of a vindictive employee and a poor investigation into the claims. As an avid industry insider, I consistently follow stories and news of workplace investigations both in Canada and the US to stay up to date on the latest court decisions and precedents. Although the above mentioned case occurred in 2002, only recently has the appeal process been finalized, therefore prompting this story.  As a licensed investigator and former police detective, when it comes to workplace investigations in the areas of workplace violence, theft in the workplace, sexual harassment, substance abuse and even cargo theft, I constantly find myself dispensing advice related to these topics based on my past experiences. I can offer a few tips on avoiding costly mistakes when it comes to internal workplace investigations. This is by no means an exhaustive list of tips but a few I can offer based on the case at hand.

Any investigation has to be conducted in a completely impartial, unbiased and objective manner:

• ideally use a third party investigator with no relationship whatsoever to any parties of an investigation
• ensure all witnesses, alleged offenders and victims are interviewed
• obtain statements as soon as reasonably possible from all parties

If using an internal investigator:

• ideally use an employee from a different location
• ensure the investigator has experience investigating the particular type of offence, i.e. workplace violence, theft, sexual harassment, substance abuse, etc.
• ensure the investigator has received training in conducting workplace investigations

If using an external investigator:

• ensure they are licensed to conduct investigations in the particular province or state where the offence originates
• ensure the external investigator is insured

Ensure you have comprehensive workplace policies covering various scenarios, i.e. workplace violence, sexual harassment, internal theft, etc.

• have policies readily available and easily communicated to employees
• provide training for internal investigators and also employees on existing policies
• ensure policies are closely followed once an investigation is initiated

Facebook fans of IMAC Online Training Academy will have a chance to win one of 10 $1,000 vouchers towards online courses.  To celebrate the newest HRCI approved courses, IMAC fans will have an opportunity to win the opportunity to take an entire suite of courses related to workplace violence, nonviolent confrontation management, safe terminations, crisis communications, guidelines for crossing picket lines, strike security and preparation, truck hijacking, armed robbery response…and many other courses for HR training and security training.

Click here to enter and view the contest details.

Why keep up with your continuing education?

Dr. Paula Caligiuri discusses Advancing Your Career Skills on CNN Newsroom. Dr. Caligiuri is a professor of Human Resource Management at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations.

HR professionals will receive accreditation towards their SHRM designation upon completion of any of IMAC’s pre-approved online courses

Ohio-based International Management Assistance Corporation (IMAC) has achieved HRCI approval for several of the courses offered at its IMAC Online Training Academy. Human resources professionals will now receive HRCI accreditation towards their Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) designation upon successful completion of any of these unique, professionally-relevant courses, available at http://www.imac-training.com.

The courses pre-approved by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) have been designed expressly to further the careers of HR professionals, and include pragmatic subject matter developed by some of the industry’s top security professionals. Most popular of the accredited courses include an overview of workplace violence, nonviolent confrontation, high-risk terminations and work stoppage management.

Launched in early 2011, the IMAC Online Training Academy is unique in the practical and applicable nature of the training it provides. The IMAC security education team brings together respected experts who will instruct primarily on the realistic application of field-tested concepts and tactics to ensure students get relevant knowledge and techniques to equip them to succeed in the industry today. In addition to its more than twenty courses geared to HR professionals, the school also provides workplace violence training for security professionals and corporate executives.

“Our newly accredited courses for HR professionals are certain to provide a real career edge,” says Rob Shuster, vice president of protective services and training. “We are happy to have our very current and carefully-developed curriculum formally recognized by the HRCI, and look forward to imparting the latest industry knowledge, best practices, and training to as many eager learners as possible.”

In addition to the online courses, the HRCI has also pre-approved IMAC’s Labor Dispute and Work Stoppage Conference being held in Arizona from May 10 and 11, 2012. Registrants who attend both days will be awarded 7.5 HRCI credits towards their SHRM designation. For details and registration, please visit: http://www.imacservices.com/002/IMACArizona2012.php

Unless you live in a bubble or a non-tech bubble wrap, you have certainly heard of the multiple lawsuits Apple has initiated against technology titan, Samsung. Seems Apple is furious over what they consider to be Samsung’s “slavish” infringement on their designs and ideas. (See: Apple v. HTC, Apple v. Motorola, Microsoft v. Motorola, Microsoft v. Barnes & Noble.) What makes this extraordinary is the fact that the two companies rely on one another as Samsung supplies Apple with critical components on some of their devices.

So what about the famous phrase “imitation is the best form of flattery” so famously coined by one Rev Charles Colton in the early 19^th Century. That may ring true in a time before mass production; both of the written word as well as the manufactured product which can be achieved by pressing the ‘copy/paste’ function on the simplest of ‘smart gadgets’. It’s not even necessary to use a bona fide computer with terabytes of storage capacity or gigabytes of processing power anymore; and billions of dollars are at stake!  Is Apple really concerned with their technology being copied, trademarks being infringed upon, patents stolen or are they concerned with Mammon?  (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammon.) Just typing out the question has highlighted the absurdity of the question, of course it’s about money, isn’t it always? Apple’s recipe is simple, produce a product for the masses and ensure you have a captive audience.  Now before you jump to conclusions and regard me as some sort of ‘copyright minister of religion’, intent on a violence related incident, (“The Society of Kopimism” – was officially accepted as a new religion in Sweden http://kopimistsamfundet.se/english/), I would like to point out that I own an iPod Touch, iPhone and of course a brand-new iPad2. I love all things Apple, I-Tunes especially, and think they have done a brilliant job at giving me what I want and will continue to purchase their products. In return I expect them to consistently upgrade, reinvent and improve on what they have already delivered to me in new and exciting ways.  However, in the absence of healthy competition, i.e. Samsung, I doubt they could live up to these expectations, and for me to switch loyalty to another brand will take a lot more than simply offering me a copied version of what Apple has already given.

Apple views the fact that Samsung has created products similar in appearance as a form of theft in the workplace. For me to switch brand loyalty Samsung would have to really deliver on something improved, lighter, faster and more exciting. I am not interested in what I already have or what Apple has already accomplished, so why the lawsuits for something that Apple thinks is not as good and is in distant second place? Again, let’s say it together – money! Apple can either continue to manufacture and sell units one by one or they can project how many they could sell had Samsung not stolen their ideas and gain instant monetary compensation without actually building and shipping a single unit and sue for that projection. The byproduct of this of course is dissuading any other companies from directly competing with them, thereby maintaining a strong grip on the market.  If you delve into some of the specifics of Apple’s complaints, they speak of corners looking similar, front surface dominated by a screen, a metallic frame surrounding the perimeter of the top surface, size approximately the same (ironically Samsung’s 10.1” tablet is lighter and thinner than the iPad2 which means Apple is suing Samsung because they produced an improved product – and lighter and thinner in this industry does mean better). On the same note I would like to point out to you, how similar any two cars are in general. They have four wheels, an engine, steering device and they are all similar in size and weight, especially in the competing vehicle classes. Does this mean Ford should sue GM for every 5 door hatch back that comes to market? I understand the need to protect your intellectual property, especially being in the business of trademark investigations, but where do we draw the line. I can’t help but get the feeling that it is you and I that are the ultimate losers in this battle. By not being able to experience a new and improved technological device because companies are afraid to face costly litigation should they attempt this.  It’s the consumer who ultimately pays for the millions in legal fees for pursuing and defending these lawsuits because you know the price of these lawsuits is factored into the price of every Apple unit, Apple has spent an estimated $100 Million in lawsuits against Samsung and HTC, which makes us the losers. Now if Samsung released the Samsung iPad3.0 it would be a completely different discussion and one where I believe the line should be drawn.

Last month I wrote a piece on travelling internationally in today’s global village and the risks associated with this as it relates to lost luggage and the nightmare of having lost your passport and other important documents while abroad. The recent sinking of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia off the island of Giglio is an example of how quickly this can happen. All of a sudden you have 3000 passengers on a small island with no identifying documentation, passports, or return trip plane tickets; all trying to get home.  You can imagine the difficulty the island officials are facing trying to process the hordes of international travellers and get them home.

As I had mentioned being stuck in a country, especially a third world country without official documentation can be a nightmare. I thought it would be a good idea to repost my thoughts surrounding the issue in light of recent events. A safety travel tip I almost always share now with colleagues and friends is to sign up to a cloud hosting service and save copies of passports, driver’s licences, credit cards and other important contact numbers. This way wherever you may be you can login into your online account and print copies of said documentation and in some cases they are accepted as identification, albeit it temporary allowing safe passage or at least filing for the necessary applications for temporary travel documents. I have found that most cloud hosting services offer a certain amount of free storage space allowing enough to hold the above noted documentation, and of course for a fee they will increase storage and you can take advantage of uploading precious photographs and other desired information. Of course I would recommend researching the different options that are available to you, choosing a reputable well-known brand and when creating an account, set secure login and password credentials in order to avoid breaches. Safe travels!

By now many of you may have heard about the recent spates of unfortunate incidents involving Ottawa city bus drivers. The most recent incident involves a city bus driver caught by a passenger with a cell phone video camera verbally threatening to punch a young male passenger who was allegedly annoying the driver. Once the video came to light, it took about two days before it was announced publicly that the driver’s employment had been terminated.

Now, I am a firm believer in zero tolerance and at first glance, I full heartedly agreed with the city decision to terminate the driver. This is where zero tolerance becomes tricky; a subsequent investigation began to reveal circumstances that the public had not been previously privy to:

A) The passenger was reportedly warned by the driver on multiple occasions to behave

B) The passenger was known to the driver

C) The passenger had a history of annoying other passengers and the driver

D) On the day in question, the driver had a received a ticket

E) The driver’s wife had recently left him

F) The driver was the sole caregiver of his disabled father who needed full time care

Once you start looking at the whole picture, a completely different scenario begins to emerge and one starts to sympathize with the driver. Although we begin to see a different picture unfold, the question is; (please pardon the pun) “Does the punishment fit the crime?”

Should the city have taken all the relevant information into account or were they right in terminating the driver? To answer this we have to look at the policy of zero tolerance and what it means. I am of the opinion that zero tolerance is just that, zero tolerance, which at its very nature means yes; the city had no choice other than to terminate the employment of the driver. However that being said, I feel that before an organization canonizes a zero tolerance policy, they have an obligation of insuring that their employees are equipped with the tools to deal with issues they may face in the workplace. If we look at the story at hand, that would mean that the bus driver had been offered and undergone training in the areas of dealing with stress, nonviolent confrontation management, workplace violence and any other relevant training applicable to the driver’s typical working environment. If a company can show that they have done everything in their power to equip their employees for dealing with situations that they are likely to encounter in their work day and have provided all the support needed to accomplish this – having a zero tolerance policy makes more sense.

After all, the cost of terminating, hiring, re-training and re-deployment far out ways the cost of specific training for issues mentioned above. Not to mention the cost savings in terms of liability. And let’s not forget the bad public relations fall out that is likely to ensue.

In today’s fast paced workplace, we as a society have to travel more frequently than ever before. This is counter intuitive to the technology advances we have made. Even though we have digital and cyber platforms for hosting live video conferencing meetings across multiple confinements, we still find ourselves having to make arduous expeditions to meet face to face with clients in order to secure the business.

This combined with airlines cutting costs more and more to squeeze every inch of profitability out of the travelling consumer; it has inevitably led to poor service leading to the ‘lost luggage nightmare’. In fact the reason for penning this blog is that last week I traveled to Africa with a colleague who had to make do without his luggage for three days; however it did arrive just in time to make the return trip. We were meeting with government officials and it was important we presented professionally. My colleague was forced to find a local outlet and purchase suitable attire for the meetings.  Secondly, I had another colleague this week in Kentucky, who for the first 3 days of his assignment was confined to the same set of clothing until his luggage was finally delivered. A sure way to increase incidents of violence in workplace scenarios is to have an employee stuck in the same outfit indefinitely.

Although an inconvenience when luggage is lost; it is almost never a catastrophic event. I have had colleagues who have lost possession of travel documents and wallets while abroad; this presents a whole new set of problems. Being stuck in a country, especially a third world country without official documentation can be a nightmare. A safety travel tip I almost always share now with colleagues and friends is to sign up to a ‘cloud hosting’ service and save copies of passports, driver’s licences, credit cards and other important contact numbers. This way wherever you are, you can login into your online account and print copies of the said documents and in some cases they are accepted as temporary identification allowing safe passage or at least aiding in filing for the necessary applications for you to enter your home country of origin. I have found that most cloud hosting services offer a certain amount of free storage space; almost always enough to hold the above noted documentation. Of course for a fee they will increase storage and you can take advantage of uploading precious photographs and other information. Of course I would recommend researching the different options that are available to you, choosing a reputable well-known brand and when creating an account, set secure login and password credentials in order to avoid breaches. Safe travels!

For more information or recommendations on cloud hosting applications feel free to contact me.

AFI International was recently contacted by a long-time client as they had serious concerns about one of their employees and their work practices. As a result, AFI International consulted with their client and developed a sound investigative strategy which started with a due diligence background search in the name of the subject.

After discovering information regarding a criminal history by conducting open source database searches in the name of the subject we decided to investigate further. We conducted a forensic analysis of the employee’s work computer which determined that over 10,000 files had been shredded from the employee’s hard drive and the company’s server. We further identified that the company owner’s business partner had installed ‘sniffing’ software to monitor the company’s business activities which was a breach of trust. An IT technician in our client’s employ was found to be an accomplice to the employee and was instrumental in their attempt to cover their tracks.

As a result, both the employee and IT technician were terminated and we provided a referral to have the server system configured to prevent further compromise. As a result, the company has changed their internal policies to prevent similar occurrences in the future and of course to conduct pre-employment checks on employees prior to hiring.