Page 94 - SyI Quarterly - Q3 and Q4 Edition 2023

Chartered Security Professionals

Optimise Performance and Output of EOD Assets

Michael Brown CSyP

Image 9. Courtesy of OPTIMA Group, results of a Image 10. Courtesy of OPTIMA Group, results of
successful Search task in West Mosul - 2018 a successful Search task in West Mosul - 2018

Search is a mindset and Search operations will deliver much to the wider law enforcement community.
I have personally planned, co-ordinated, and executed Searches in the following non-EOD / IEDD lead
scenarios and I can categorically state that the methodologies and procedures (NOT drills as we don’t
want to set patterns) have added value and regularly produced mission success:

• High security prisons, correctional facilities, and detention centres

• Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) for priority targets post hard knock

• Venues as part of a larger pre planned VIP protection plan

• Across the full spectrum of maritime settings (Motor Vessels and platforms)

• Missing Persons investigations, commonly referred to as MISPER

• Serious organised crime operations

More recently, outside of the Military and Law Enforcement arena, there has been a requirement to
enable land and buildings contaminated with IEDs to be released back to communities after conflicts
have ended. These requirements have driven a need by Mine Action organisations to further adopt
search techniques and procedures that are appropriate to this complex three-dimensional
environment to Optimise Performance and Output of EOD Assets. There is now a long list of
commercial organisations around the globe which employ ex Military Search Advisers and
Commanders because of their ability to improve output and to enable timely land release. The UN via
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) uses the International Mine Action
Standards (IMAS) to control and monitor the delivery of these tasks. There are some similarities
between IMAS and some Military Search SOPs.
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