The Trinity Security Team
Posted on: 18 December 2015
Working on campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, means that some of our Security staff will be on duty throughout the holiday season including Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
Responding to critical incidents and emergencies, preventing crime, handling security for VIP visitors, patrolling buildings, cutting locks off bicycles when students have lost their keys and dealing with the occasional revellers by Front Gate are all part of the varied job for Trinity’s 32 security staff headed up by Michael Murray, Head of Security and his Deputy, Tony Dalton.
Working on a four week rotation, who is on duty over Christmas and New Year is determined by the roster drafted at the beginning of the year. The security officers and superintendents work three shifts on a 24/7 basis – apart from the ‘team’ at Lincoln Place Gate who work a two shift roster.
The four Security Superintendents, Graham Doolan, Niall Gribben, Martin O'Hanlon and John O'Rourke, are located in the College Security Centre, known as Base 1, at 201 Pearse Street. In this nucleus of activity, they view live footage from security cameras located throughout the campus, and manage the online BMS (Building Management System), an automated alert system for all of the buildings on campus should any of their alarms go off. In addition, they manage Trinity’s emergency telephone line (extension 1999), and the radio system.
Technological developments have made security operations more efficient: Guard Tool, a new IT programme introduced in 2013 which tracks reports, has been very successful. It is similar to the Gardaí Síochána Pulse system.
As a city based university one of main issues is to prevent problems that may exist in the city centre impacting on the campus – such as crime, or protesters gathering due to our close proximity to Dáil Éireann. “The incidence of crime on campus is very low thanks to the security staff. Much of our work can be viewed as a preventative role,” explained Michael Murray, Head of Security. If there is a recurring problem in Dublin city, for example mobile phones being stolen, Trinity Security initiates a special operation with some staff being deployed in ‘plain clothes’ to deal with the problem on campus.
Ongoing training is an important element of the security staff’s brief. They are all qualified as Occupational First Aiders (FETAC Level 5), and hold Certificates in Security Studies (FETAC Level 4) are trained in customer services. The four superintendents upskill every two years.
Emergency response planning is an integral part of the job. In the case of an emergency every second counts and the security staff are mainly the first responders at the scene of an incident on campus. They participate in ‘table top’ exercises involving the emergency services such as Dublin Fire Brigade and the Gardaí. There is a close working relationships with the Gardaí in the neighbouring Pearse Street Garda station, especially with the community liaison guards.
Some VIP visits to campus have necessitated major security operations including the Queen of England’s visit in 2011 and President Obama’s family visit and his Presidential address in College Green in 2013. These involved close liaison with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Gardaí and the VIP ‘advance parties’ including the relevant security services from abroad.
The main challenge of the job is the unpredictable nature of how each day will unfold. Nonetheless with such a dedicated and well trained team in situ, the college community is assured of the best service possible.
The Security staff have a good sense of humour as evidenced by Barry Dunne ‘photobombing’ a recent graduation photograph which went viral on social media!