Government Security Policies

The evolution of security has changed over the past 30 years.  I can remember as a child leaving home in the dawn hours of summer and not returning until dusk without my parents worrying; attending school knowing I was in a safe place, and it was big news if a fight occurred involving a knife; traveling to Canada without the requirement of a passport; and the common form of identification for a job was a driver’s license. 

As security professionals, how we view security was forever altered by the events that occurred on the fateful day of September 11, 2001.  In addition, other events that threatened our national security over the last three decades, combined with advancements in technology, have directly affected how business is conducted, thus putting a strain on the security industry throughout the country. 

We once lived in a world where it was considered ridiculous to think an individual could talk into a watch like in “Get Smart” and science fiction when lasers would blast objects out of the sky as depicted in “Star Wars.” But what was once considered science fiction is now reality.  As technology changes, so too must policies and procedures implemented by government. 

Government is routinely implementing policies that contracting companies are directed by and must comply with in an effort to reduce the threat of Al Qaida, ISIS, and insider threats.  As security professionals, it is our job to write, review, and implement security policies while also educating personnel on the importance of complying with them.  It is also our responsibility to properly interpret security policies set upon us by the government and, when necessary, consult with Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) Security for clarification. 

One such government policy is NAVSEA Access and Movement Control Manual 5510.2C.  Information contained within the instruction addresses physical security, access, and movement control; however, I want to address section 2-4, Photography and Recording Devices, and how it applies to the use of a cell phone possessing photographic and/or recording capabilities. 

To paraphrase, NAVSEA Instruction 5510.2C states the following:

• Any device or equipment capable of recording, transmitting, or exporting photographic images or audible information of any kind is prohibited.
• Photographic images and audible recordings shall be appropriately classified and marked according to the information revealed therein and must be approved for public release.
• Local release authority may be granted for specific types of photographic images and audible recordings.
• Commanding Officers, Supervisors of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, and Officers in Charge may authorize official photography or audible recordings within their respective commands by issuing a written command permit approved by the local command Security Director/Officer/Manager.
• Unofficial photography is prohibited within the Controlled Industrial Area (CIA) of the shipyard.
• The CIA is any portion of the facility within the confines of the perimeter fence.

We know processes must be followed and authorization obtained for photographs to be taken aboard a U.S. Navy vessel through MARMC Security, but did you know:

• Photography is prohibited within the confines of the CIA without the approval of MARMC Security, even though we are privately owned shipyards?
• Cell phones possessing photographic and/or video capability are not permitted within the CIA?
• Camera passes do not apply to the use of a cell phone possessing photographic and/or video capabilities? 

Each shipyard within the Hampton Roads region has a policy addressing cell phones possessing photographic and/or video capability in compliance with NAVSEA Instruction 55102C; however, each facility takes different corrective action to address the matter.  As an industry, we must standardize the policy to address the issue, and when a violation occurs at one facility, the sanctions should apply to all facilities.  This will ultimately result in compliance with the policy.

Technology has improved our way of life, but it is important we use it within the confines set forth by government policy as it pertains to national security.  Even though implementation of some government policies is often thought of as unnecessary and inconvenient, noncompliance can lead to the compromise of For Official Use Only (FOUO) information, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and classified information. Cell phones possessing photographic and/or video capabilities are strictly prohibited within shipyards unless such camera has been disabled in accordance with MARMC requirements.  Remember, security is everyone’s responsibility, and no one is exempt from this policy.

About the Author

Keith Kaufman is a graduate of Christopher Newport University and retired from the Virginia Department of State Police. He began his career with BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair in 2011 and became the Assistant Facility Security Officer (AFSO) in April 2015. He possesses over 24 years of law enforcement and security experience and is a member of ASIS, NCMS, and VSRA. 

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