Brian Powrie serves as Senior Advisor for the IPO programme. Prior to joining IPO, Brian was the National Security Planning Director for the 2005 G8 Summit at Gleneagles. He was Chief Superintendent with Tayside Police, Scotland. He retired after thirty years in the Police where he worked in operational, planning and command roles. He has planned, coordinated and been involved in the delivery of dozens of major events.

Cost-benefit Analysis of Investing or Non-investing in technology

Although many individuals may be risk averse, decision-making bodies, such as governments and law enforcement practitioners, need to distribute risk reduction factors in a consistent and equitable manner to achieve the best outcomes and maximise risk reduction for society as a whole. While risks are hardly ever acceptable, they are often tolerable if the benefits are seen to outweigh the costs. Many risks can be reduced but sometimes at increasing cost.

A cost-benefit analysis provides a means to measure the cost associated with avoiding the risk, to determine whether such a cost is justifiable or excessive thereby maximising societal and/or organisational resources. From a security response perspective, different situations will require different responses. The development of effective security solution responses, particularly those involving technology, equipment and security systems, such as closed circuit television (CCTV), will most often require the following to be considered:
At the strategic level: What is the need and justification for the procurement of technology, equipment and security systems? At the tactical/technical level: What is the required capacity, specification and scope of the technology, equipment and security systems? At the operational level: How in deployment terms can the return on investment be maximised? The hypothesis is that if applied within each of the foregoing decision making levels, Cost Benefit Analysis Models can assist in the maximisation of return on investment.