Toni Vegas: Catalonia has a protocol to prevent hatred and discrimination in private security.
The Catalan government has established a protocol for the prevention, detection and management of situations of hate and discrimination in private security. This protocol, drawn up by the Generalitat’s Department of the Interior, is intended to be the reference tool for dealing with any problem of this type through specific and professionalised training, as stated by Toni Vegas López, coordinator of Administration and Transversal Services of the Directorate General for Security Administration.
Toni Vegas highlights the importance of a protocol for the prevention, detection and management of situations of hate and discrimination in private security. This is a fundamental tool that ensures all people, regardless of their origin, sex, religion or any other characteristic or manifestation of the human condition, can feel safe in any space.
The protocol is a “comprehensive, cross-departmental approach to addressing the needs of victims.” It has been developed “in close collaboration with the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Departament d'Igualtat i Feminismes de la Generalitat, organisations representing vulnerable groups and the private security sector.” The programme is designed for use by officers (and security managers/background managers) and user companies. Its aim is to “detect, prevent and appropriately manage situations of hate and discrimination”. The product is suitable for use in all environments where security officers work, including public transport, nightlife venues, shopping centres and similar locations where discrimination may occur.
The protocol's objective is “to raise awareness of issues related to hate and discrimination, as well as to facilitate its detection by professionals through indicators. It also aims to determine the actions of private security professionals in the prevention phase, as well as in the detection and management of an incident when it occurs. Furthermore, it seeks to improve cooperation and coordination between public and private security, reinforce victim protection from the first moment the aggression occurs, and improve data collection to contribute to a better classification of the facts.”