Exercises and drills

The purpose of conducting exercises is to test the existing plan to see if it works as intended. In addition, exercises and drills, aim to train staff and cooperation, as well as test equipment for areas of improvement.

Exercises can take many forms, so it can be a good idea to find out what precisely you want to train. Depending on the size and responsibilities of the organisation, it may be a good idea to train in cooperation with one or more authorities. In the case of counter-terrorism drills in Denmark, the relevant authority will be the Danish Police.

When training people to handle terrorism, remember to consider the focus of the exercise, as terrorism can vary in nature. In addition, you are dealing with a different field than when you usually do emergency management exercises, which means you must remember to consider which type of exercise you want to use.

Defending a full-scale exercise can be ethically challenging. Therefore, it may be beneficial to look at more dialogue-based exercise types, such as dilemma exercises or crisis management exercises. Dialogue-based exercises make it easier for staff to discuss the uncertainties of a given incident. This helps management to understand the challenges of dealing with a terrorist incident.

Counter-terrorism drills are not necessary for every organisation. However, they can be an excellent idea if you have a large publicly accessible area or the risk assessment indicates a need. If it is not possible to receive advice and guidance on exercises from the police, it is advisable to contact an independent security advisor.