Understanding Behavioural Detection Early Intervention

Have you ever walked through a busy shopping centre or attended a crowded event and wondered about the measures that are in place to keep everyone safe? Security isn’t just about cameras and barriers - it’s about people. People noticing behaviours that don’t feel quite right and taking steps to intervene before something happens.

This is the essence of Behavioural Detection Early Intervention (BDEI). It’s a proactive approach to identifying and addressing suspicious activity, and with the upcoming introduction of Martyn’s Law, it’s set to become even more important. But BDEI isn’t just for security professionals - it’s something we can all play a part in.

In this blog, we’ll break down what BDEI is, why it matters, and how simple actions like the power of saying “hello”- can create safer spaces for everyone.

What is Behavioural Detection Early Intervention (BDEI)?

At its core, BDEI is about recognising behaviours and activities displayed by hostile actors and responding accordingly to prevent them carrying out their intended activity.

BDEI is very much at the forefront of people’s minds in the security industry where acts of terrorism have resulted in tragedy and has led to mandatory training for front line security personnel, such as Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) and See, Check and Notify (SCaN). The impending introduction of Martyn’s Law introduces security as a legal requirement for the first time and is being seen as a paradigm shift by security practitioners where security will become a mandatory requirement and not just best practice.

What is Martyn’s Law?

New legislation (The Terrorism, Protection of Premises, Bill) is currently under review in parliament and is more commonly referred to as Martyn’s Law.

Named in memory of Martyn Hett, who was tragically killed alongside 21 others in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, this law aims to address gaps in preparedness and protection against terrorist incidents.

The inquiry into the Manchester attack revealed missed opportunities to detect and intervene before the tragedy unfolded. In response, Martyn’s Law will require publicly accessible venues to improve their readiness for and protection from such attacks, ensuring safer spaces for all.

According to the latest updates, this legislation is expected to affect a wide range of businesses, not just live entertainment venues, and any premises with a capacity of 200 or more people may fall under its scope. Think about how many people might be in your local supermarket or workplace at any given time - these are the kinds of spaces that could be impacted by this new legislation.

Who is BDEI for?

BDEI training isn’t just for security personnel - it’s for everyone. Whether you’re a retail worker, event organiser, or simply part of the public, you have a role to play in making your environment safer.

Take, for example, the British Transport Police campaign, “See it, say it, sorted.”, the initiative encouraging everyone to stay vigilant and report anything suspicious. The idea is simple - make environments so difficult and uncomfortable for hostile actors to operate in that they are deterred before they can act.

Rather than relying solely on a small number of security staff, the campaign empowers every individual to become an extra set of eyes and ears and, if something doesn’t seem right, there’s a clear reporting process to ensure early intervention.

With over 18 years of operational experience working for the UK Government, I’ve seen firsthand how heightened awareness in an environment can significantly disrupt hostile plans; Prevention is always better than cure.

The principles of BDEI aren’t new – just think back to the “bobby on the beat.” Police officers patrolling the streets served as a visible deterrent, challenging suspicious behaviour and responding quickly to any issues.

I recently observed police officers undertaking BDEI exercises. The officers were simply walking around to create a very visible deterrent and saying “hello” to members of the public.

The power of “hello”

The officers in question weren’t just saying hello because they were friendly. The word coming from their mouth was ‘hello’ but the thought going through their head was, I am going to say hello to you to see how you react. Are you reassured by the fact that police officers are here today to make your shopping experience safer - or are you uncomfortable with the fact that police officers are present today and they have now interacted with you and are aware of your presence? This act alone may be enough to deter anybody with criminal intentions.

Further ‘friendly’ conversation from the officers such as, are you having a nice day today? Who are you here with today? Are you shopping for anything nice? Is likely to panic even the coolest of hostile actors and unravel inconsistencies in their answers.

What level of detection training is appropriate?

There is no shortage of information and training available when it comes to behavioural detection and reading people’s body language. Plenty of training courses delve deep into psychological theory relating to human physiology and micro-expressions. Whilst there may be a time and a place for this level of training, the fact of the matter is, that for the overwhelming majority this is not a practical solution to their training needs, and for employers the cost of training exceeds their budget and appetite.

People display certain body language and physical/verbal reactions to a situation, for reasons far and above, just being a potential hostile actor.

In order to protect our assets and business’ through BDEI training we need our staff to remain vigilant and recognise the actions of a potential hostile actor. Importantly, by knowing our environment we can better understand how an attack may unfold enabling us to better think like the attacker.

What activity would the hostile need to undertake?

What route would they take?

Where would they need to stand?

What equipment might they have?

What would they wear?

How long would they need?

The list goes on, but what we need to ask ourselves is this, what would deter and stop them?

The answer is usually relatively simple, and it is the fear of being detected and caught.

To achieve this, we need to manifest a culture of being comfortable to challenge things that raise our suspicions and have a clear reporting process. This doesn’t need to be an intimidating approach. It can be achieved through high quality customer service. Just like the police officers mentioned earlier, we should speak to people to provide them with the reassurance that they are in a safe environment surrounded by vigilant personnel.

Whenever we watch interviews of witnesses who have detected or deterred a hostile actor, they always say the same things, “I had a gut feeling, or something just didn’t seem quite right.”

We should encourage our staff to trust their instincts and empower them to take action and feel supported in doing so.

What BDEI training can Toro provide

At Toro we know that every business and staff workplace is unique and has different characteristics that a hostile actor can exploit, and so are the challenges you face when it comes to training your staff. That’s why our approach to BDEI training focuses on solving the real issues organisations encounter:

No excessive downtime - We deliver training on-site, in small groups, and in under 3.5 hour sessions, ensuring minimal disruption to your operations.

Customised for your needs - Our packages are tailored to your specific requirements rather than offering generic, one-size-fits-all solutions.

Relevant and practical content - We focus on actionable training that’s delivered at the right level, without unnecessary theory.

Cost-effective solutions - High-quality training with the experts at a reasonable price to fit into your budgets and appetite.

Our programme combines government-endorsed material with a unique “think like an attacker” approach. This includes practical exercises where participants apply what they’ve learned within their own workspace, supported by our expertise in offensive security and years of covert operational experience.