Tighten up your community bank’s security – Independent Banker

ICBA’s Bank Security Institute offers critical incident response strategies to keep your physical branch location safe.

The pandemic forced industries to accelerate their adoption of digital applications, and community banking was no exception. And as banking processes increasingly moved online, community bankers needed to fortify their online defenses against fraud and cybercrime. However, it’s important not to let your community bank’s physical security protocols lapse.

In August, ICBA hosted the Bank Security Institute. Held in Bloomington, Minn., the three-day institute detailed everything community bankers need to know about keeping their banks safe and secure, from perceiving those around you and reading body language to conducting an investigation and talking to members of the media after an incident.

The first day of the institute covered the regulations community banks are responsible for, observational skills, handling verbal and physical confrontations, social engineering, internal fraud, questioning documents and media relations skills.

On day two, community bankers dove deeper into crime prevention and reaction by learning about critical incident response to events like robbery and kidnapping, how to prevent crime through environmental design, and what to do after a crime occurs.

Day three wrapped up with instructions on board reporting, important information about active shooters and how to work with cash-intensive businesses, like casinos or marijuana-related businesses.

At the end of the institute, attendees learned a multitude of ways to handle bank security including how to detect and react to incidents around you, how to prepare your bank in case of crime, and what steps need to be taken after a crime occurs.

Look out for the next Bank Security Institute, coming soon.

—Tiffany Lukk