Why Martyn's Law is changing what organisations need their people to know

Much of the conversation around the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law) has understandably focused on policies, procedures and compliance. Yet the statutory guidance supporting the Act places equal emphasis on something far more fundamental: people.

It makes clear that organisations should ensure staff receive training, learning and instruction that is appropriate to their role, tailored to their operating environment and capable of supporting effective implementation in practice.

In other words, preparedness is no longer just about having the right plans on paper. It is about ensuring the people responsible for implementing those plans have the knowledge, judgement and expertise to do so effectively.

Martyn’s Law is not simply asking organisations to train more people. It is encouraging them to develop the right capability in the right people.

As one of Skills for Justice Training’s expert practitioners and a former Counter-Terrorism Security Coordinator, George Meloy explains:

“Effective protective security isn’t just about responding to known risks – it’s about being ready to adapt when the unexpected happens.”

That ability to adapt begins long before an incident occurs. It begins by building organisational preparedness from the ground up.

Preparedness starts with people

One of the clearest messages within the statutory guidance is that not everyone requires the same level of training.

Frontline staff, supervisors, facilities teams, security personnel and those responsible for protective security all have different responsibilities. Expecting every member of staff to possess the same level of knowledge is neither realistic nor necessary.

Instead, resilient organisations adopt a layered approach, ensuring every individual understands their role in helping to protect people and places. At an operational level, staff develop the awareness to recognise, report and respond appropriately to potential threats, while those responsible for protective security develop the skills needed to assess risk, strengthen preparedness, foster a positive security culture and coordinate an effective organisational response.

Awareness creates the foundation

Staff working in public-facing environments are often an organisation’s eyes and ears. They understand the normal rhythms of their workplace and are often best placed to notice changes in behaviour, identify vulnerabilities, or spot when something doesn’t look or feel right.

Giving frontline staff the confidence to recognise potential threats, report concerns appropriately and respond safely creates the foundation upon which effective protective security is built.

The SFJ Awards Level 2 Award in Counter-Terrorism Protective Security Awareness (CTPSA) has been designed specifically for this purpose. It develops the workforce awareness that enables organisations to identify potential issues earlier, improving the flow of information from frontline teams to those responsible for protective security.

Philip Moore, one of Skills for Justice Training’s expert practitioners and a leading SME in counter-terrorism protective security, explains:

“As the Manchester Arena Inquiry demonstrated, it is essential that frontline staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They need to be able to react and respond to suspicious incidents, and they can only do this with effective training, awareness, briefing and – most importantly – leadership.”

Capability enables effective decision-making

Awareness, however, only creates value when organisations have people capable of interpreting the information it generates, understanding its wider implications and making informed decisions about proportionate action.

For those responsible for workplace protective security, preparedness and organisational resilience, awareness alone is not enough. They require the advanced knowledge and capability to assess information, evaluate risk, oversee preparedness planning and make informed decisions.

The statutory guidance makes clear that the “Responsible Person” retains legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Act, but may need competent people to advise and support them. These individuals require knowledge and capability appropriate to their role and operating environment. Developed by SFJ Awards in partnership with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), the Level 3 Award in Counter-Terrorism Protective Security and Preparedness (CTPSaP) was created specifically to develop that capability. As the only protective security qualification endorsed by Counter-Terrorism Policing, it provides organisations with a nationally recognised benchmark for developing the expertise needed to assess risk, oversee preparedness planning and make informed protective security decisions.

Drawing on decades of experience protecting major national events and public spaces, Skills for Justice trainer George Meloy explains:

“Contingency planning is critical because incidents rarely unfold exactly as expected. Organisations need people who can interpret information, adapt to changing circumstances and make clear, informed decisions under pressure.”

From capability to organisational resilience

Developing capable people is only one part of organisational resilience. Organisations must also understand how information flows through the business, how decisions are made under pressure, and whether preparedness arrangements perform as intended.

This is where exercising and validation become equally important.

Our Scenario Informed Resilience Assessment (SIRA) enables organisations to stress test their preparedness plans using realistic, evidence-based scenarios, helping identify strengths, vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement before an incident occurs. This kind of validation enhances an organisation’s ability to adapt when the unexpected happens, strengthening protective security arrangements and organisational resilience.

A progressive approach to protective security

Martyn’s Law is encouraging organisations to think differently about preparedness. Rather than relying solely on policies or isolated training activities, resilient organisations are investing in people at every level.

Frontline staff develop the awareness needed to recognise, report and respond appropriately to potential threats.
Those responsible for protective security develop the expertise needed to assess information, evaluate risk and coordinate an effective organisational response.
Organisations validate their preparedness through scenario-based exercising, ensuring plans, processes and decision-making perform effectively under realistic adverse conditions.

Together, these elements create far more than compliance. They create organisations that are better prepared to recognise emerging threats, make informed decisions and respond with confidence when it matters most. That is the foundation of genuine organisational resilience.