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The National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) is a police unit co-located within the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI.) It is funded by a Home Office grant and works to the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism [OSCT] reporting activity to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Director Protect and Prepare.

NaCTSO contributes to the UK government’s counter terrorism strategy (CONTEST) by supporting the Protect and Prepare strands of that strategy. NaCTSO counter terrorism and security work is divided into three areas:

·                      Protection of crowded places;

·                      Protection of hazardous sites and dangerous substances; and

·                      Assisting the CPNI to protect the Critical National Infrastructure.

To achieve national delivery NaCTSO trains, tasks and coordinates a nationwide network of centrally funded, specialist police advisers known as CTSAs. The primary role of these advisers is to provide help, advice and guidance on all aspects of counter terrorism protective security across a variety of sectors.

NaCTSO and the CTSAs have been delegated responsibility by the Home Office [OSCT] to promote and implement protective security for ‘Crowded Places.’ There are eleven identified sectors, such as shopping centres, sporting stadia, pubs, bars and nightclubs.

The core role of the CTSA is to identify and assess local critical sites within their force area that might be vulnerable to terrorist or extremist attack, then devise and develop appropriate protective security plans to reduce the vulnerability and minimise impact on that site and the surrounding community.

Additionally, the CTSA will promote awareness of the terrorist threat and develop positive ongoing relationships by appropriate discussion of changes in the prevailing terrorist threat and commensurate responses.

CTSAs will also engage with other departments within the police and partner agencies (such as SOCA - Serious and Organised Crime Agency and HMRC - HM Revenue & Customs) to encourage a coordinated approach and build useful networks. They work closely with representatives of trade organisations and professional bodies to ensure counter terrorism protective security advice is incorporated in general crime prevention regimes.

CTSAs have regular access to current terrorism threat assessments and related intelligence as well as other classified material. This requires that they are all appropriately vetted to SC or DV level.