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New Zealand venues, schools and businesses are being warned of the risks posed by possible lone-wolf attackers in crowded spaces. 

While the overall threat remains low, organisations hosting crowds should be considering fencing, lighting, bollards, cameras, security staff and in some cases screening equipment and explosive detection dogs, authorities say. 

Police have today released detailed advice to help spaces (like malls, schools, and sport or concert centres) prevent and manage active armed attacks in crowded environments. 

It’s part of Protecting Our Crowded Places from Attack, New Zealand’s first-ever national strategy for preventing and managing mass-casualty events - like the Christchurch mosque killings. 

Years in the making, the strategy and guidelines have been developed by a cross-government group of nine agencies led by Police and including the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 

They urge those in charge of crowded places to seek expert advice and set detailed emergency plans for potential attacks. 

Director general of the SIS Andrew Hampton told the Herald “The most plausible domestic violent extremist attack scenario remains a lone actor who has radicalised online and prepares for violence without any intelligence forewarning. 

“Any attacker is most likely to use easily accessible weapons such as knives or a vehicle. 

SIS director general Andrew Hampton said the most likely threat is a violent lone actor, radicalised online. Photo / Herald. 

“It is important to note the current terrorism threat level means a terrorist attack in New Zealand is assessed as a realistic possibility, despite the overarching level of ‘low’. 

“We do not want to be alarmist, but we want the public, businesses and all sectors to have informed discussions about security risks and what can be done to manage these risks.” 

New Zealand’s strategy draws on Australia’s similar Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism. 

It focuses on the risks in congested places like sports events, public transport, in schools, shopping centres, restaurants, hotels, theatres, festivals, churches, tourist attractions and busy city streets. 

Police are the lead agency for the strategy because it covers all types of attacks - not just terrorism. 

“The nature of crowded places means they at times can pose extra risks, as they can be targets for attacks” said Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson. 

“Remember three simple words: Escape. Hide. Tell. That means moving quickly and quietly away from danger, staying out of sight, silencing your phone and — when it is safe to do so — calling Police on 111.” 

The launch comes three weeks after the Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) released its annual Security Threat Environment report, in which it noted “a deterioration in the threat environment” and said New Zealand was facing the most challenging national security environment of recent times. 

Security and risk expert Chris Kumeroa chaired a group that provided security industry advice. He hopes the safety mantra "escape, hide, tell" will become widely-known and remembered. Photo / Stuart Munro 

“A media feed filled with polarisation and grievance awaits anyone who is vulnerable to being led astray, or who is looking for fuel for their violent ideology” it said. 

Chris Kumeroa, chairman of the Crowded Places Security Advisory Group which advised on the plan, said he hopes the “escape, hide, tell” mantra for attack incidents will become as well-known as “drop, cover, hold” for earthquakes. 

The Police resources launched today include:

• Tools to assess how attractive a venue could be to an attacker 
• Factors attackers take into account when looking for a target 
• How to detect possible hostile reconnaissance at a venue 
• How to conduct an in-depth security audit 

The first part of the strategy was released in 2020, inspired by the Christchurch mosque attacks.