Kenyan security industry grows in Westgate aftermath
Media captionNew training for security guards puts emphasis on pre empting an attack
A lot has changed in Kenya since the attack at the Westgate shopping mall a year ago.
Other shopping centres have increased the number of their security officers and frisking people before they enter buildings, public transport vehicles and even churches is now common.
While the attack contributed to a fall in revenues in the country's important tourism sector, it has also boosted business in the private security industry.
"In a way it has [boosted business] because our clients have been concerned," says James Omwando, chief executive of the security firm, KK, adidas philippines sale of the new emphasis on security.
We get police officers coming here to help train our people Lucas Ndolo, KK training manager
"They've taken on additional security officers, they've invested in new equipment CCTVs and access control."
The company's training centre on the outskirts of Nairobi is busier than ever. New recruits march for hours as they answer their instructor at the top of their voices.
Their clean shaven heads, navy blue shorts, white socks and adidas running shoes are meant to help instil discipline.
"Even in terms of general recruitment we're now looking for a better educated, higher profile security officer who'll be able to understand what's being looked into because the challenges are many," says training manager Lucas Ndolo.
Ndolo, a former military intelligence officer, says even though understanding terrorism has always been part of the training, they have had to put more emphasis on it.
"We emphasise more on surveillance, detection, profiling and what security officers are looking for in the field," he says.
Increased collaborationThe soon to graduate guards are taking their lessons in a wooden classroom. A lot of the lessons taught are focused on preventing attacks.
"It is better to press the panic button when you realise that a person is gathering information, instead of you pressing the panic button when they've come to attack," a trainer lectures the class of about 20 trainees.
"You saw what happened at Westgate?" he goes on, as they answer in the affirmative.
One of the first victims of the Westgate gunmen was the mall's security officer.
For security companies such as KK, one positive thing that has come out of the widely publicised attack is that they now collaborate a lot more with Kenya's security services.
"We get police officers coming here to help train our people. We've been in touch with the bomb people, the criminal investigation [and] anti terrorism [officers] who come here to train our people," says Lucas Ndolo.
They also work together in conducting security operations.
That co ordination is also beneficial to the police, who number about 80,000.
Increased security spendingWhile the UN recommends a ratio of one police officer for every 400 civilians, Kenya has only half as many officers that would be required to meet that.
The Kenyan government has increased its security budget this year by 24% to $1.7bn (1bn) from last year's $1.3bn. Part of that money is meant to employ 10,000 more police officers.
In the meantime, the estimated 300,000 private security officers are supplementing efforts to make civilians feel safer.
But not everyone can afford to pay for private security officers, and technology is a cheaper security solution.
"[Many people] are looking for alarms so that our vehicles can respond in the event of a problem," says KK's James Omwando.
The company's control centre is getting ever busier, he says, adidas philippines sale 2015 with the team monitoring phone calls and alarms going off at their clients' premises.
Checks criticisedA government bid to buy and install CCTV cameras in Nairobi and Mombasa has been riddled in controversy and is yet to be implemented.
Most attacks have targeted the two major cities.
Walking through the streets of the capital you see security officers standing at buildings' entrances frisking people using metal detectors.
Media captionNew training for security guards puts emphasis on pre empting an attackA lot has changed in Kenya since the attack at the Westgate shopping mall a year ago.
Other shopping centres have increased the number of their security officers and frisking people before they enter buildings, public transport vehicles and even churches is now common.
While the attack contributed to a fall in revenues in the country's important tourism sector, it has also boosted business in the private security industry.
"In a way it has [boosted business] because our clients have been concerned," says James Omwando, chief executive of the security firm, KK, adidas philippines sale of the new emphasis on security.
We get police officers coming here to help train our people Lucas Ndolo, KK training manager
"They've taken on additional security officers, they've invested in new equipment CCTVs and access control."
The company's training centre on the outskirts of Nairobi is busier than ever. New recruits march for hours as they answer their instructor at the top of their voices.
Their clean shaven heads, navy blue shorts, white socks and adidas running shoes are meant to help instil discipline.
"Even in terms of general recruitment we're now looking for a better educated, higher profile security officer who'll be able to understand what's being looked into because the challenges are many," says training manager Lucas Ndolo.
Ndolo, a former military intelligence officer, says even though understanding terrorism has always been part of the training, they have had to put more emphasis on it.
"We emphasise more on surveillance, detection, profiling and what security officers are looking for in the field," he says.
Increased collaborationThe soon to graduate guards are taking their lessons in a wooden classroom. A lot of the lessons taught are focused on preventing attacks.
"It is better to press the panic button when you realise that a person is gathering information, instead of you pressing the panic button when they've come to attack," a trainer lectures the class of about 20 trainees.
"You saw what happened at Westgate?" he goes on, as they answer in the affirmative.
One of the first victims of the Westgate gunmen was the mall's security officer.
For security companies such as KK, one positive thing that has come out of the widely publicised attack is that they now collaborate a lot more with Kenya's security services.
"We get police officers coming here to help train our people. We've been in touch with the bomb people, the criminal investigation [and] anti terrorism [officers] who come here to train our people," says Lucas Ndolo.
They also work together in conducting security operations.
That co ordination is also beneficial to the police, who number about 80,000.
Increased security spendingWhile the UN recommends a ratio of one police officer for every 400 civilians, Kenya has only half as many officers that would be required to meet that.The Kenyan government has increased its security budget this year by 24% to $1.7bn (1bn) from last year's $1.3bn. Part of that money is meant to employ 10,000 more police officers.
In the meantime, the estimated 300,000 private security officers are supplementing efforts to make civilians feel safer.
But not everyone can afford to pay for private security officers, and technology is a cheaper security solution.
"[Many people] are looking for alarms so that our vehicles can respond in the event of a problem," says KK's James Omwando.
The company's control centre is getting ever busier, he says, adidas philippines sale 2015 with the team monitoring phone calls and alarms going off at their clients' premises.
Checks criticisedA government bid to buy and install CCTV cameras in Nairobi and Mombasa has been riddled in controversy and is yet to be implemented.
Most attacks have targeted the two major cities.
Walking through the streets of the capital you see security officers standing at buildings' entrances frisking people using metal detectors.
