How to professionalize the security industry

 Authority.
 Today’s security industry is a far cry from the
How to professionalize the security industrynight watch of yester year. It is a multi-billion pound
After more than 400 years the private securityglobal industry, employs three times more people
industry in the UK can claim advances in proficiencythan the police and engages in a raft of activities
yet continues to fall behind in its pursuit offrom event management to ferrying millions of
professionalism. As a private security analyst, I’llpounds each day to businesses around the country.
tell you why I believe the industry needs to do moreMore recently it has become involved in the
to break away from a public perception that has it astransportation of prisoners,
no more than a force of ‘night watchmen.’However, the industry is faced with a number of
I strongly believe that there is no room in thevery important questions:
industry for watchmen. Instead, the industry needs 
to develop a clear career path for those who join,Step One to Professionalizing – Definition  
and demonstrate that it is an industry with the ability As security professionals how do we define
to make a significant contribution to the overallourselves?  And what powers do we have? If we
security of the country.are to dispel the notion that we are just night
As a store detective, I worked with a number of thewatchmen to be called upon as the need arises, the
country’s larger retailers. Constant contact withissue of definition needs to begin with the
customers enabled me to track a variety ofgovernment, police and other stalwarts of security in
situations but, after around 3 years there are twothis country.  We are a significant part of the
incidents that remain with me.security structure and we are on the frontline of the
The first happened during my first day on duty at aprevention and maintenance of law and order. But
store in Camberley. A couple entered the store andwe are a 21st century force with a sixteenth century
headed for the coat section. The lady removed amandate. We face modern day challenges and are
coat from the hanger, tried it on and casually walkedexpected to tackle them without the necessary tools
over to the exit and with her partner made a run foror legislation. Consequently, the professionalizing
a waiting car-The cost of the coat… £900 - Whyprocess has to begin with an amendment in the
high value coats were not protected better and whyPrivate Security Industry Act that provides a clear
were they so close to the exit? These are questionsdefinition of our roles and powers.
I asked myself.Step Two to Professionalizing – Training
So with this in mind whenever I was assigned to a Whilst on duty in Camberley, I noticed two women
retail store, during my store tour, I identified items ofstuffing their handbags with jewelry. I radioed CCTV
high value and determined whether they werecontrol to keep a watch on them while I observed
positioned in a location that facilitated their easythem from a distance. When they were satisfied that
removal from the store.  I always submitted mythey had taken enough, they walked out of the
findings with suggestions for improved security tostore without paying for the merchandise. There
the store management. Some managers cooperatedwere already two security officers positioned at the
but most of them didn’t. After all I am only aexit, so as they exited the store they were
‘security,’ what do I know?apprehended. While leading them towards the holding
On another occasion I was assigned to a store inroom, one of the ladies dropped to the floor at the
London Colney.  It was located in the middle ofentrance of the store and refused to stand up. It
nowhere, and no more than two minutes from thetook three officers almost forty-five minutes to
motorway. Two big retailers shared the site.safely move her to the holding room.
The store I guarded had two fire exits that openedA few weeks after this incident, I was assigned to a
towards the motorway. The toilets were situatedstore in Cheshunt. While patrolling the aisles, I noticed
between the two stores. For me, this meant that aa female customer remove a scarf and jumper and
shoplifter could take bags of merchandise towardsconcealed them in her handbag. I kept her in my sight
the toilet but since technically they are still within theuntil she stepped out of the store without paying. I
confines of the store security could not interrogateapproached her and identified myself as a security
or apprehend them.officer. On hearing this she sped off. I chased after
The biggest problem though was the merchandisingher and apprehended her in the middle of a car park.
of the stock. There were high value coats andI felt I could handle her on my own. This was until a
jackets at the entrance. I raised my concerns ingentleman approached with a knife and threatened
discussion with the store manager and gave him theme. Because of my training I eventually managed to
benefit of my professional opinion, but he did nothing.subdue him and take control of the situation. No one
Within a few hours of our discussion, seven of thewas injured.
jackets were snatched. Again, I was proven right.Like me many security officers are faced with
You see, the store’s location made it easy forpotentially dangerous situations every day but too
shoplifters to drive up to the store, make a quickmany of them are inadequately trained to deal with
grab, dash and speed off back onto the motorway.unpleasant situations.  
After that incident I advised the manager to remove1.   
the rest of the jackets from the entrance. HeThere needs to be three stages of training:
informed me that the plan for arranging merchandisePre-licensing, Continuous development and
on the shop floor comes directly from their headSpecialization  
office. I suggested that maybe he needed to call thePre Licensing
head office and inform them that his store wasThe SIA needs to recruit an adult literacy expert to
located in the middle of a ‘free for all’ andwork with industry professionals to design a training
the current layout was unsuitable for this location. Heprogramme. The way the current programme is
listened but never acted on my advice. A few daysdesigned makes it impossible for anyone to absorb all
later thirteen of the jackets were stolen. Finally hethe required information in 30 hours and be able to
decided to remove them from the entrance. But hisuse it effectively.
organization had already lost £5000. Continuous Development
Why didn’t the manager listen to me? Maybe Along with the pre-licensing course work, there
it’s because Security officers have always had aneeds to be an in-house course designed for security
love hate relationship with retail managers.companies that will be used internally to further
At times I feel that security is seen by most securitydevelop new & seasoned security officers.
buyers as a grudge purchase or an unneededDevelopments in security legislation should be
expense, instead of an investment. The main reasonincorporated into any continuous training &
for this perception has been the industry’sdevelopment programme. Security officers should
inability to clearly define its role in the securityalso be assessed every 3 years to ensure that they
pyramid of the UK. Everyone knows that the Policeare complying with the legislation. The renewal of
are responsible for enforcing the law, the Armedtheir license will depend on their continued
Forces defend sovereignty, MI5 and MI6 are internaldevelopment and knowledge of the industry...
and external operatives. Who or what is a securitySpecialised Training
officer? How does the industry define itself? In1.   
marketing there is a saying that it’s not what isIf Security officers expect to be treated like
said but how it is said. It seems to me that theprofessionals, then we must begin to behave as
industry has been unable to define itself to theprofessionals. There is no professional in the world
country and sadly for those who have chosenthat undergoes only 30 hours of training in their
private security as a vocation.lifetime. With the barrier for entry into the security
Four Hundred Years Onindustry so low we need to raise the level of training
The concept of private security is not a modernto give us the extra recognition we require to be
phenomenon. In fact, private security existed in theseen as a professional industry. 
UK before the police force. Cave drawings and otherConclusion
archaeological findings clearly attest to the fact thatIn this country we have a few of the best
the issue of safety has long been the concern ofinstitutions in the world: the BBC, Oxford &
man from the beginning of time. The earliest securityCambridge, Scotland Yard, Fleet Street and above all
officers can be traced back to the 1600s when outthe British Armed Forces. For centuries these
of the desire to protect their property, wealthyinstitutions have been setting standards for the rest
merchants established a private security force knownof the world to follow. The introduction of the SIA
at the time as ‘Shiver and Shake Watch’.was another opportunity for Britain to set the
This was followed by the Bow Street Runners andstandard and create a model of professionalism within
eventually the Marine Police Force, sometimes knownthe private security industry for the rest of the
as the Thames River Police and believed to beworld to copy and learn from. After all we were the
England's first professional Police force.first country to introduce the concept of licensing in
It was formed in 1798 by magistrate Patrickthe security industry. However, the current structure
Colquhoun and a Master Mariner John Harriott, tois not designed for the extra tasks it is expected to
tackle theft and looting from ships anchored in theundertake. The SIA was created to license security
Pool of London and the lower reaches of the river...officers and accredit security companies.
The 1800s saw the creation of what can beTherefore professionalizing the private security
considered the modern police force when theIndustry will require:
concept of the rights of the individual began to take1. Redefining the mandate of the SIA and
hold. For the first time tax revenues were used torestructuring it with the appropriate framework and
pay for night watch.mechanisms
With the development of trade and the expansion of2. Defining our role within the grand scheme of the
the free market economy also came laws thatsecurity structure in the UK
illegalised many previous practices. At the same time3. Creating a set of criteria for entry
an increase in serious crime brought pressure to bear4. Revamping the training regime to make it fit for
on the local constabulary and forced officers topurpose
prioritize their response,The UK private security industry is seen by some as
Once again wealthy individuals decided to purchasea gravy train, run by people who have never worked
their own security. This saw emergence of a morea single day as a security officer. If we are truly
wide spread and professional private securityserious about professionalizing the industry, we will
industry. Like most privately owned businesses, theneed to engage with those who understand the
private security industry was left to operate underchallenges facing the various stake holders.
its own code. The result was near anarchy as criminalLet those who regulate the security industry be
gangs drifted into an increasingly profitable industry.reminded that there is no place in the 21st century
In an attempt to regulate the industry in 2001,for an institution that is run along the lines that made
parliament enacted the Private Security Industry Act.it fit for purpose in the sixteenth century.
That led to the formation of the Security Industry