Molly Meacher’s departure as chairman of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) led to Peter Hermitage stepping into the role. Two months on, how does Peter view the demanding tasks that lie before him and the private security sector which the SIA must regulate? We visit 50 Broadway in search of some answers.
Photographs courtesy of the Security Industry Authority
Security Management Today (SMT): First of all, a little detail about yourself, Peter. Can you tell SMT’s readers something about your background and the time you spent in the police service?

Peter Hermitage (PH): I’m a Kent person, born and brought up in Thanet and educated at Chatham House Grammar School. After A Levels, I went to work for ICI in the agricultural research field, but only for a short time. Then, in 1968, I joined the police service.

Why? I saw it as a huge challenge and opportunity to do something positive in society. That belief epitomised my entire police career.

I would extend that idea to being able to make a positive contribution within the private security sector.

Like everyone else, it was a case of starting as a beat Bobby. It’s a fabulous learning experience. You can understand the sorts of problems faced on the streets.

I eventually progressed to CID, and was accepted on to an accelerated promotion track. I then worked as Kent Constabulary’s dedicated recruitment officer, and from there went into various operational command positions across the county.

The variety of the work was enormous. Crime detection and prevention, public order issues, investigating corruption in Local Authorities and dealing with community issues all required an ability to work positively with others. The command positions were in themselves many and varied. I was also involved in the development of Channel Tunnel issues during its construction phase in the mid-1980s. Indeed, it was at this point that I could see the work of the security personnel employed by contractor TML at first hand.

After that, it was on to a strategic command course before I became assistant chief constable of Kent from 1990-1994. I then joined Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary at the Home Office for two years. During that time my main portfolio of interest centred on human resources issues and equal opportunities. It was really all concerned with performance matters, and I carried out a substantial project into value for money in the police service.

I also inspected such issues as the Special Constabulary and community relations. Again, those experiences are transferable to the work that’s being done now by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Inspection is all about improvement, and that’s where the SIA can play a real part in assisting the security sector.

For the last three years of my police career I was promoted to chief constable of Kent Constabulary and seconded to work on national police training. There were two chief constables at Kent. David Phillips was the chief constable running the force, and I was a chief constable seconded to be director of national training. It was fascinating. This was all about developing professionalism in the police, and I was afforded the opportunity to work in the UK, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Following this, I spent a year putting together Best Value processes for Kent Constabulary, and three-and-a-half years chairing the East Kent Hospitals Trust, where the problems were every bit as pressing as they are in this industry.

There were real issues surrounding the improvement of emergency care and budgets. This taught me a phenomenal amount about how you exercise the role of chairman. There was a whole raft of people to consider, and a constant need to bring groups together.

An excellent learning experience for this job, in fact.

SMT: On to your work at the SIA, Peter. How well do you think the organisation has progressed to date (given that you have been a Board member since the official launch in April last year)?

PH: My first look at the SIA was at that launch. If you consider the amount of work that we’ve had to carry out in the first year, in terms of defining all the policy issues and setting up the arrangements for licensing – how we’re going to do business, in other words – then I think we’ve been highly successful.

However, the proof of the pudding is not in the setting up. The acid test will be in how we function from this month, when licensing proper kicks-in for door supervisors in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Early indications suggest that the roll-out will be smooth. The research we’ve done showed high levels of awareness of the need for licensing in the door community, and the requirement for a full assessment of training needs.

SMT: What are the elements you must pay strict attention to during the roll-out phase?

PH: First of all, it’s all very well people being aware that they have to be licensed, but the trick now is to monitor the take-up of training and the speed at which people actually apply for their licenses. I hope security personnel will not leave it to the last moment.

What we have in front of us is a fantastic opportunity to improve standards and make the industry more profitable. The private sector now has a wonderful chance to develop new ways of working.

SMT: Your initial appointment as chairman is for six months, of course. What do you see as the fundamental tasks ahead of you, Peter, and how are you going to do the job?

PH: As chief executive, it’s John Saunders’ task to run the organisation. It’s my job to hold John to account for that. In other words, to exercise corporate governance with the other SIA Board members. It’s also my job to help set the strategic direction that enables the industry to go through transformation smoothly, and at the same time meet the Government’s objectives to both ensure that we have a quality industry and that it fits into the broader pattern of making our society a safer place in which to live and work.

The role of chairman is also about being representative. We have to listen to the views that are being expressed, grab hold of those views in front of us and use them to develop the industry.

SMT: You’re going to need a well-defined managerial approach to accomplish those aims. What’s your management style, Peter?

PH: My style? Very supportive. Enquiring. I’m a hands-on chairman. You need to be aware of the roles of everyone in your organisation. You want to encourage them and find out how everything works.

You also need to have proper respect for people’s professionalism and expertise. You cannot afford to take anything for granted. I’ll want to see concrete evidence to back up any assumptions that may be made on a potential way forward.

If one of our aims is to create a Centre of Knowledge and Expertise to encourage development and investment in the security sector, we must fully understand the business processes being practised in the field.

We have to encourage public and private sector organisations to realise how security can address the risks they face in terms of cost and reputation. This means influencing people at Board level, procurement specialists and security managers so that the r

SMT: There’s a fair amount of politicking in the industry, and a good many vested interests at play. Would you consider yourself to be something of a political animal, Peter?

PH: No matter what sector you enter or where in life you go, there will always be politics at work, both with a small p and a big P. Having run police organisations and been involved with the healthcare sector, I think I’ve become skilled at understanding what politics is all about, but I’m not a party political animal at all.

At the end of the day, politics is all about how power and influence is used – or misused as the case may be. The SIA has considerable power, and we must use that power to the right ends. I am a political animal when it comes to using that power for the right ends.

We mustn’t confuse political animal with being devious and sly. That I’m most definitely not. How I deal with politics is by being straightforward and acting on evidence supplied.

From a values perspective, we need to act with honesty, fairness, integrity and respect.

SMT: What are your impressions of the private security industry to date? Did you have any preconceptions, having worked for the police for so long?

PH: Historically, the police service has looked at the private security industry as a second rate body. Those perceptions are now changing. When I look around, I see some high quality work going on. There’s also some low quality work being carried out, it must be said. It’s the job of both the SIA and the industry itself to try and improve both the reality of what the industry does and the perceptions of what the industry does. The two are not the same. Perception is often king.

The way to improve matters is to create heroes. There are plenty out there. What we do have to do is segment the industry, and look at standards within each. There’s work currently going on to sub-divide the guarding industry into cash handling, static guarding and close protection. We’re still looking at that, though.

Individual guarding firms in the industry that enjoy sound leadership and clear management processes will succeed. The process of licensing will emphasise that.

SMT: Can you realistically have any influence over the client and their spending decisions? After all, we have to move away from the ‘lowest cost wins the job’ culture that has been prevalent for too long now...

PH: This is vital. We have to encourage public and private sector organisations to realise how security can address the risks they face in terms of cost and reputation. That means influencing people at Board level, procurement specialists and security managers so that the right solutions might be found for their particular problems.

A number of questions emerge from this debate. To what extent is there a link between individuals at Board level and their security manager when it comes to actually solving problems? At what point does the procurement specialist become the deciding partner in contracts rather than the person who’s trying to solve a real problem? There are some big issues that need to be examined here.

Above all, we need to ensure that quality is at the heart of the decision-making process.

There’s an onus on the SIA to raise dialogue on these issues at Board level among client organisations. We must never lose sight of the fact that security is a state of mind.

If you have a state of mind that wants to look at risks and threats and do something about them, then you’ll have good security.

SMT: Are you looking to carry on the chairman’s role after the initial six months, Peter?

PH: My application will be the first on the table!

I’m really enjoying the role after only two months in post, and have a good many ideas I want to develop over the longer term.

SMT: There’s the whole question of the wider police family that needs to be addressed. What do you think about the potential role of private sector contractors in the years ahead?

PH: A large proportion of security work is actually carried out for public bodies. Those public bodies themselves have wider responsibilities, and need to recognise that when they put their own security measures in place.

The second thing to note is that no security company is going to be doing anything unless it’s paid for the privilege. Every security contract involves the delivery of a service to a given client. Often, that delivery will have a public interface. If people within the security industry think of themselves as being part of the wider police family, then that will have an influence on the eventual outcome.

Third, good security practice in itself enhances feelings of well-being and can definitely add to the prevention of crime.

Imagine two shopping precincts. The first has individuals working within it as security officers. Those officers are poorly tasked, have not been given adequate skills to deal with conflict and do not see any relationship between what’s happening in that shopping area and issues of law and order.

Compare that with the shopping precinct in the next town where the security officers talk to customers and members of the general public, using the kind of skills that I was taught as a young PC. Knowing how to deal with conflict. Knowing how to recognise unusual or otherwise suspicious behaviour.

Make no mistake. The police will take the latter variety of security personnel seriously, and will turn up when any incidents occur.