Security’s role in The Family

To date, the Government and police constabularies have made many references to the need for greater inclusion of the private security industry. All encourage the positive involvement of our industry and, in some cases, this has given rise to the outsourcing of ‘quasi-policing activities’. Neighbourhood Wardens and prisoner escort services are perfect examples of this.

With something in the region of 200,000 security personnel working throughout the UK, there is a considerable opportunity to enhance the presence of authority figures in our communities. This is an oft-repeated aim of Government, and is always high up on the political anti-crime agenda.

Therefore, it is important we galvanise as an industry in order to best promote the resources that we already have – whether they be in the form of local authority warden schemes, town centre monitoring/patrolling initiatives or retail security officers.

A number of projects are already in place. They have taken the spirit of legislation and applied it in a practical manner. Positive steps, then, but these are usually driven at a local level by individual companies and authorities. It is now time for those key stakeholders in the development of the wider police family to construct a coherent and inclusive strategy if we are to see real developments in what is fast becoming a vital area.

The wider police family is a sector in which Chubb is already active. Among other contracts, we provide a team of Street Wardens to patrol the key retail areas of the West End of London. The team is a highly professional unit capable of dealing with any issue. Its members have gained respect from the public and police alike, and have built strong relationships with the local council and retailers.

Each Warden’s main objective is to act as an ambassador for visitors to this area of the Capital. They are also additional ‘eyes and ears’ for the Metropolitan Police Service. What they are not is replacement policemen and women. They are there to assist, to advise people of potential problems, prevent crime occurring in the fist instance and to deter anti-social behaviour.

While this is a singular example, I know there are many other instances of private security companies offering ‘quasi-policing activities’ in addition to instances of private sector firms providing non-core policing activities (such as wide load escorting).

In short, then, the wider police family or extended police family is already a reality, and should represent a significant growth opportunity for security companies operating in the private sector.

Common operating procedures

Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensing will undoubtedly enhance the training, skills and overall professionalism of many security officers. At the same time, core markets are already demanding more value from their security teams in the face of increasing guarding costs. These combined ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors will help quality suppliers meet the specialist needs of this important sector.

As a national supplier, we are experienced at developing common operating procedures and standards that ensure we retain a commercial focus. In order for the wider police family to develop, there must be mutual understanding among stakeholders. The police and local authorities must increasingly appreciate the need for national standards and guidelines for the provision of these types of services. In a similar vein, it is important for the private sector to understand the enhanced training requirements, and develop uniform plans that meet them.

For national companies such as ourselves, multiple auditing by different constabularies would represent a considerable administrative burden. The end result would be increased and possibly unnecessary cost and bureaucracy

At Chubb, we have been closely involved with the development of the Lancashire Constabulary’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). It is a scheme that sets standards for companies seeking to provide a uniformed street presence, and offers accredited employees enhanced powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Our main concern is that these schemes are replicated throughout the UK with modifications between constabularies. For instance, the Lancashire scheme includes a provision for auditing by the Lancashire Constabulary. For national companies such as ourselves, multiple auditing by different constabularies would represent a considerable administrative burden.

Furthermore, these schemes may include requirements for staff vetting and training which could already be covered by existing standards (not least the SIA licence application). The end result would be increased and possibly unnecessary cost and bureaucracy for national and local suppliers.

Standards must be harmonised

I welcome proposals for the harmonisation of standards, such as that proposed by SITO’s Community Warden training initiative, and encourage other CSAS projects to leverage the existing and/or new standards wherever possible. At a strategic level, the industry needs a ‘joined-up’ approach that focuses on lobbying Government and other public bodies to encourage greater use of the growing community resource that we represent.

I am also fully supportive of calls to introduce a strategic Forum that brings together the private and public sectors alongside the SIA, the BSIA and other trade bodies. With such a Forum in place, we would be an easier industry to approach and we’d face a smoother task in terms of shaping the direction of the wider police family. The Forum would also represent an ideal ‘venue’ for sharing the concerns of both public and private sectors when it comes to developing the aforementioned ‘quasi-policing activities’.

The SIA has made moves in this direction. The organisation is to be applauded for its consultation paper concerning the wider police family, and for its work on developing criteria for the Approved Contractor Scheme. However, it is now wholly appropriate for the industry itself – in the shape of suppliers, end users and representative bodies – to build on this work and develop a strategic vision.

The Approved Contractor Scheme will be a clear differentiator between two levels of service provision in the marketplace. It’s a stepping stone towards the provision of wider police family services, and should provide a good foundation from which approved companies may develop common standards and training packages.

At the present time, it is hugely important that the industry’s main contractors play a part in shaping its future.