Littlewoods Shop Direct Group has invested around GB pound 750,000 in a state-of-the-art security regime (including a purpose-built Control Room) to safeguard its operations, headed up by group security director Mike Wyeth (ex-chief constable of the Channel Islands Police).
Located at the leading online retailer’s Shaw Distribution Centre in Oldham, the high-tech facility is able to remotely monitor 19 sites around the UK from the outset, while another two sites will go ‘live’ in the very near future. There’s also additional capacity for the system to be expanded to accommodate more sites.
Staffed 24-hours per day by highly-trained operatives from Advance Security, the new Security Operations Centre is designed to augment the company’s existing security processes. The operators have direct control over 400 cameras – each of which boasts a night vision capability – covering all company sites. In addition, the operators can talk to intruders or police officers at each site as and when necessary thanks to a network of strategically-placed loudspeakers.
Increasing detection and arrest rates
The Centre is expected to save Littlewoods something in the region of GB pound 450,000 per annum while at the same time significantly increasing intruder detection and arrest rates. During the past two years, Littlewoods has prevented around 15 intrusions at its sites, resulting in 12 arrests. A further benefit is the enhanced security the company can provide staff who work late or alone on remote sites. These personnel are able to contact the Control Room operators and ask doe someone to monitor their path to the car park and their own vehicle.
In addition to the state-of-the-art security technology in use, Littlewoods – which employs 18,500 people – has also invested heavily in the training and development of its security operatives, including in-house officers, supervisors, regional loss prevention managers, the senior management team and directors.
Interestingly, the company is also requiring contracted security staff to undertake training that will lead to a formal, professional qualification in the discipline. Littlewoods believes this to be “unique in the security industry”. Training and education at Littlewoods is overseen by group security training and development manager Gary Summersgill, who’s a member of the Institute of Security Management.
Accredited NOCN Assessment Centre
Littlewoods has now become an accredited National Open College Network (NOCN) Assessment Centre for Basic Job Training, as well as a Senate Security Assessment Centre for BTEC-level CCTV training. In essence, this means that the company is able to deliver approved courses (such as a BTEC in Warehouse Security and Retail Security, Conflict Management and CCTV training without having to use an external source or college).
As if that weren’t enough, the company has established a unique training partnership with Merseyside Police (and, in particular, the Police Training Faculty). This involved the development of a four-day residential Corporate Investigators course with input from the Police CID Training Team. That course will now be delivered to regional loss prevention managers from this month onwards.
Speaking about all of these developments, Keith Basnett (group chief operating officer at Littlewoods) commented: “The opening of this dedicated Security Operations Centre represents a significant investment by Littlewoods in giving not only our own security staff but also managers and other key staff throughout the business the knowledge and skills that will allow them to keep our premises, products and people safe. It also sends out a clear message that we, as a client, take security very seriously indeed. We will not tolerate attacks on our staff, nor any theft or criminal damage to our property portfolio.
