2012 Olympic Games: the real security legacy

The world’s eyes were on London. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games represented an unprecedented challenge for the UK’s resilience and security management capabilities. It was the country’s largest-ever peacetime security programme, with a total cost somewhere in the region of GB pound 550 million.

The Games were a spectacular success by any measure. They were delivered on time and within budget, and predictions of security problems turned out to be groundless.

As the country celebrates the numerous successes both on and off the track, much has been said about the legacy of the Olympics in terms of British sporting talent.

However, much less has been said about the implications of the Olympic legacy for other sectors which supported the event, including that of the security business sector.

What about the Games Makers?

One of the biggest successes of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has been the Games Makers: an army of 70,000 people who gave up their time and demonstrated a never before seen level of enthusiasm.

As LOCOG chairman Lord Sebastian Coe said in his address at the Olympic Games closing ceremony, this group of people were perhaps more responsible for the success of the Games than any other.

For his part Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, explained: “We will never forget the smiles, the kindness and the support of the wonderful volunteers, the much-needed heroes of these Games.”

Everyone is in agreement that the Games Makers did an excellent job. They are a fantastic tribute to themselves, to the spirit of volunteering and to the Olympic Games. Their dedication and support was instrumental in making the Games a success, whether you’re talking about the events themselves, or at railway stations, car parks and bus stations where spectators were travelling. You couldn’t have been more impressed and heartened by the friendly yet efficient style of how they carried out their duties.

Learning from London 2012

London and the rest of the UK regularly hosts and polices major events, but it’s fair to say the Olympic and Paralympic Games are events everybody in the security industry can learn from. Using them as a starting block and building on the security experience, we can ensure that this summer engenders a positive legacy.

Hopefully, we can include many of the Games Makers in that legacy.

Unanimously, the Games Makers loved their Olympic experience, and described it as both exhausting and fulfilling. They were all focused on ‘doing their bit’ to make London a great and safe place to be.

What’s next, though, for the army of volunteers? Many of them will go back to their usual day jobs, of course, but for some it could take them on a new career path in the security industry.

Prior to the Games, there were concerns about the ability of volunteers to carry out the job to the same standard as trained and licensed security officers. Having experienced the Olympics at first-hand, the volunteers did a very good job. They should be praised for their commitment and high standards.

A high proportion of the volunteers were more mature, rendering them suitable candidates to carry out the important work required of them.

Attracting high calibre security personnel

Security is an important business sector and we need to attract high calibre staff.

Security officers are some of the most important people in society today. To be a good security officer involves a strong commitment to care for people and society at large. These are attributes which were undoubtedly shown by the Olympics Games Makers, and some may see the opportunity as a route to a long term career within the security sector.

Being a security officer is not about jjust about doing a job. They have to have the mental make-up that it takes to hold a job like this. They must be prepared, trained properly and have the right certification and equipment to hand.

The volunteers at the Olympic Games demonstrated that they had the skills required to carry out their work efficiently. They exhibited the characteristics demanded of a security officer. As a result, many of them could go on to establish a career in the security world.

For those who decided that being a security officer is indeed the career for them, they can receive the proper training and certification they need. There are companies throughout the industry, including Magenta Security, who offer staff ongoing training such that they can develop their skills and obtain the certification they need.

Before the Games I said we could all learn from the partnerships being developed to deliver a safe and secure event. Possibly the strongest partnership developed was with the Games Makers: people who may not have considered having a job within the security industry but now have the opportunity to do so.

The security sector is booming and there is great demand for trained security personnel. Their experience will benefit future employers as much as they themselves will benefit from becoming part of a growing industry.

Abbey Petkar is managing director of Magenta Security Services