There’s an argument to suggest that the fast-changing nature of both business practises at the macro level – and security management in a more defined sense – across all of the major verticals now demands a new breed of security manager for whom business process skills are equally as important as pure security professionalism and knowledge.
There’s also a pressing desire among many practitioners to see security directors billed on an equal footing to their partners in IT and the recognised professions of engineering, architecture, medicine, the law and accountancy.
“Prior to the advent of the Security Industry Authority,” explained ASIS International UK Chapter 208’s chairman Mike Alexander, “the private security sector wasn’t regulated. This meant that the image of security and the perception of those who worked within the sector had been tainted for many years. On top of that, the sector suffered from demonstrably poor management, rogue traders and bad working practises.”
Historically, of course, the UK security sector – notably at the management level – has been dominated by the presence of those individuals with either a policing or military background, but Alexander believes that status quo to be changing in this day and age.
“Nowadays,” he explained, “there’s a recognised need for the individual to have formal qualifications in place and demonstrate the capacity to be able to communicate at all levels while networking extensively.”
Demonstration of sound business acumen
In short, host organisations want to see individuals in charge of their security regime because they possess sound business acumen and can understand today’s requirements in what’s an ever-evolving world.
“The security managers of today and tomorrow must be able to validate their experience with formal academic qualifications,” suggested Alexander, “and particularly so as it’s now possible for those security personnel who have drive and ambition to work their way up through the ranks to a very senior management position within the company for whom they work – even as far as Board level. However, to do so they must be able to understand business drivers from the quite different perspectives of, say, finance, marketing, sales or governance and so on.”
There are now numerous organisations and associations whom security practitioners can apply to join and extend their networking capabilities. Those same practitioners may also engage with the many and varied training courses, certificates, diplomas and degree programmes on offer.
“The recent recognition of the ASIS Certified Protection Professional (CPP) qualification by Buckinghamshire New University as a pre-qualification for a Masters degree is but one example,” urged Alexander.
Importantly, Alexander then stated: “Security has come a long way since the ‘building site days’. The potential to take it still further as a professional discipline is very much in the hands of today’s security practitioners.”
Professionalism: leading from the front
It’s fair to say that The Security Institute and The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals are leading from the front on furthering the cause of security – and specifically security management as a profession – thanks to the establishment (back in June last year) of the excellent Register of Chartered Security Professionals.
“We’re already pressing for the Chartered Security Professional (CSyP) qualification to be given wider recognition,” commented The Security Institute’s chairman Mike Bluestone, “while at the same time encouraging security professionals to apply for admittance to the Register. In parallel, of course, The Security Institute is continuing with its own objective of achieving Chartered status.”
Although Bluestone – one of the first to be validated as a CSyP – believes it may well take “ten years or so” for security professionals to be regarded in the same light as other chartered professionals, he stated: “It’s abundantly clear that there has been real progress in the professionalisation of the security sector.”
Olympic security scenario: likely impact on the wider UK security sector
The national media’s coverage of the Olympic security situation pre-Games was, of course, extremely negative, with G4S ‘targeted’ as the company’s failure to deliver on requested staffing numbers led to supplementation courtesy of the police service and the Armed Forces.
Witness the extensive coverage of the situation on Info4Security, and our call -jointly with Bobby Logue of Interconnective – for an independent review of the situation at some point soon after the conclusion of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We clearly support the call for an independent review,” continued Mike Bluestone. “The private security sector has been treated badly during this episode and this has created negative public perceptions. The security sector applies stringent pre-employment screening and vetting procedures. Contracted security personnel must be licensed by the Security Industry Authority and subject to CRB checks.”
Bluestone explained that both during and after the Olympic Games, praise was quite rightly given to the military and the police service for their excellent and valued contribution to security.
“However, many commentators and politicians failed to acknowledge the major contribution played by private security personnel in all of this,” he lamented. “That’s both unjust and contemptible. It’s only right that the industry should now join forces to help restore its reputation.”
Has the sector’s reputation been damaged?
Mike Alexander also voiced his strong opinions on the aftermath of the Olympics security situation.
“In my opinion, what happened prior to the Games has damaged the reputation of the security sector at a point when it had begun to be recognised as a professional body through the work of organisations such as The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals. The industry was all set to take over non-operational roles from the police service, but this development has now surely been put into doubt.”
Alexander believes the procurement and management of security services for the Olympics should have been sub-contracted by venue, in turn allowing each company an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and mitigate the potential for failure.
“As usual,” stressed Alexander, “elements of the national media realised certain angles for their reporting and merely added fuel to the flames.”
*Info4Security would like to thank Mike Alexander and Mike Bluestone for their invaluable contribution to this Global Security Summit Opinion
Further information on the Global Security Summit
*For further information on Global Security Summit London, the full education programme and speaker line-up please visit http://www.globalsecurity-summit.com/, follow us on Twitter (@GSS_London) or join the LinkedIn Group
**Companies interested in exhibiting should contact event manager Tracy Bebbington on tel: 0207 921 8065 or e-mail: [email protected] or Paul Amura (business development director at Pro-Activ Publications) on tel: 020 8295 8307 or e-mail: [email protected]
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