How can we improve the UK security industry?

Let’s be completely honest, the front line of the physical security industry is in dire shape. The general public has for decades, been bombarded with negative clichés and images of lazy, officious, or ignorant “security guards”. Sadly, and with complete candour, not all these views are unjustified. This casts a shadow over everyone endeavouring to operate as a professional in any sector, and at every level. You may be Gucci quality, but if the men and women working in the shop window of our industry are viewed as Lidl, good luck achieving the respect and recognition you deserve.

We need to take a long hard look at the state of the guarding and door supervisory sectors, consider what went wrong, and then try to drill down to a few key initiatives we can unite behind to make things better.

Firstly, what do we all WANT from front-line Security Officers?

• They should be highly trained. Why isn’t this happening? Either training or testing is still hugely flawed, as despite the now excellent updated SIA statutory training regime, newly licensed security officers are still arriving in the industry with no idea of basic responsibilities, and in many cases, with substantial communication problems. Why? Fraud? Corruption? I don’t know, but ignorance is still widespread. Ofqual hasn’t got any kind of handle on it, or apparent interest in it, and the SIA are not responsible for it.

• Security Officers must be honest and diligent. Despite the new SIA Security Officer’s code of conduct, the industry is STILL viewed as “easy work” for the lazy, feckless, and those that feel that they have more important things to do, and view security work as an opportunity to catch up on sleep. Fundamentally, poor pay and lack of respect do not attract the quality personnel that the industry desperately needs. The awful history of Job Centres sending anyone that was unfit for other roles, on paid security licencing courses, has caused massive problems. If you would not fund a Nursing degree or Police training for these people, they shouldn’t be dumped in security! The Protection industry deserves no lower standard, and should never be regarded as easy money, or a quick solution to employability problems.

• We want to see knowledgeable and robust Security practitioners. This will only ever be achieved with the confidence and professionalism that sound training and experience provides. The awful examples of violence or ignorance we see all too often on widely publicised YouTube videos, is simply the result of lack of knowledge and discipline. I have found that it seems especially endemic within the bargain basement, staff agency sector, which I sadly come across far too frequently.

• Lastly, we want Officers that are proud of their role as protectors, within the security industry. They make excellent ambassadors for us all and should be fully aware of the huge responsibility resting on their shoulders. The protection of people and property could not be a more worthy and respectable vocation. It SHOULD attract decent professional, committed individuals who appreciate this, but it just doesn’t, for all the reasons previously mentioned. Self-respect and professional pride would make this an easy sell, but the scruffy, rude, lazy, hostile, and ignorant legions in our industry prevent it achieving the respect it, and the professionals working within it, deserve.

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Stop flogging dead horses.

Let’s just address the elephant in the room. The following has to be completely understood and accepted. Through no fault of its own, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) can do nothing to fix the industry and is utterly hobbled by the well-intended but naively drafted, Act of Parliament that created it. Frankly, although I may sound somewhat flippant here, it is just there to take in license fees, check that applicants haven’t been naughty, and hand out badges. Harsh? Maybe. But expect no more, regardless of new initiatives and great ideas, which always sound promising, but have a long history of going absolutely nowhere and achieving precisely nothing. Sorry SIA.

How about getting some great P.R.? The industry hasn’t the money or backing to support a sustained and successful publicity campaign, as witnessed by the heart-warming and promising recent “Changing Perceptions” initiative, championed by the BSIA, Security Commonwealth and Security Institute. Realistically, changing perceptions will need to wait until the industry no longer resembles the negative picture that has been painted of it. You can only change perceptions that aren’t true.

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So, where do we go, and what can we do?

So, to be blunt I can think of just 3 things that can be done, and which probably must be done if security officers are ever to be raised above the public perception level of cleaners, or kitchen porters. (They are already paid far less than supermarket shelf fillers, so have very little distance to fall.)

Like all births, there will be pain, but the consequences of doing nothing are terminal for the sector:

• The big names in the private security industry need to finally get together and agree minimum charge rates and standards. And stick to them. The tired old “We can’t possibly divulge our corporate profit margins” is a song that many CEOs will still be singing…….. all the way to the bankruptcy courts.

The Managing Director of Bold Security Group, John Lambert, recently published a powerful piece on LinkedIn that looked at the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority figures, imposed to prevent the exploitation of workers in the agriculture industry. This needs to happen in the UK security industry as there is possibly just as much exploitation and malpractice. The GLAA stated that £14.19 per hour is a minimum amount, BEFORE PROFIT and OPERATIONAL COSTS are added, that should be charged for the labour of farm workers.

This figure would not greatly improve Security Officer’s pay, but is an amount below which questions should be asked about the calibre and practices of any company accepting lower rates.

Add to this reasonable profit, and the usual operational expenses, (as most agricultural workers do not require the uniforms and training needed by security workers), and security companies should not consider accepting charge rates below about £16ph!

If this cabal of companies spent a bit of time and money, making people aware that only members of the, (I’ll call it the Security Standards Federation (SSF) for now), guarantee that their officers are intensively vetted, supported, and paid fairly, in compliance with their own commitments, then maybe British industry can be woken up to the danger of using companies that do not comply with the new SSF standards. This is the big hurdle that we will all need to overcome: Do not try to compete with other SSF member companies on price when charge rates are already too low. Stop trying to fool yourselves that you can provide outstanding Security Officers that will work for peanuts. The old adage is still 100% true. Compete on quality, and just be better than your competition!

This will undoubtably cause a two-tier service provider sector for some time, until the bargain bucket, offending companies, are weeded out for bad practices, are forced into liquidation by clients refusing to accept a sub-standard service, or improve their operating standards and qualify to join the SSF.

• Security companies. Do not take the fact that a candidate is in possession of a valid SIA license as a guarantee of competence. Give candidates a quick 30-question test to ensure that they have a basic industry knowledge and have not fraudulently purchased a training pass certificate! Any officer that clearly does not have halfway decent security knowledge, should be reported immediately to the SIA. (This should be a fundamental part of SSF security company compliance.) Recruiting officers that have been trained by reputable organisations, would be a massive help. Have I mentioned all of the checks and balances that Get Licensed employ to ensure their training standards are second to none?

• You and I need to report every incident of “unfit security officers” to the SIA, and keep doing so until they fully comprehend the magnitude of the problem, assign enough staff to effectively enforce legislation, and make getting the dead wood out of our industry a priority. The form you will need is to be found here:  https://www.services.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/Report-Illegal-Activity.aspx Currently responsibility for quality control seems to have been abrogated to Ofqual or their accredited trainers, and unsurprisingly, the turkeys don’t seem to be voting for Christmas!

Only then, when we have made the industry significantly better, can we bang the gong to the general public about how excellent the industry is.

The Private Security Industry Act 2001, undoubtedly did several good things, but over a 20 year period, it very nearly sank our industry. I honestly believe that there is enough will and desire left to fix the damage, and steam towards a genuinely better future, but talk has to be replaced by action, and fast, or there will be very rough waters ahead.