As the 2012 Olympics draws closer Infologue.com has asked the “BSIA’s Olympic Specialist” David Evans to keep our readers in the know as the countdown to the opening ceremony continues. David writes: In two years time the Olympics will be over.  The hectic and unique summer of 2012 will be one unlikely to be repeated in the majority of our lifetimes.  Following the Games there will be a period of analysis as government, people, industries and academics attempt to evaluate the impact of the Games in cultural, sporting and financial terms.  This legacy is notoriously difficult to measu...

James Caan said that the pitch was the best he had ever seen and made an immediate offer on Dragons Den last night. The pitch was made by Peter Harrison and Wesley Downham of FGH Security, one of the largest security suppliers based in the northwest. The pair took part in the latest series of Dragons Den and have now become one of only a handful of companies in all eight series of the programme to have been offered a full investment by all five of the Dragons. When it came to the crunch though, Peter Harrison (FGH Managing Director) and Wesley Downham (FGH Business Director) chose to give Theo...

The speech by the Chairman of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), Baroness Ruth Henig, on looking at the future direction of the regulated security industry, at the Annual SIA conference on the fourteenth of June 2010 was both welcome and timely. This is a significant opportunity for all stakeholders to develop a blueprint for the creation of a modern and vibrant security industry that is beneficial. The SIA Chief Executive, Bill Butler, said that whilst the SIA could create the environment, it was the industry, with the assistance of the SIA, that needed to become the change driver. Surpri...

Not only are Security Industry Authority (SIA) Approved Contractors meeting the required standard for approval each year, they are also implementing improvements within their organisations, with standards raised as a result, writes the Assistant Director of the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme, Andrew Shephard, exclusively for Infologue.com; “This week we released the latest Approved Contractor scores www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pages/acs-scoring.aspx  achieved during ACS assessments. Every approved contractor receives a score each year that gives an indication of the extent to which the o...

Jǿrgen Philip-Sǿrensen CBE MA (JPS) is this year’s recipient of the Infologue.com ‘Building the Future’ Award. It was agreed with the majority of the previous recipients to posthumously make this award to JPS because, in reality, Jǿrgen Philip-Sǿrensen was the architect of the modern security industry. His contribution to the development of his own employees as well as that of industry standards entirely changed the landscape of the UK security sector for the better. The award was presented to two of his children Mark Sǿrensen and Louisa Mann at the BSIA Annual Lunch on 14 July 2010...

Malcolm Cheshire, a Consulting Practitioner in Human Dynamics & Risk and is CEO of the Consultancy, T H I R D M A R G I N, discusses the art and science of consulting and the difference between a Consultant and a Subject Matter Expert. Malcolm writes; The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines a Consultant as one who “… provides expert advice, professionally! “. In a Security context, defined by G. Manunta  (1999) as : “ … a function of the presence and interaction of Asset  Protector & Threat within a given situation , and expressed  as : S = F ( A P T ) si “ , a Co...

It is clear that in an age of austerity more will be required from the private security industry to support law enforcement agencies in their role as protectors of the public. Business is looking to the security frontline to become first responders requiring First on Scene skills in the area of First Aid and Fire, as well as becoming their eyes and ears in the growing terrorism threat. Yes, we have heard it all before, the wider police family etc., however, this time with the Olympics looming and a tight hand on the public purse, the opportunity for the security industry to display its true cr...

Andrew White has decided to retire in November 2010 at the age of 58 after four years as Chief Executive of NSI. Formerly an RAF Air Vice Marshal, Andrew took on the role of NSI Chief Executive in August 2006. One of his primary objectives since joining the organisation has been to instigate a modernisation programme, streamlining NSI’s processes and making internal efficiencies, which will continue apace until his retirement. Andrew comments: “When I became CEO I had a plan to make NSI more efficient and customer focussed. That strategy is now becoming a reality so I feel my work at NSI ...

This is often a very difficult subject, with the business seeing a need for new terms and conditions but fearing that to impose them will lead to Employment Tribunal claims for breach of contract writes employment lawyer Paul Housego of Beers LLP who specialise in the outsourced services sector. If the workforce won’t agree, the choice boils down to not doing it, and giving everyone 12 weeks notice of the ending of their existing contracts and the offering of a new one. But the law on this has been altered by a case in the Employment Appeal Tribunal – Bateman –v- Asda Stores Ltd., report...

According to recent research by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), attacks against cash-in-transit (CIT) couriers remain a serious problem, despite offenders standing an increased chance of getting caught. James Kelly outlines his plans to help the industry fight back. With a new Government due to be in place within days, the BSIA is calling upon all political parties to renew their commitment to tackling cash-in-transit CIT crime. While 2010 has seen a positive reduction in CIT crime to date, experience from previous years has taught us that complacency is simply not an option...