Professional Security Magazine’s May 2023 print issue is now available. It is your one-stop source for news and views on the British Isles private security industry.
Pictured are the Roman Baths, in the spa town of Bath (that’s Bath Abbey in the left background). We had an afternoon’s walk around in the company of Paul Howe, whose ACS Pacesetters guarding firm Venture Security has the guard contract. We saw not only what has attracted visitors of the calibre Jane Austen to this place for centuries but also how the security officers fit in with customer service staff and have an outfacing, protecting the bustling center. It’s a theme we’ve kept returning to in recent years, how uniformed and SIA-badged private security officers are a visible, everyday presence on high streets and in public space.
They are necessary, regardless of whether they face a threat from terrorism or more regularly, with the same emotional and financial impact, such as theft, anti-social, and violent behavior. We bring you what stern words Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had to say recently about ASB – and how theatres are the latest workplace to report bad behaviour and nuisance, that has always been around, yet has got more prevalent, and with more extremes, since the covid pandemic.
Public space protection orders (PSPOs) have been around for several years, to give targeted powers (to ‘authorised’ persons who may include hired private security) where there’s a nuisance, such as littering, dog fouling, aggressive begging or drug misuse. Do PSPOs lose their purpose if they cover an entire geographic area as some councils do? We ask.
We also report fully on the Fraud Advisory Panel conference, that we reflected showed one thing at least – for the counter-fraud practitioners, such as lawyers and investigators, there’s no shortage of work. We also enjoyed a Hibernian FC home match and learned about the differences between stewarding Scottish football from English and Welsh counterparts.
We also pause to take a broader perspective on the UK’s regulator, the Security Industry Authority. After all, its launch conference in London was April 2003. Much has changed since in the security sector and in the country generally – how does the SIA stand, and what may happen in the foreseeable future – if there is such a thing for how the sector is badged and regulated, given that the Protect Duty may well become law, next year? We will also provide you with the latest updates on the Duty.
Plus all the regulars, such as Magazine MD Roy Cooper’s gossip page, and four pages of ‘spending the budget’ and four pages of new products and services. Plus, a preview of IFSEC, the 50th anniversary security show at London Excel, Docklands, from May 16-18.
Want to know more? You can digitally read the latest edition and past ones at the ‘magazine‘ section of the website. If you’d like to subscribe, email your postal address to [email protected].