Private planning needed for the security industry's 'new dawn'

What's clear is that while the police – in line with most public services – remain poorly funded, not all of the outcomes this funding is being directed at producing actually need the police to be principle players in delivering. Particularly in view of their inevitably higher cost base.

With that very thought in mind, is there now a case for security sector practitioners to seek to persuade the Government, the police and the public in a far more systematic fashion that the regulated industry of tomorrow has something more tangible to offer than in the past, has a right to be seen as a full and competent – but totally independent – partner in community safety and, as a result, is entitled to be considered a worthy home for a share of Government funding?

In some senses, we need to ask ourselves if there are more ways to skin a cat than ask and pay the police to solve all of society's problems.

Such an approach will take time to gain momentum and, as a result, should be planned and begun now. One needs to remember what Lord Falconer said at the launch of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) last April ('From aspiration springs reality', SMT, May 2003, pp20-26), when the minister of state for Criminal Justice, Sentencing and Law Reform commented: "The SIA and the private security industry at large have an important part to play in the wider Home Office agenda for reducing crime and the fear of crime, and tackling anti-social behaviour."

Lord Falconer went on to state that: "Security officers can make a valuable contribution to community safety", before suggesting: "Government policy is to treat a licensed and regulated private security industry as part of the extended police family". That suggests an open door in parts of the Government, although timing on when to push that door harder is of the essence.

There is much work to be done in a short timescale, but there are also huge gains to be made if that work is completed.

What are the key areas in need of influence and change, then, if the industry is going to have a proper look in? Despite what Lord Falconer said at the QEII Conference Centre in London's Westminster, politicians as a breed still believe that 'Bobbies on the Beat' are the only solution to low level disorder. In the interests of being fair to them, they've yet to be presented with any alternatives.

What they have been told tends to emanate from the police. Police officers are suspicious and defensive, and very much concerned that the growth of the private security industry will be at a cost to them. Sadly, there may be some truth in this assertion, but nobody already in post is going to be sacked, while the vast majority of police officers want to see less crime and a greater feeling of safety among the public. They may indeed exhibit an initial reluctance to change, but are not closed to it if that change can be shown to work.

While communities seem unable to recruit enough police officers, the growth of Neighbourhood Warden schemes has shown very clearly that there are other ways in which we might reduce disorder and the fear of crime. There are, therefore, 'connection points' in all of these areas for the industry to pick up on. Those 'connection points' must be exploited now if change is going to occur.

Police officers are suspicious and defensive, and very much concerned that the growth of the private security industry will be at a cost to them. Sadly, there may be some truth in this assertion, but nobody already in post is going to be sacked

Given where we are at this point in time, it may be opportune for the industry – not just one company, but the industry as a whole – to pull together and, perhaps through the British Security Industry Association and its highly effective chief executive David Dickinson, develop a medium term strategy for growth. A strategy which sets out what can be done and by when, and includes the cultivation of the political, police and public understanding of what contribution the industry can make.

We can then begin to chip away at some dated misconceptions, in turn threatening certain vested interests who stand in the way of change or progress. Whatever you like to call it.

Certainly, the private security industry will need to act with great care in its deliberations, but surely the end game prize must be well worth the investment?

Politicians set the tone
Politicians must be the first set of individuals 'targeted' as they really do set the tone and hold the purse strings, but they'll only help if they're completely swayed by a compelling and well-developed case.

Make no mistake. This isn't a 'back of a cigarette packet'-style piece of work. It will require rigour and great care, and build on the foundations of what 'value added' there would be for communities through industry empowerment and the potential political and financial gain which would flow to Government as a by-product of the industry becoming proactively involved with community safety, as opposed to merely being an adjunct to it.

Developing a politically appealing and robust strategy and bid will not be easy. However, if the security industry pools its many resources, thinks through what it really wants and ploughs some funding into its work, then it could be done.

Once the politicians are convinced then the police can be 'persuaded' – through a parallel approach – of an overt desire by MPs that this is what must happen, reinforced by the attitude of the SIA (whose leaders are already very much 'on message') towards the quality of standards underpinning regulation. The combination of these two pressures will become impossible to resist, and the developing police performance regime – which impacts very clearly on how the police operate and think – can always be lined up to reflect Government priorities as soon as there's a willingness to do so.

Convincing communities of the added value the industry can bring is a longer term and more complex business, and will not happen until there’s a consistency in behaviour from within the industry and the political and media messages start to point public o

Eliciting community confidences
Convincing communities of the added value the private security industry can bring to the party is a somewhat more longer term and complex business, and will not happen until there's a real consistency in behaviour from within the industry and the political (and media) messages start to point public opinion in this direction.

Truthfully, the only thing that's going to really prove successful in permanently changing the attitudes of men and women on the Clapham Omnibus is for the industry to show it can add real value by example.

To build, perhaps, on the many (isolated) examples that already exist across the country – witness, for example, the work of Noble Security Services (UK) alongside the British Transport Police ('Parallel lines', SMT, August 2003, pp18-24).

The opportunities before us all are enormous, and the time might just be right to strike. Any strike must be carefully thought through, though, and a clear, practical, coherent, politically attractive and literate strategy and plan of action pieced together. A plan which shows legitimate increased self confidence and enthusiasm for the new dawn.

And a plan which, almost in its first paragraph, sets out why the industry will – post-regulation – be as good as or even better than the competition. But of course only in those areas it wants to operate in, only to the depth it wants to go... and for a fair price.