SSR Personnel and SMT fight for officers status

SSR Personnel Services – the security industry’s leading recruitment consultancy – is embarking on a campaign to press the Government into affording security officers Key Worker status in line with clinical NHS staff, police and Community Support officers, prison and probation service staff, social workers, local authority planners, teachers and fire-fighters.

The idea for the campaign – running under the banner The Fight For Status, and supported by Security Management Today, the Security Industry Authority’s chief executive John Saunders and David Dickinson, chief executive of the British Security Industry Authority – originated from the company’s managing director and ASIS International senior regional vice-president Peter French (pictured above).

“If security officers have been through the licensing system, are deemed ‘fit and proper’ persons and they’re employed in a frontline, customer-facing role why shouldn’t they be granted Key Worker status?” suggested French. “For many clients, their on-site security officers are tried-and-trusted partners who are making a genuine and positive difference to peoples’ lives. If we are to attract new and vibrant people to this industry we must make them feel valued. Key Worker status would be one way of fulfilling that aim.”

The campaign is already eliciting support from the industry’s great and good, including Darryl Hughes (the president of Chubb UK, Ireland and Africa), Bill Muskin (chief executive of the Vision Security Group), Wilson James (Security) managing director Stuart Lowden, David Robinson (managing director of Securitas Security Services in the UK) and Jonathan Levine, First Security’s managing director.

“There’s something in the region of 140,000 to 150,000 security operatives working in frontline roles every day,” added Peter French. “One need only look back at the events of 7/7 to see the positive difference security officers make to society. On that basis alone, Key Worker status is thoroughly deserved.”

Speaking about the campaign, John Saunders told SMT: “The fact that this issue is being debated demonstrates how crucial private security industry provision really is to the general public’s well-being.”