Last November, over 250 industry specialists gathered in the Ballroom of London's Grosvenor House Hotel to celebrate security's movers and shakers. The innovators who are setting the standards others must follow in what is an increasingly competitive and ever-growing marketplace.
Organised by Security Management Today and sister Builder Group publication Security Installer, there were nine categories in the year 2000 Security Excellence Awards (sponsored by BT RedCare, Southern Monitoring Services and specialist security industry insurance broker Sutton Specialist Risks, and expertly hosted by renowned writer and comedian Tony Hawks).
Post-event comments suggested that Hawks was indeed the perfect compere for the evening, mixing his own classic witticisms and observations on everyday life with a more serious line – recognising the efforts of all this year's awards entrants in trying to raise the profile of our industry.
Much deliberation on the part of the Judging Panel had whittled down an increased number of entries on the 1999 event, enabling the audience to raise a glass or two to the Security Manager of the Year, the Best Guarding Company, the most comprehensive Training Initiative, the Best Manufacturer, the top Security Installer and most impressive Security Installation, a successful Police and Industry Partnership and the company responsible for the foremost Security Product Innovation.
Last, but by no means least, the Services to Security Award – won last year by the Association of British Insurers' Jackie Bennett – recognised a supremely dedicated individual who, in the Judges' opinion, had "done most to further the industry's professional status". If you want to find out the winners, read on...
Honouring management and guarding
As was the case with each category, the Security Manager of the Year and Best Guarding Company awards really taxed the minds of the Judging Panel – which this year included Michael Welply (chief executive of the Joint Security Industry Council), Tony Weeks (technical manager at NACOSS), Sutton Specialist Risks' director John Ludley, Peter Hart of the ECA's Security Steering Committee and Alan Hyder, Editor of Security Installer.
Deservedly, HSS Hire Services' Gerry O'Donoghue scooped the Security Manager of the Year Award. O'Donoghue joined HSS back in 1992 as group security advisor, and has been instrumental in setting up IT systems aimed at detecting and deterring both internal and external fraud – with great success.
Well done, too, to the runners-up in this category, namely Sidney Lutz (head of security and safety at the Business Design Centre in London) and Raymond Redmore, md of Bristol-based guarding firm Security 2000. Redmore's honourable mention is especially pleasing – back in 1994 he delved into what was then a new arena for him, setting up Security 2000 to cut crime on local industrial estates.
The Best Guarding Company Award was hotly contested between First Security (Guards), Lockhart Security Services and Noble Security Services. According to the Judges, First Security "stood out head and shoulders above the competition" by dint of demonstrating a high level of professionalism and responsibility to both customers and employees.
Commendably, the company has maintained a policy of concentrating on high pay rates, training and development – all of which have helped no end in generating a higher-than-average rate of staff retention.
From partnerships with the police...
Our Police and Industry Partnership Award recognises the joint efforts of the security industry and the police to successfully reduce crime. Kent County Constabulary shone out as the best entrant in the Year 2000 Security Excellence Awards, its Secure Accommodation Scheme (SAS) – a joint initiative with the Kent Fire Brigade and Canterbury City Council – encouraging both safe and secure rented accommodation for students in the County.
Around 85 landlords have already signed up to the scheme, which has reduced the rate of burglaries by 36% in its first year of operation alone. Indeed, the voluntary accreditation scheme set up by the SAS is deemed so good that it's currently being replicated by a number of other forces. Now that's progress.
...to training and installation
Training is undoubtedly a hot topic, and a constantly-evolving discipline in the industry at large. With this in mind, the Judges were eager to see award entries – either from individuals or organisations – that showed active promotion of good working practices thanks to effective training programmes.
Thankfully, they weren't disappointed, with Gardiner Technology, the Central Wirral Training Initiative (for retail security guards) and Cooper Security (for its two-hour, multi-media course on Class VI wirefree technology) making a particularly strong impression.
Alas there could only be one winner for the Training Initiative Award, and it was...Gardiner Technology. The company has provided basic and advanced training in both CCTV and intruder alarms, hosting over 60 courses to date that have attracted well in excess of 500 delegates. Gardiner has also established dedicated training facilities at five of its UK branches.
MR Security ran away with the Security Installer of the Year Award for a second time. The well-established and well-renowned independent specialist designer, installer and maintainer of both electronic and physical security systems submitted no less three projects for consideration by the Judges, all of which were described as "highly professional".
Meanwhile, the Security Installation of the Year Award – in which Pearl Fire Security and MR Security were runners-up – was scooped by Hoffman Security. The company had to overcome a plethora of complications while installing CCTV, access control systems and intruder alarm networks at the Vintners Company's historic livery hall in the City following damage during the 1999 riots.
Rewarding manufacturer innovations
As well as recognising work well done, we hope the Security Excellence Awards are a great motivator for companies to drive standards upwards. Nowhere is this more important than in the area of product development and innovation. After all, without the right products and systems everyday life for the security manager would be fraught with potential risks.
It's good to know, then, that a whole host of UK-based concerns are rising to the challenges laid down by the Security Product Innovation and Best Manufacturer Awards. No less than four dedicated systems providers – Integrated Design, Nortek Electronics, RemGuard Crime Shield and Third Millennium – were shortlisted in the Security Product Innovation category, with Nortek winning for its LB200 Little Brother.
Designed to eliminate blind spots in CCTV systems in an economical and practical way, the LB200 is ideal for town or city centres where new premises and/or leisure facilities have been opened. Its ability to "piggy back" onto existing systems will obviously appeal to budget-conscious CCTV operators , and those requiring temporary surveillance mechanisms.
SMT and Security Installer readers voted for Texecom as the Best Manufacturer. Edging out Gardiner Technology and Pyronix in this category, Texecom won for the second year in succession. The company manufactures a range of user-friendly products – including the Odyssey 3 sounder and Impaq shock sensor – that are sold in more than 80 countries.
Services to the security industry
Arguably the most prestigious of all the Security Excellence Awards, that for Services to Security considers the overall impact that's been made by a given individual to the industry. In the eyes of the Judging Panel, Peter Jones won the year 2000 Award for having "worked tirelessly in a voluntary capacity to help improve the industry's training and overall levels of professionalism".
Jones is a renowned security consultant, training advisor, investigator and the author of seven books and guides on retail security. A former chairman and chief executive officer of the International Professional Security Association, Jones is also a Fellow of the International Institute of Security.
Source
SMT
Postscript
Both SMT and Security Installer magazines are already looking forward to the 2001 Security Excellence Awards. Details on how to submit entries will appear in forthcoming issues of both titles. Next time it could be YOU or YOUR FIRM being honoured.
