The Security Watchdog – support services for the manned security industry

The Watchdog was established back in 1998 as an on-site auditory body for the manned security industry in order to raise standards of on-site performance. Since those early days the organisation has developed a membership of 91 manned guarding companies (many of whom have advanced to Gold Award level), a growing consortium of end users and Associate Membership categories.

By means of independent on-site audit, Watchdog managing director Terry O'Neil and his team of auditors have been able to identify those aspects of on-site performance requiring improvement and, in report format, have passed on this information to the senior management of the contract company to the benefit of the contract as a whole.

The audits themselves focus on individual officer performance, site and local management support, screening records and training history, random on-site patrols, assignment documentation and client satisfaction levels. Up-to-date industry statistics have been collated as a result of the nationwide audit programmes.

The Security Watchdog's Screening Bureau, established in 2000, handles a growing requirement from Watchdog member companies who want to outsource their screening requirements to BS 7858. The Bureau now offers a significant number of bespoke screening packages outside of the industry. The Bureau is an umbrella body of the Criminal Records Bureau, and is inspected to BS 7858 by the National Security Inspectorate. Terry O'Neil also sits on the British Standards Committee reviewing BS 7858.

The Watchdog is further developing four strands of business in addition to its core membership services: recruitment (Dome Security Requirement), screening (The Screening Bureau), training (by way of the Training Forum) and the aforementioned Control Centre for smaller contractors. The implementation of the company's business strategy will be completed by the end of August.