TSI: a new era

Looking back on my time as chairman of The Security Institute (TSI), and all that this body has now achieved, it’s hard to believe that a little over five years ago TSI didn’t even exist!

When I asked a number of friends and colleagues to join forces and see if we might come up with some good ideas to help improve the standing of the security profession, it’s pretty certain that none of us could have foreseen the outcome.

The original goal of that TSI Working Group was to consider ways in which the quality of training and levels of professionalism for all those involved in security management could be raised. However, this particular thought process soon led – somewhat inexorably – to the need for establishing a professional Institute. An Institute that could oversee this whole process.

That said, it was clear that converting this great and laudable idea into tangible reality was going to be no mean achievement. The drive to build a professional Institute had clearly developed much earlier in many other sectors, and we needed to find a way of reaching the same point and attaining widespread recognition of the requirement for such a body among security managers.

One of the keys to successfully establishing the Institute was the significant consultation period. We held numerous meetings with heads of security and supplier organisations, explaining our vision and seeking feedback. This would not have been possible without the enthusiasm of all the original supporters of the initiative, who spent many hours ‘spreading the word’ above and beyond their already demanding working hours. Aside from gaining widespread support and goodwill, this also enabled us to raise the funding that helped in putting the Institute on a firm footing while leveraging important new initiatives from the earliest possible opportunity.

TSI: the core remit

The Institute’s core function lies in providing official recognition of professional status. This means that its membership categories – and the way in which it assigns them to individuals – are absolutely pivotal to its credibility. That being the case, I’m extremely proud of the validation process that the Institute has developed to assess any given individual’s knowledge and skills levels.

We do not simply require achievement of a particular qualification, but rather seek to undertake a detailed assessment of experience levels through our Validation Board (which consists of a cross-section of individuals from throughout the security sector). Careful attention is given to each and every application, which can lead to some rather gruelling Validation Board assessment meetings. In truth, this is vital in ensuring robust, objective and transparent decision-making.

The rigour of the validation process extends to what we expect of candidates who not only need to have appropriate levels of knowledge and experience, but must demonstrate their commitment to the application process by completing a very detailed form.

We make no apologies for not giving applicants an easy ride. The processes involved in joining TSI take some time, but that is what you should expect from any organisation that needs to make sure its membership is fully committed to the highest professional standards possible.

The services that we’ve developed for members are also something to be proud of. These include extremely well-attended evening meetings featuring high profile speakers from the full spectrum of Government, the security and policing sectors. In addition, we’re about to launch a regular series of Executive Briefings for members and their employers, as well as prospective members.

The processes involved in joining TSI take some time, but that is what you should expect from any organisation that needs to make sure its membership is fully committed to the highest professional standards possible

Guidelines on Best Practice

Our Best Practice ‘Guide to the Procurement and Management of Manned Security Services’ has proven very popular with members.

Importantly, its influence has extended far beyond that popularity. There has been a huge demand for this publication and, at a recent members’ evening, Security Industry Authority (SIA) chief executive John Saunders praised the publication and stated that the SIA is recommending buyers ought to use the principles contained therein. As I write, the Institute is working on its second guide in the series, this time covering the purchase and management of CCTV systems.

Over the past five years we’ve also seen a steady growth in TSI membership, with the overall figure now moving towards the 400 mark. One of the most striking indications that the Institute has become a force to be reckoned with was Sir John (now Lord) Stevens’ agreement to become Patron back in 2003.

In terms of the future, it’s vitally important that membership figures continue to increase. This is a key factor in the Institute being seen as a truly representative body which, in turn, will be influential in it eventually achieving Chartered status – the major landmark for any professional organisation. Nevertheless, we must also ensure that membership reflects a true cross-section of security professionals. Institute membership is just as relevant to suppliers and IT security specialists as it is to generalist in-house managers, and should be equally accessible to all those who qualify.

Developing effective strategies

No doubt there will continue to be a contentious debate as to whether the Institute should have its own examinations, and this may indeed happen in the future. However, such a change will merely represent the logical development of one of the Institute’s current, core roles – facilitating the professional development of security managers so that they can meet current challenges head on.

In addition to specialist security knowledge, we need to ensure that security practitioners can acquit themselves in front of senior management and communicate effectively with suppliers and all other key external contacts. They must also have a well-rounded, broad-based understanding of their own organisation and the challenges it faces. Crucially, they must be capable of developing effective strategies and managing people as well as budgets.

Recently, the Institute’s validation process underwent further refinement in order to reflect the changing composition of the security sector. Further proof, then, that this is indeed a dynamic organisation. From the outset, we’ve accepted that nothing stands still, and what seems the perfect solution at a particular point in time may need refinement a little further down the line.

The Institute accepts and embraces change. To be frank, today’s breed of security managers must follow suit.