This year’s Symposium included Case Studies delivered by experts in the fields of retail security, Cash-in-Transit, ATM security, banking and the academic world and presentations from the European Standards Working Group, the British Security Industry Association, the Metropolitan Police Service and European Security Transport Association.
Eleven first-rate guest speakers – including Steven Gauge (chief executive at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust), Tony Benson (director of risk with Loomis UK) and John Hamilton, group security director of Bradford & Bingley – delivered intuitive presentations on a variety of important security issues currently affecting businesses on home shores.
In addition, and for the first time at the Symposium, delegates were offered the opportunity to participate in a Tiger Kidnap table top exercise led by David Ryan, one of the UK’s leading specialists on the subject.
Innovative security measures
Opening the two-day event, Symposium chair Richard Childs QPM – former Lincolnshire Police chief constable and managing director of ACPO CPI – welcomed all delegates but particularly assistant chief constable Graham Sunderland of the Cumbria Constabulary (on his second visit to the conference). Childs thanked Sunderland for agreeing to comment as a UK chief officer on the various topics to be discussed.
Over 100 delegates attended this annual conference with senior representatives from major supermarkets, High Street banks, independent ATM deployers and the retail and Cash-in-Transit sectors. The Symposium dealt with three main themes of research: a series of Case Studies highlighting the use of innovative security measures, Cash-in-Transit robberies and Tiger Kidnaps.
2008 Robbery Symposium: the topics and speakers
- European CEN 263 Working Group 4 on Cash Degradation: DigbyRam (IBP Group)
- Robbery Reduction in Betting Offices and Digital CCTV: Martin McInerney (William Hill)
- Unique Taggants: How They Work and Convict Offenders: Tim Ramm (G4S Cash Services)
- Fogging Systems for Protecting ATMs: Graham Seaby (Bank Machine)
- Conflicting Demands of a Post-Robbery Corporate Response (Part 1): John Hamilton (Bradford & Bingley)
- Conflicting Demands of a Post-Robbery Corporate Response (Part 2): Dale Bradley (Bradford & Bingley)
- Lone Worker Protection: Steven Gauge (The Suzy Lamplugh Trust)
- Cash-and-Valuables-in-Transit Robberies and Recent Reductions: Dick Hanks (BSIA)
- Operation Vanguard: Danny Gosling (Metropolitan Police Service)
- European Perspectives on Dye-Staining Cash Degradation Systerms: Tony Benson (Loomis UK)
- Tiger Kidnap Table Top Exercise Feedback: David Ryan (DRC Consultancy)
Working in complete co-operation
Speaking about the event, Digby Ram – managing director of the IBP Group – commented: “In the modern world it’s essential that the security industry works in total co-operation with its partners in exploring policies and measures that tackle violent crime. Bringing together so many experienced practitioners to discuss these issues can only be for the good of society and business in general.”
Outputs from the Symposium will form part of the ongoing research being conducted by the Focus on Robbery Partnership led by the IBP Group and run in conjunction with the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies at Portsmouth University, the BSIA, financial institutions, elements of the security industry and the police service. The aim of the partnership is to harness expertise from every discipline that has an interest in understanding the reasons for criminal behaviour with a view to analysing the effectiveness of current reduction measures and reducing violent crime.
During the annual dinner following Day One of the Symposium, the delegates raised a substantial amount of money in support of the work of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. This was gratefully received by Steven Gauge.
Contributing to the debate
In concluding the Symposium, Richard Childs commented: “This has been one of the very best security conferences I’ve ever had the privilege to chair. The sheer quality of the agenda and speakers has been outstanding. Not only that, the delegates have made an enormous contribution in the overall debate.”