Jeff Little’s time spent studying at Coventry University stimulated an interest in security, and he subsequently joined a company designing a large, national-level CCTV and overall security system for a major client in the Middle East.
“It was a case of starting from scratch,” he explained. “There were no legacy analogue systems in place. It was all digital, and we could plan the system to cover borders, cities and roadways. Thousands upon thousands of CCTV cameras were involved.”
The salient lesson was that the host nation concerned thought British security capabilities were the best, and there was a desire for a British company to design the system, install and commission it. This was in the wake of 7/7, and that programme of work is now about to come to fruition.
“I hope British industry exploits the opportunities available here,” chipped in Little. “It will be a Government-to-Government contract.”
Expanding the theme, Little continued: “On that note, I would encourage anyone operational in the UK security industry to look at the export opportunities available in developing countries like China, Brazil and the Middle East because they think the world of the Brits. There are plenty of opportunities there. People should not be afraid of delving into the export arena as economies develop.”
Returning to the UK once more, Little found himself recruited by a defence-focused concern based down in Dorset. The Universal Engineering Company (Charlestown), in point of fact, where he held the role of business development director from March 2009 until October the following year.
“They were building a new armoured vehicle called Ranger which, today, is the best protected armoured vehicle in its class worldwide. It’s a British development, and I’m very proud of it. The MoD and the Department of Trade and Industry really helped to find export opportunities for the Ranger, and I hope it sells really well.”
Then Little saw the NSI CEO’s job appear on the horizon and, for him, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to get back into the security world.
“There’s a great overlap and a blurring of the boundaries between security and defence,” Little told me. “One could cite thermal imaging and night vision devices developed for use in a military context, and now used in a security context in the UK, as a classic example.” Quite so.
Preconceptions of the security space
Did Little harbour any great preconceptions of the security industry before taking on the NSI leader’s role?
“If I did then they were dominated by my work in the CCTV sector, and that which I’d completed on the emergency planning side of life, which obviously gel.”
Little’s overriding impression is that the security sector is perhaps characterised most by its developing technology.
“The CCTV world and the software that’s now becoming available are dominant, so too is the pattern of life software. If you put a briefcase down and it stays static for a time, the security system will alarm. It’s that kind of solution that prevails.”
He continued: “If you can take the human element out of that and then fully automate the process it would be brilliant. Develop electronic fences so that they’ll alarm if something passes outside a certain area. Then there are facial recognition solutions. All of this technology and more is rapidly changing the way in which security professionals work.”
The other influence across the security sector which Little has picked up to date is what he describes as ‘bundling’.
“You look at the big companies like ISS, which began life in 1901 as a security guarding company. It was sold on and now covers catering, cleaning, hygiene and security. They are facilities managers providing an integrated solution to the end user customer.”
Little likens the present situation to the difference between the old High Street, where there once stood a greengrocer and a baker, etc to today’s shopping landscape wherein we’re all forced to visit the out-of-town retail park and everything’s under the one roof.
“There’s a tussle going on between those companies who favour the bundled model and those that want to stick solely with security,” suggested Little. He’s quite correct, and positive about that fact.
“Actually, it’s a healthy dichotomy. It creates a dynamic tension, but we must make absolutely sure that standards are not compromised on one side.”
Initial thoughts on the NSI operation
What about the NSI itself and first impressions of the organisation he inherited last November from previous CEO Andrew White?
Little had no hesitation in replying. “The NSI has an extremely good pedigree, I believe. I like to think of us as the Rolls-Royce of accreditation organisations. We’re very proud of the three-layered Bronze to Silver to Gold progression option that we present. I like that tiered progression because not everyone will hit the Gold level right away. There’s scope for positive development.”
Little moved on to wax lyrical over the organisation’s owl logo and how it represents something vigilant and wise in equal measure. “We can and should always play on that,” he urged.
The owl also happens to be the symbol of the Camberley Staff College, so that must have made Little feel immediately at home in Maidenhead.
The NSI enjoys a superb reputation in the industry. The organisation is well thought of by both the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and UKAS, whom Little referred to as “the high priests of accreditation”.
Now, Little is looking to leverage that good will and improve still further the offering and services available to the NSI’s accredited companies.
“We’re going to enlarge online services in terms of standards and certification, Brian. We’ve just gone down the route of having a new IT system installed so that all of our inspectors have access to a PDA. When they carry out their audits on site, they type in the results in real-time and reports are then delivered electronically back to Maidenhead. Once the information is sent those details are wiped from the PDA so that there’s no confidential information on them post-visit.”
NSI inspectors are still coming to terms with the new system, and Little stressed there’s a need to look at formatting and how information is added, but it’s a very positive step forward in terms of modernising the process.
“There are very experienced people at the NSI,” continued Little, “and I think that’s one of our greatest strengths. The working relationships our inspectors have nurtured with member companies very often go back a long way. There’s a great degree of trust there. They can speak freely and frankly.”
Not afraid to enforce high standards
Perhaps one of the organisation’s greatest strengths is that it’s not at all afraid to enforce the high standards it sets.
Ian Sanderson, the NSI’s well-known and highly respected director of standards, regularly writes to companies informing them whenever they’re not up to scratch and are – in Little’s words – “letting the side down”.
Such companies will be put on a 28-day warning and, if they don’t learn the lessons, it’s at this stage the NSI will part company with them.
“Financially, that situation’s obviously not great for us,” asserted Little, “but we’re not prepared to compromise on the standards we set.”
Being an ex-military man, Little’s quite keen on Mission Statements. “Mission Statements tell you what you are supposed to do. Our mission at the NSI is to raise standards across the security and fire industries in the interests of their respective customers. I think that’s crucial.”
One area where Little believes his organisation needs to have “much more focus” is the end user groups who are using the industry’s services.
“Our vision for the future is to achieve recognition as being the benchmark of public confidence in the security and fire sectors. In terms of user groups, that would encompass systems and guarding.”
Obviously, Little has scrutinised at length all of the NSI’s criteria, standards and Codes of Practice that it sets for companies to go on and meet.
“It’s pretty fundamental stuff. It’s not rocket science. It’s all about suitable premises, the right tools and the necessary training and qualifications in tandem with financial stability, 24-hour cover, maintenance contracts and screening. Basic building blocks so end users can have confidence that, when they select one of our approved companies, they’re picking an operation that’s professional in every aspect of what it does.”
Focusing on the fire side of life
On the fire side of life, the NSI’s presently focused on risk assessment, as is the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA).
“We’ve just created a Fire Committee on which the CFOA will be represented, alongside representatives from both the end user and insurance communities.”
Little is quite concerned that too many companies merely pay lip service to fire alarm practice routines. “It’s so important. We need an all-round vision. One of the things that terrorists will think of is a secondary device, and they may be cruel enough to locate that secondary device at an assembly point.”
As if to enforce that point, Little proceeded to tell me that he was in Harrods when the IRA car bomb went off on 17 December 1983. He was only just home from his latest tour of duty in Northern Ireland.
“After the device had exploded, people were running around like headless chickens. I just knew I had to get out in case there was a secondary device. What I’m saying is that you really need a plan in place. When you stay in a hotel, for example, make sure you know where the emergency exits are, and where the fire extinguishers are located. It all helps.”
On the day of my visit to Sentinel House, as soon as I entered the front door the air of positivity was tangible. Perhaps that’s down to Little’s manner and the managerial style he’s brought with him?
“I think people have an image of military folk that’s conjured from stereotypical TV programmes like Dad’s Army, and that it’s all about barking orders. It’s really not like that in the military. You have to win the respect of the people who work for you or else they’ll vote with their feet and leave. It really is as simple as that.”
Little describes his managerial style as consultative. “I’m a great believer in brainstorming and discussion groups, Brian, because the people who really know how to make an organisation work are those individuals who are on the frontline, operational every day and interfacing with the customers. You need to take stock of their views and bring them forward into the strategy.”
Little is adamant that reward and recognition for members of the team at the NSI is vital, as is the written word.
“I write proper letters to people when they’ve done a good job, not an e-mail. That means a lot to them.”
When Little first arrived, he deliberately arranged hour-long, one-to-one, face-to-face meetings with every member of staff to find out all about their tasks and concerns. “We’re only 61 strong here, but in any event I feel that kind of managerial approach is important.”
Business plan under close scrutiny
The NSI’s business plan is under intense scrutiny right now in light of rapid and myriad changes happening across the industry.
The rethink also rides on the back of the organisation “really suffering” since the death last year of John Clifford (a genuine tragedy which “shook so many people” at Sentinel House and beyond and, almost inevitably, set the change agenda in motion by way of necessity).
“You need to be aware of change and continually react and adapt to it,” suggested Little. “Perhaps because they’re so intimate with the immediacy of what it is they do on a daily basis, many businesses simply forget to set aside time for assessing what’s around the corner and over the hill.”
Something that’s dominating Little’s own thought processes – and which has the smatterings of a military theme – is the perceived need for a doctrine in the security industry.
“In the military we had something called the Defence Concepts and Doctrine Centre as part of the Defence Academy at Shrivenham. When I was there it was run by an amazing chap, one Admiral Chris Parry. His job was to look 25 years into the future, assess the possible security threats and what the environment was going to look like.”
Indeed, there’s a PDF you can download that was produced by the DCDC. It’s 100 pages long, and looks at all of the environmental, security, energy, weapons and terrorism-related issues, etc.
“We could latch on to this kind of threat assessment in the security industry. It would give direction to R&D efforts,” stated Little, “and make sure things happen in an orderly rather than a haphazard fashion.”
The ‘doctrinal bit’ is something Little would like to see developed across the security piece, in combination with solid and relevant academic and educational programmes.
“The Security Institute is pioneering the latter,” he outlined, “and providing a handrail for the security world into the future, which is massively important.”
Having talked at some length with the Institute’s chairman Mike Bluestone, Little will now be studying for the organisation’s Diploma in Security Management.
Little studied for his aforementioned MBA with the Open University between 2000 and 2003 while operational in a very high-pressure role at the MoD. Four hours’ learning every night would see him reading and writing until two or three in the morning, but he loved it.
“There were fantastic summer schools and, from a networking point of view, I met some truly amazing people.”
Even the MBA’s accounting element – which Little met with trepidation due to his mathematics being “terrible” – was enjoyable. “It was great learning how to read and decipher the main points from a balance sheet. That sort of knowledge has really helped me in the long run.”
Books, books… and more books
Away from the office, Little writes voluminously. He harbours a particular penchant for scripting short stories and, at the moment, has two books on the go: one is indeed of short stories, the other a collection of military anecdotes. The latter is provisionally titled ‘A Little Knob of Butter’, but you’ll have to read it on publication to find out why.
He also “devours” books conceived by many a leading author, reading an average of one every week. Little’s no doubt buoyed in his endeavours here by the fact that his wife’s a member of no less than three book clubs.
“I love reading anything on military history,” he said. “I’m a great fan of Patrick O’Brien. I read all of his books, and really love the ones he has pieced together on naval history.” For good measure, Little’s also the chairman of a military museum trust based in Surrey.
His favourite author? “No doubt about that, Brian. It’s Conn Iggulden [who wrote The Emperor Series on Julius Caesar]. To be honest I do enjoy reading biographies. I’m ploughing through General Sir Richard Dannat’s autobiography at the moment, having just finished General Sir Mike Jackson’s book.”
In terms of news media, Little scans The Times online, and has gladly subscribed to Rupert Murdoch’s pay-per-view format. “That’s the way it’s going, isn’t it? The writing’s on the wall, so to speak.”
He also enjoys Jayne’s Defence Review (which, of course, has a security element to it) and – rather like many a security director I’ve interviewed across the years – is a self-confessed “great fan” of Radio 4.
All that said, Little’s main hobby is playing and teaching Mah Jongg, the popular board game banned by then premier Mao Tse Tung during China’s cultural revolution and now enjoying a burst of popularity as a ‘virtual card’-based exercise on the Internet.
Some time ago, Little and his wife set up The Red Dragon Society – based in Dorset – with the intention of teaching people how to play the game. They’ve already instructed over 300 new-found devotees in ‘The Chinese Way’.
“The problem is that you if you buy a Mah Jongg set in this country, invariably the rules are a direct translation from the Chinese. They make no sense whatsoever. All we’ve done is set the rules in plain English. It’s a very social game. Only yesterday, my wife was teaching six people how to play Mah Jongg.”
Little recalled what happened to Mr Kay, the clerk who worked for him during his time in Hong Kong. One morning, Kay didn’t show up for work, which was highly unusual. “I asked his Chinese colleagues why. They told me he’d lost a million dollars playing Mah Jongg, and that the Triads had killed him. His body was fished out of the harbour the following day.”
On that basis, Little wouldn’t advise anyone to play the game for money!
The military in miniature
Little also derives much pleasure from collecting model vehicles of the die-cast variety, notably the classic Dinky and Corgi marques (and, in particular, emergency services vehicles such as police cars, fire engines and ambulances).
At over 800 such models, Little’s collection – housed in special glass cabinets at his home in Osmington – is the UK’s biggest of its kind.
“I’ve collected everything from original Shand Mason hand-pumpers [the real life versions of which date back to the 17th Century] through to modern Mercedes Benz pump water tenders. Luckily, I’ve a friend who shares the same passion, so wherever we go in the world and find models we’ll each buy two of the same one and trade them.”
Apparently, there are “many fire engine models” emanating from Russia right now. Bet they’re not a patch on the Dinkys and Corgis of this world, though.
What, I wondered, is the NSI leader’s ‘take’ on security guarding (and the regulation of same by way of the Security Industry Authority)?
“Nothing is going to change until after the 2012 Olympics, which we all know. As an organisation, we’re a member of the Security Alliance. We value that membership, and I think the Alliance is a good focal point. One can build on that. It’s a voice for the industry.”
Little believes that, very often, what’s born out of adversity can be a positive force for good.
“In the Alliance, what we have is a method for communicating with Government the strongly-held views of practitioners in the sector. I’ve already detected that there’s a strong emotional feeling about regulation in this industry, and the direction in which it should go. I welcome that because it’s a diverse sector with a number of different strands. There are still areas to be improved upon.”
Little is a natural optimist who’s positive about the future for guarding. “We’ve had a meeting with the SIA. They have a blueprint and some timelines, and have been good at consulting widely. They are listening to the industry and taking peoples’ views into consideration. I’m confident something good can result from this enforced change.”
Need for being more threat-driven
Assessing the bigger picture, Little opined that, as a nation, perhaps we need to be more threat-driven.
“Cyber warfare, for example, will be and is a massive threat. Why would criminals and terrorists bother to break into a building when they can ‘take it out’ electronically and then walk into the premises and do whatever they wish? That’s what we must be guarding against.”
It’s not just about organised crime and national Governments, either.
“It’s about hackers who can very easily get in to your company accounts and induce malicious viruses. They can destroy you electronically. BS 27001 will become much more important in the future, that’s for sure. We have people looking at that.”
For Little, the UK security industry’s involvement in the defence of the Critical National Infrastructure is something of which we should all be very proud.
“The security industry in this country is the reason why bad things don’t happen, but it’s like an insurance policy. The tendency for many to think about security is not until it’s really needed, and by then it’s often too late.”
Having mentioned that he wishes to see the NSI develop and build on 2009’s launch of the Contract Quality Marque, Little brought our conversation to a close with mention of a charity called UK For You (run by his wife).
“Sally and I set that up around six years ago,” said Little. “It provides a Christmas Box for every soldier, sailor and airman on operational duty on Christmas Day. Last year alone, we made up 25,000 boxes.”
Little brought one of them to the table. Inside were tea bags, shaving mirrors, Christmas hats and sweets, plus a lot more goodies of practical use for the serviceman. “The boys love them,” said Little with a beaming smile.
Clearly, this is one man who will keep the military light burning brightly inside for many, many years to come.
