The first day of this year’s Annual Conference organised by The Security Institute didn’t start too well for yours truly.
Armed with only two hours’ sleep, having worked on SMT Online business until 3.00 am, I had to leave my home in South Lanarkshire at 5.30 am yesterday morning to board the ‘red eye’ train from Glasgow Central to London Euston.
It was pouring with rain, the sky was black and I felt like death warmed up (only not as good). Anyway, once settled in Coach E of the Virgin ensemble bound for the smoke, matters began to take a turn for the better.
There was plenty of room to stretch out (no-one else in their right mind is on a train from Glasgow to London at that time of day), so I ploughed through this week’s Song About Security write-up (you’ll have to wait until Friday morning to find out whose ditty I’ve picked and why) and several News pieces for good measure.
With Living Colour and Rush for company on the iPod Nano, life was looking a little better… and then the train manager (as they like to call them these days) warned us of delays. By the time we chugged into Euston, the scheduled arrival time had been elongated by 30 minutes and more.
The race against time
Now, it was a race against time. Thanks to Bob Crow and Company there was little or no service on the London Underground. Most of the stations were shut. I walked to Warren Street in the drizzly rain to catch the 205 concertina bus to Paddington.
No surprise that the buses were rammed, and it was a case of letting several go by before actually being able to board one. Marvellous…
Just in case I was going to be late, I called The Security Institute’s ever-helpful general manager Di Thomas and broke the (potentially, at least) bad news.
I’d also called Di the day before to remind her of the tube strike such that all delegates could be e-mailed prior to leaving their homes and heading for The Oakley Court Hotel in Windsor (the prestigious and rather swish venue for this year’s ‘away day’). However, I’d caught her mid-‘Tress To Impress’ mode (suffice to say that lovely Di has joined The Blond Squad!)
Undaunted by Crow and Co, I made my way to Paddington in time for the 12.42 to Twyford via Slough and Maidenhead, eventually pitching up at the hotel in a taxi with about ten minutes to spare before proceedings formally began at 1.45 pm sharp.
Grabbing a place in The Windsor Suite
Still bereft of any calorific intake for the day, I secured a decent spot in The Windsor Suite (second row from the front on the right). Just before he gave the Chairman’s Address to conference, Mike Bluestone asked how I was and we had a brief chat about the day ahead.
Mike’s not just a fabulous chairman and frontman for The Security Institute. He’s also one of the nicest and most intelligent men you’ll ever meet. I’m proud to call him a friend as well as a colleague… but I digress.
Looking around the room, the delegates and speakers for this News International-sponsored two-day conference were impressive. Azeem Aleem from the University of Portsmouth, Doug Cook (of T-Mobile, and the Institute’s vice-chairman), Simon Lambert (the CCTV consultancy guru), Allan Malcolm of Lodestone Holdings, former chairman Bill Wyllie and Gordon Tyerman (of CCTV Training.com, who’d parked his mobile CCTV van outside for good measure) were but some of the luminaries I’d already spotted.
Opening proceedings in confident mode as always (and bang on time to boot), Mr Bluestone thanked this year’s sponsors and exhibitors.
Aside from main sponsor News International, Chubb also sponsored proceedings while the exhibitors included ARC Training International, CCTV Training, Commend, Dallmeier, Esoteric, G4S Secure Solutions (UK), JVC Professional Europe, MR Fire and Security, Perpetuity Group, QCC Information Security, Samsung, SGW Security Consulting, Skills for Security, the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board and Zenitel.
Acknowledging the efforts of individuals
Bluestone also wanted to publicly acknowledge the work – both past and present – of specific individuals. There was a round of applause, for example, for Bill Wyllie (and deservedly so).
As many of you will know, Bill’s one of the founding members of the Institute and the chap who pushed with such dynamism for membership subscriptions to rise during his time as chairman.
There was also special praise heaped on Di Thomas and her colleague at hq, Carly Huckle, both of whom always work so hard on behalf of all Institute members and fellows but even more so ahead of conference to make sure everything’s in order. It was.
I’ll add my own vote of thanks to Di, Carly and Karen Newman. For my money, you’ll not find a better triumvirate than these girls to run an organisation like The Security Institute.
An art or a science
Moving on to the main theme of his Keynote Address, Bluestone asked the question designed to frame this year’s conference content. Put simply, is security as a discipline an art or a science?
As ever, Mike had done his homework. “Here’s a couple of definitions for you to ponder over… Science is knowledge attained through study or practice. Art, on the other hand, is a superior skill that you can learn by study, practice and observation.”
By his own admission – and anyone that knows him will attest to this fact – Bluestone has “always felt emotional and passionate about the subject of security”. Being an MA, you can guess on which side of the fence you’ll find Mike when it comes to this debate, but nonetheless he wanted to remain impartial and present some further definitions for us to consider.
“Science is knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific method concerned with the physical world. Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture and paintings.”
Where are we now?
Having given an overview of the day’s running order, Bluestone then looked to ‘paint a professional picture’ of where we are with security management – and the discipline of security in general – in today’s world.
“With the economic downturn, there’s little doubt there are now fewer job vacancies in the private sector for security practitioners,” asserted Bluestone, his point based on recent conversations with the foremost recruiters.
“Budgets are being forced downwards in many organisations, and multi-tasking is more to the fore these days.” Nonetheless, client expectations of the service remain high.
“Crime, terrorism and single issue extremism are all in evidence,” he urged. “Not only is there the Islamist extremist threat to contend with, but there’s also the ongoing situation in Northern Ireland.”
Indeed. The latter scenario has never really gone away, despite the fact the blinkered politicians both at home and across the water seem to be patting themselves on the back for a job well done while conveniently trying to sweep any incidents that now occur (like pipe bombs in schools) under the carpet as if they were some kind of ‘anomaly’.
Key Institute objectives for 2010
Set against this not-too-healthy fiscal and socio-political backdrop, what has The Security Institute been doing on behalf of its members, and what’s likely to be occurring across the next 12 months or so?
According to the chairman, the Institute’s key – and eminently laudable – objectives for this year were (and are) to:
“With assistance from our training partner Perpetuity Group,” continued Bluestone, “we’ve continued discussion to embed the Institute’s Diploma within foundation degrees and first degrees. Indeed, we’re always pushing for recognition of the Diploma with higher education establishments and bodies.”
That hard work has borne fruit. The ‘breaking news’ on Day One of conference was that The Security Institute’s Diploma is now accredited by the University of Portsmouth. An absolutely fantastic result.
Moving towards the Royal Charter
Regular readers of SMT Online will know that I’ve written much on the push towards Chartered status (see the links on the right hand panel of this page).
“This really is a milestone for your Institute,” enthused Bluestone. “To be recognised by the Sovereign is a great achievement. If you’re talking about engineers, architects, lawyers, doctors and accountants as professionals, it’s high time we sat with them at the same table,” he outlined why barely restraining himself from banging his fist on the lectern.
As he said, Bluestone is nothing if not passionate about the profession of security management. “We’re going for it! We’re going for it! It’s a real opportunity for us to raise the profile of security. Having contacted many of the other Institutes, industry Trade Associations and professional bodies, we’re now breaking bread with a whole host of people we’d never before encountered in any meaningful discussions.”
In real terms, the Institute has been invited to “explore opportunities” with the Association of Security Consultants, the Hotel Security Managers Forum, the International Professional Security Association, the London Fraud Forum and Ex-Police in Commerce and Industry (EPIC).
Close working with The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals
Talking openly and honestly as standard, Bluestone stated he’ll “not panic” if the application for Royal Charter isn’t successful at the first time of asking.
“To date, we haven’t had to spend a great deal of money on this project, and a first refusal wouldn’t mean ‘That’s it, folks’. We can always apply again, but we have the impetus behind us and we want to apply now.”
Of course, as reported exclusively on SMT Online, the Institute is working hand-in-glove with The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals on the aforementioned Register of Chartered Security Practitioners/Professionals.
“It’s wonderful that your Institute is working so closely with The Worshipful Company,” expressed Bluestone. “Don Randall and Peter French have collaborated with us really well on this initiative. It is – and will be – an inclusive process that recognises both formal qualifications and experience.”
In Part Two of SMT Online’s exclusive round-up of Day One at The Security Institute’s 2010 Annual Conference, Brian Sims covers the presentations by Jamie Stephen and detective sergeant Mike Burt
