credible career choice. We need to get people excited about our industry and view it as one that is progressive as well as somewhere you can have a rewarding and lifelong career.”


Barry Dawson agrees, pointing out that: “The Prime Minister thanked all security officers during the pandemic but procurement departments still view security as a ‘grudge purchase’ and perception from people outside the industry is poor. People believe there are few opportunities within the private security sector – however, I know loads of people that have had a great career in the security industry.”


Positive changes are occurring. Neill Catton, Managing Director at CIS Security, says: “Social media has helped businesses up their game on the recognition of individuals and teams. It has also provided an easily accessible platform for companies to measure themselves against others. Who doesn’t look at a competitor that posts innovation or a new contract without an element of self-reflection? The race to the bottom on cost has now become a race for recognition and good practice. If that helps to create a more professional forward-thinking security service, that must be a good thing for our industry as a whole.”


continued on page 32


How the G4S


Connected Officer is


driving security transformation


T


oday’s security consumers demand a proactive, data- driven, intelligent, and informed approach to operational delivery.


Noah Price, G4S International Academy Director, outlines how its Connected Officer Programme is


delivering service improvement, workforce engagement and the delivery of safer environments, by leveraging technology advancements, whilst maintaining personal interaction.


Security providers must supply their customers with clear and transparent performance data in real time, to drive better decision making.


The G4S Connected Officer programme connects people through technology to improve security decisions and performance. It is already well embedded within some significant security operations, but is also just as relevant for small and medium-sized businesses. A Connected Officer’s appearance will vary depending on the environment in which they work. In some cases, wearable technology will be obvious to the public and for good reason. However, in a corporate reception, where officers are expected to balance their security function with customer service, it may be less apparent.


Benefits of the Connected Officer Programme


SECuRiTYPROViDERS FEATURE IS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20


© CITY SECURITY MAGAZINE – SPRING 2023


The programme helps to drive officer engagement and motivation by using technology to provide easy access to a network of colleagues and to learning and development materials. It also provides customers with real time insight to drive better decision making. Using their


Advertorial


handheld devices to record all activities, data is captured from officers and consolidated into easy-to-consume reporting, which customers can view at the click of a button. They can also review an archive of reported incidents to assess trends.


The programme makes use of developments in artificial intelligence to identify potential incidents before they occur. Unusual motion and activity is flagged in real time, allowing officers to proactively investigate incidents, armed with key information.


The presence of body-worn cameras, as part of the connected offering, has been proven to change the way the public interact with security – often quickly appeasing hostile and aggravated incidents, once people become aware that they are being recorded.


The environment itself benefits too. With paper reported to account for around 26% of total waste at landfill, the elimination of paper-based reporting provides significant sustainability benefits. In addition, as less paper is consumed, precious storage space is freed up, meaning less energy is consumed.


During one of the most transformational times in human history, technology is vital, and G4S will always use it to support its security officers.


To find out more about the G4S Connected Officer programme, visit www.g4s.com/en-gb/what-we-do/security- solutions/connected-security/the-connected-of ficer-guide


> 14


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36