It was with regret and sadness that we heard of the passing of PC David Phillips of Merseyside Police on 5 October. PC Phillips was killed while trying to stop a speeding stolen car, several people have since been arrested. The death of PC Phillips serves as a sad reminder of the dangers faced by police officers in the line of duty. Regrettably in the world we currently live in, this is true of anyone working on the front line whose duty it is to protect the public from danger and harm. Security officers sadly, are no exception.
Statistics show that levels of violence and attacks against security staff have worryingly increased in recent times. Attacks aimed at or against Door Supervisors are among the most the most common. Whilst insults and verbal abuse are all taken in the stride of a DS, physical violence is far less tolerable. The media often throws a spotlight on the violence metered against police officers or NHS workers, and rightly so, however less publicised is the level of abuse and violence our security industry workers face on a weekly basis. In light of the recent news that Devon and Cornwall police are preparing to lose 500 officers the question has to be asked, will more be expected of our security staff and when Police back up is required, will it be there?
Whilst here at Patronus Security our staff are fully trained in conflict management and physical intervention, they are ‘armed’ quite simply with their skill, wits and a radio. It’s with this in mind that we decided to introduce body cameras in our more busy and volatile venues. The body worn camera sits in a harness and can be easily activated by the wearer to record an altercation as it is happening. The clear footage is then stored on a tamper proof hard drive which can be quickly and easily accessed by staff and Police. The cameras have proved an overwhelmingly positive asset to our operating procedures. Our staff have reported positive feedback from the public and they themselves feel that they have an extra set of eyes watching proceedings.
Of course the nature of the security industry will mean that there will always be the threat of abuse and physical violence against staff however this does not mean we will stand by and take this. We will continue to support our staff and to seek out ways of protecting them from increasing levels of violence.