Now landing on desks is the March 2021 print edition of Professional Security magazine. You can also read its page-flip online version on the ‘magazine‘ part of this website.
Among the coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, ASIS UK board member Tim Molden writes on page 40: “The pandemic has forced organisations to think differently about how they operate. There will be some that come out of this crisis stronger and better but I’m certain nearly all will change the way they work and collaborate. At my own organisation it has forced us to look at how we can use technology to work smarter, to connect employees more easily and to improve our internal communication.”
We also look at the latest work by covid marshals, typically hired by local government to work alongside trading standards officers and police. Related to covid, we devote several pages this month and next to ‘looking ahead’, starting with how the hospitality and hotel sector is faring; and various crimes happening regardless of the pandemic, whether in the physical or cyber worlds.
We continue our digests of Prof Martin Gill’s twice weekly OSPAs thought leadership webinars with two recent ones: on GSOCs (global security ops centres), and on mental health during the lockdowns – not a new issue, and affecting potentially all levels of security operative, listeners heard.
While so far this year we have not been able to get out physically and speak with the UK private security industry and those beyond the industry that affect it, we are able to get out thanks to Zoom and the like; and we’ve interviewed again Steve McCormick of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), on the regulator’s bringing in of new training requirements for those applying for and renewing for SIA licences, notably for door supervisers and contract guards. That’s including – for the first time – a need (by October, but you can do it from next month) for those already with a badge to take ‘top-up’ training beyond what they learned when they passed a course to apply for their licence, up to 15 years ago.
Following our report in the February edition on consultancy Risk Advisory Group’s outlook forecast for the year, we speak to the risk forecast firm’s Henry Wilkinson again, this time remotely rather than at their London offices.
Among our features on manned guarding, we hear again from Wilson Chowdhry of AA Security on his firm’s work in the pandemic so far, and the prospects.
The cover image refers you to the third and final page in our series on red teaming – that’s how hired testers (defence firm’s Qinetiq’s shared some ‘war stories’) can physically and / or in cyber terms try to get past your security defences, to raise any weaknesses, human or procedural, that may need addressing.
Plus we bring you such regulars as Roy Cooper’s gossip page for manufacturers, distributors and installers; four pages of new products and services; and four pages of ‘Spending the Budget’. If you would like to take a look at an issue with a view to subscribing, email your postal address to [email protected].
