Two city centre security officers who disarmed and detained a man have had their actions honoured with an industry award. Darren Winter and Ryan Tench from Hampshire-based Venture Security each picked up an ACS Pacesetters Security Officer of Distinction award, on Wednesday at the sixth annual awards, at Royal Windsor racecourse. Venture also won an award as a member of Pacesetters, a group for the top-scoring SIA ACS (approved contractor scheme) companies in the UK.
Ryan, who has since left Venture to join the police, and Darren were making a daily foot patrol of Salisbury city centre. They came across a man with known mental health and aggression issues, who was exposing himself and self-harming with a scalpel. Despite suffering physical and verbal abuse, the pair gave immediate aid and disarmed and restrained the man, for his own safety and the safety of others. They remained until the arrival of an ambulance, the whole episode lasting more than an hour.
Paul Howe, Venture’s Managing Director, said: “We’re so pleased to see the brave actions of Darren and Ryan recognised in this way. It was a difficult situation and they dealt with it in a calm and professional manner. We were so impressed, not only with how they handled the man, who is known to be violent and was armed with a knife, but by the way they cared for him and considered his dignity throughout. The awards are well deserved.”
Around 60 nominations were submitted to this year’s awards, covering exceptional work and individual acts of bravery. Due to a tie in the number of votes, the number of awards issued this year was increased from 12 to 13.
The ACS Pacesetters lunch drew almost 200, from Pacesetters members, their staff and guests.
About Venture Security
Based in Andover, the company provides specialist security services to corporate and residential customers based across Hampshire and central-southern England, such as high net worth individuals and their families; and for events. Venture has been making patrols of Salisbury city centre, on behalf of Salisbury City Council, for more than two years. Visit www.venturesec.co.uk.
Picture courtesy of ACS Pacesetters: Venture Security with awards at Windsor. For all the officer awards visit https://www.acspacesetters.co.uk/rewarding-outstanding-individuals-with-the-acs-pacesetters-security-officer-of-distinction-award-2019/.
