BSIA chief executive David Dickinson has praised the "remarkable individuals" who won the 2003 Security Officer of the Year Awards
The National Winners of the British Security Industry Association's Security Officer of the Year Awards for 2003 – sponsored by Camberford Law plc – received their prizes from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary for England and Wales Sir Keith Povey QPM at the Association's Annual Luncheon, held on Wednesday 9 July at The London Hilton Hotel.

For the third year in succession over 200 high quality nominations were received for the competition, which continues to illustrate the excellent work and outstanding achievements of private sector security officers the length and breadth of the nation ('Cream of the Crop', SMT, June 2003, pp36-39).

"We have seen yet another group of remarkable individuals win national awards this year," stressed BSIA chief executive David Dickinson at the Annual Luncheon. "With the focus in recent months rounding firmly on the need to license and train security officers to ensure higher standards, we mustn't lose sight of the fact that there are thousands of individuals working in our industry who are already exceeding employer and client expectations. This is the level of performance we must emulate throughout the manned security sector in order to realise its full potential."

In 2003, the National Winners in the 'Service to the Customer' category were: Mike Bryant (Wilson James), Peter Fry (Securicor Security) and Group 4 Total Security officer Kalbinder Heer. In the 'Outstanding Act' category, Anthony Tregowyn (The Watch Security), Gerard Burns (Reliance Security Services) and Francois Ceustermans of Securiplan plc scooped the honours.

A closely fought 'Best Newcomer' category saw Deborah Caulfield-Burt of Securicor Security, Reliance Security Services' Paul Patrick and Richard Kimmage – another Securicor Security officer – claim the accolades.

Alan Gill (OCS Security Services), the Slough Estates CCTV Camera Control Room Team (run by Reliance Security Services) and Reliance's Manchester Business Park Security Team were all winners in the 'Best Use of Technology' category, while the 'Best Team' prizes deservedly went to the BAE Systems Security Team (again, run by Reliance Security Services), the OCS Security Services Bridges Shopping Centre Security Team and Legion Security's excellent West Lancashire Community Wardens Team ('Partners on Patrol', SMT, August 2002, pp20-23).

Judges for the 2003 Security Officer of the Year Awards included Professor Martin Gill (director of Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International), Richard Childs (chief constable, Lincolnshire Police), BSIA chairman Tim Geddes, Charles Thompson (managing director at Folio Productions), sponsor Camberford Law plc's managing director Richard Sheikh, risk management consultant William Hucklesby, Collins Smith (site manager at Reliance Security Services), Nigel Blackman (editor of Security Officer and Team) and SMT's editor Brian Sims.

Winners of this year's BSIA Chairman's Awards were also announced at the event, with the 2003 Awards including a new category concentrating on 'Services to Exports' (won by Andrew Knights).

The remaining Chairman's Awards winners were: Adam Wiseberg (the RemGuard managing director, for 'Contribution to Standards'), Reliance Security chairman and managing director Ken Allison ('Promoting the Industry'), John Kupinskyj (the national training and quality services manager at OCS Security Services for his 'Contribution to Training') and the Operation Hawk-Eye Team ('Contribution to the Community').

Source

SMT