Brian Sims
Editor
Brian Sims
Editor
THE SECURITY Industry Authority (SIA) has issued the results of new research focused on the levels of public trust and confidence in the private security industry. Carried out by BMG Research, this is the first research of its kind commissioned by the UK’s private security industry regulator and was conducted in two waves across two years from 2022 to 2023 in order to determine whether public perceptions have changed.
The survey of a nationally representative sample of 2,600 UK adults has revealed that six in every ten respondents agree they trust security professionals. A similar proportion are also confident that such professionals transact their duties competently and effectively, while acting with integrity. It emerges that those respondents with a recent positive personal experience were more likely to have greater trust and confidence overall.
In addition, seven in every ten survey respondents agreed that security professionals are necessary to maintain order and improve public safety. Most feel safer due to a private security presence in various settings such as at concerts, sporting events, banks, hospitals, night-time economy venues and retail premises.
Survey respondents and focus group participants were also asked about their understanding of regulation and their perceptions of careers in private security. While seven in every ten agreed with the assertion that individuals can be proud of working in the private security industry, most respondents do not view security as being a career of first choice.
Promoting positive and customer-focused behaviours like being polite, friendly and helpful would likely have the biggest impact in terms of changing public perceptions. Focusing on soft skills in training such as being approachable, staying calm under pressure and being able to diffuse situations appropriately is something respondents believe would improve public interactions with private security personnel.
Being clear and open about what SIA regulation means is a key factor for improving public and stakeholder trust and confidence in the private security industry and the SIA. Knowing more about the role of the SIA in licensing someone and what’s expected of SIA licence holders would reassure the public that private security professionals are there to keep them safe.
The complete survey results are available to view online.
Golden thread
Michelle Russell, CEO at the SIA, explained: “Public protection through effective regulation is the golden thread at the heart of what the SIA does. That’s why it’s important for us to understand public views about individual licence holders, the wider industry and ourselves as a regulator. We are encouraged that the overall survey results demonstrate most people have trust and confidence in private security operatives and agree that security personnel conduct important work.”
However, Russell continued: “There is more that can be done, by both the SIA as a regulator and the industry as employers and deployers of security, to raise awareness of how the licensing regime and the work of private security protects the public. The overall stability of the research findings across the two years of the study indicates that public views are slow-moving. On that basis, changing perceptions will likely take time.”
In conclusion, Russell observed: “We are using the findings of this research to develop our strategic planning and stakeholder engagement activity and also to inform our support for industry-led initiatives. We fully intend to continue to measure and monitor the effect this has on public perceptions of private security over time.”
*Read Michelle Russell’s blog focused on the survey results
