Security officers recognised for outstanding contributions during COVID-19

The Special Recognition Award was announced by the Trade Association’s chairman Simon Banks at the culmination of the event celebrating all of the national winners which, for the first time ever, was necessarily delivered online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The British Security Awards, which were streamed live on the BSIA’s YouTube channel, featured special guests including Dame Cressida Dick DBE QPM (Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service), Ian Todd (CEO of the Security Industry Authority), Rick Mounfield CSyP FSyI (CEO of The Security Institute) and broadcaster and barrister Chris Daw QC, all of whom paid tribute to the fantastic work that has been conducted with tremendous diligence under extreme circumstances by members of the Trade Association and, indeed, the wider security industry.

2020 British Security Awards: The Winners

The winners of the 2020 British Security Awards are as follows:

*Best Newcomer: Harriet Giles (Mitie)

*Service to the Customer: Thomas Ibbetson (G4S)

*Outstanding Act: Adam Rich (Mitie)

*Best Team: Templars Square Security Team (Westgrove Group)

*Best Use of Technology: B&Q Crime Centre (Mitie)

*Security Manager of the Year: Babatunde Lawal (G4S)

*Apprentice of the Year: Tessa Bruce (EFT Systems)

*Installer of the Year: nmcn

*National Partnership: M&S Connected Solution-Mitie

*Innovative Security Project: Ultraviolet Light Tray Disinfection (Smiths Detection)

*Business of the Year: STM Group

*SME of the Year: Fenix Monitoring

*Contribution to the Industry: Mike Cleary (SmartWater)

Details of the achievements of the winners and finalists can be found on the British Security Awards website at www.britishsecurityawards.co.uk/winners-2020

Deserving commendations

In announcing the Chairman’s Special Recognition Award, Simon Banks explained: “It has always been the tradition of the British Security Awards to close by recognising an outstanding individual who has made a fantastic and life-long commitment to the industry. This year is different in our changing world, though. I had only one nomination in mind and, therefore, only one winner that I felt deserved the recognition of this particular award, which is our front line officers. They deserve to be commended for the work they’ve carried out during COVID-19. We wanted to recognise their resilience and the risks they have taken, and continue to take, and also to highlight their role as critical workers in keeping the country running. This is our clap for the security guarding sector.”

Mike Reddington, CEO at the BSIA, added: “Despite the most challenging issue we’ve faced in our lifetime, our members have still managed to present us with a large number of award nominees and eventual winners. It was only right that we continued to honour both their commitment and the achievements of their employees in the most fitting way possible.”

Reddington continued: “We have an industry fit to burst with positive ambassadors, from young security officers just starting out on their careers through to seasoned professionals. Every one of them has been recognised for having gone above and beyond expectations in demonstrating courage, innovation, customer service and a tremendous contribution to the industry. Congratulations to all of the 2020 winners and Thank You once again for everyone’s contribution to our industry over the last 12 months, particularly so during COVID-19.”

2020 sponsors

The British Security Awards were sponsored by Camberford Underwriting, SaferCash, Innovise, the National Security Inspectorate, Texecom, Optex and Fenix Monitoring.

Importantly, the event was dedicated to all of those brave security personnel who lost their lives in 2020 during the course of their duties.

*The complete British Security Awards 2020 online event can be viewed on the BSIA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.co.uk/theBSIA