London Bridge City Recognised Again for Security Leadership and Outstanding Security Standards
As I arrived at London Bridge City I reached for my camera and started filming, ready to capture the estate receiving their highly prestigious Secured Environments Award. Almost immediately I was approached by a security guard.
‘Can I help you?’ he politely asked, though it was clear he was keen to find out what I was doing and why I was filming some of their buildings. When I explained I was there on behalf of Police CPI to see John Reynolds (Head of Security and Safety) and the CIS security team receive an award for their high commended security practices, he kindly escorted me to the management office. He wanted to help, yet still make sure I was bona fide.
I hadn’t intended on putting the security team to the test - but it’s exactly this high level of professionalism that helped London Bridge City once again achieve the Secured Environments Award for the second time.
The estate spans 21.5 acres of land between the iconic Tower Bridge and London Bridge along the river Thames and comprises of 3 million square feet of office space, including major public attractions such as HMS Belfast, the Unicorn Theatre, Hays Galleria and London Bridge City Pier.
During peak events like the ‘Summer by the River’ festival up to 1 million tourists visit the area, and on an average day footfall can be up to 20,000. Security is of utmost importance to the team who protect tourists, office workers and staff from crime, along with supporting vulnerable people, and of course being ready to respond to high security alerts and counter terrorism threats.
John Reynolds and the team at CIS Security Ltd have worked hard to achieve the tough standards set of the Secured Environments Award, a police accredited scheme that recognises organisations or institutions demonstrating excellence in crime prevention and security. The award is based on 6 key principles:
A demonstration of a high level of commitment from leadership to help create a safe and secure environment for staff and public. An understanding of the security risks it faces and evaluating how incidents are recorded and monitored. The development of an effective response to reduce risks and measures in place based on analysis of the risk. Management is key to proactively have plans and objectives in place, and finally effective implementation of these measures, and consistent monitoring and evaluation to measure of all crime prevention and security measures.
Professor Martin Gill (Director Perpetuity Research) conducted the rigorous audit and produced a comprehensive report for Police CPI to evaluate. This is his second assessment of the estate, following its initial accreditation in 2022. As the accreditation only lasts for three years it’s essential that organisations stay up to date with emerging threats and maintain robust standards.
Professor Gill commented, “There are many good things about the process but one of the most significant is that it provides an opportunity to identify who is providing effective security by assessing it in context; against criteria that are premised on the essential elements of good security; and it is verified by Police CPI”.
Presenting the award Guy Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, Police CPI stated,” ’For the second time London Bridge City have demonstrated their commitment to crime prevention and protecting staff and the public. It’s not easy meeting these high standards and achieving the Secured Environments Award and it’s testament to everyone’s hard work. Congratulations.”
Receiving the award John Reynolds said, “At London Bridge City, we were driven to obtain the award and undertake an independent check and validation of our security operations. This was a way in which we could assess the estate’s overall performance and receive feedback. The award demonstrates we take the security and safety of our occupiers, staff and visitors seriously.”
See a film of London Bridge City and the presentation here.
Secured Environments is a police certification scheme. It was established in 2007 and provides a framework for managing and meeting the challenges faced, and it enables organisations to refine their approach and demonstrate that it is effective. The aim is to help organisations to think about their risks and how to make the best use of measures they already have.
Secured Environments was developed through the partnership of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International Limited (PRCI), a specialist in crime, risk and security management.