Guard, Officer or Operative

Newbie Joined: Feb 01, 2005 Posts: 24 Location: London

http://gppc.decision-finance.co.uk/main?__action=dorfq&vid=107&ref_id=gtest

It's a wesite providing insurance cover but they have only one option for the security trade. They call it Security Guard.
It makes me sick hearing trained personnell being called guards. To me it's derogatory. I don't like being looked down upon because I choose to make my career in Security.
I would like to see one day when all security personnell are looked up to and the industry is one to be admired, rather than the one we work in now where we are to be called jobs worths, and worse.

I have just started my own limited company up with a friend, on our contracts we call our staff Security Operatives, not guards, or officers, or even "Ol' Bob over there". We respect our staff and are look at training as a paramount key to our hopefully future sucesses.

I'm guess I'm having a bit of a rant as this new company is hard work and i'm seeing good guys get slated due to the stigma of security, but it's about time something was done for this industry.

I'm personally sick of the crap we put up with.

Full Member Joined: May 27, 2003 Posts: 23 Location: Leeds

I can understand your agitation but when it comes down to it, the public & press still see a guard in the same way as they see a bouncer, not a door supervisor, as they see a lollipop man/woman, not school crossing attendant, as they see a housewife not domestic technician.

What does it matter to the oprative/officer/guard when s/he is still only paid minimum wage and expected to work from stupid oclock to silly oclock and back again.

There is so much apathey in this industry, this site is a prime example, there are roughly 250,000 front line security staff in the contract side of the industry, this site has some 600 plus members. The IPSA the oldest and once one of the most respected trade organisations, is struggling to get individual members. These are the only 2 trade bodies in this country that represent individuals in security and they can't field 1500 members between them not 1%.

We are now one of the largest groups of workers in any industry in this country and we don't even have our own trade union. Not enough "people" care enough any more.

Sorry for being so negative, let me finish on a high note Laughing

& wish you & your partner every success in your new venture. You didn't say whether you had taken insurance from the website you highlight, so might I suggest Camberford Law for a quotation.

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:11 pm

I see what you mean and I prefer not to be called "guard" or "bouncer", although I actually find the latter somewhat amusing, given my diminuative size. Razz

I also want to inform some customers I have actually achieved A level qualifications and this is my CHOICE of career, not something I'm lumbered with because I'm thick; some people really do think we're stupid.

Newbie Joined: Feb 01, 2005 Posts: 24 Location: London

Quote:

You didn't say whether you had taken insurance from the website you highlight, so might I suggest Camberford Law for a quotation.

Seeing as they didn't apear to cater for our needs we didn't bother with them although funny you should mention Camberford Law as we had at an earlier date already recieved a very good quotation from them.

I was wondering if you knew of any other insurance providers who are willing to underwrite security companies?

I have looked into becoming a member for IPSA and me and my business partner are now considdering an application.
Thank you for the good luck. We're certainly going to need it.

Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:00 am

Personally, I hate the word 'guard' but, 'guarding' is what we do, not 'officering'.
I even spent six months emailing the job centre website everytime they advertised for 'security guard' and asked them to change it. I did work for a while too.