Looking behind the badge on International Security Officers’ Day

Michelle Russell, Chief Executive of the SIA, and Mike Cunningham CBE QPM, Chair of the SIA, will today visit front line security officers in London and Manchester respectively to personally thank them for their work and contributions to public safety.

Among those being recognised today is Shani Baldwin, a security team leader at a hospital in London.

During a routine patrol at a hospital, Shani was approached by a distressed member of the public who revealed that her friend was in the car park and in crisis.

With limited information to go on, Shani immediately began searching while calling for backup. In a far corner, she spotted a car with a door slightly ajar and found a woman inside who required urgent medical attention.

She acted swiftly, using her training and experience, to provide emergency first aid and keep the woman calm, while colleagues called for assistance from the emergency department. She stayed with the woman throughout, speaking reassuringly until the clinical team arrived, and before conducting a careful handover to nursing staff.

Shani said

Looking back, it reinforced the importance of remaining calm under pressure, trusting your training, and working as a team to achieve the best possible outcome.

It’s an incident that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Moments like that put everything into perspective. They remind you that this job is about far more than security and keeping premises secure it’s about protecting life, supporting people through their darkest moments, and being there when it matters most.

Shani was awarded an ACS pacesetters award for her actions.

Michelle Russell, Chief Executive of the SIA, said

The incredible work of Shani shows just how important the work of private security officers is in keeping the public safe. Thanks to her quick-thinking actions, a person received life-saving care.

You will see a security officer as you go about your daily life. They play an essential role in keeping us safe. Today, on International Security Officers’ Day, on behalf of the public, we give our heartfelt thanks to security officers in communities right across the UK, who work to look after us 24/7.

There are nearly three times as many front line security operatives than police officers working in the UK. Security operatives are often dealing with an incident before police and other emergency services arrive.

Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said

I’d like to thank all security officers who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe. The date, 24/7, is a fitting tribute to an industry that helps protect people and public spaces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Those working in regulated front line private security require an SIA licence, which must be on public display when they are working. The blue, visible, badge shows a security professional has completed mandatory training specific to their licence type and has attained a formal qualification from an approved training centre.

Though the qualifications needed vary between licence types, front line operatives are trained in emergency first aid, counter-terrorism skills and conflict resolution.

Visit the Security Industry Authority Blog to find out more about what’s behind the badge.

Background

The ACS Pacesetters Security Officer of Distinction Awards recognise front line security personnel across the UK who have gone above and beyond in their duties. Hosted annually, the awards celebrate extraordinary acts of bravery, lifesaving interventions, and outstanding customer service. They are hosted by the ACS Pacesetters, an independent membership organisation for UK contract security guarding companies. To qualify, a security firm must score in the top 15% of the annual benchmarking assessments set by the UK’s Security Industry Authority Approved Contractor Scheme (SIA ACS).

There are over 513,000 SIA licences held by more than 453,000 vetted and trained people across the UK. There were 169,348 police officers across the United Kingdom at the end of January 2026.