Category: Events

The NPSA and the Home Office have developed three tools to support those involved in the safety planning, management and security of venues and public spaces.

They can be seen here

A fantastic night of celebration at the ASC Annual Award Dinner.

Distinguished guests from the security sector gathered on Wednesday evening for the highly anticipated ASC Annual Award Dinner. The elegant event, held at the renowned House of Lords, brought together representatives from across the security industry and the authors of the very best dissertations relating to the security industry. The evening sparkled with conversation and excitement, as participants eagerly awaited the announcement of the prestigious Imbert Award winner.  Gary Thomas ASC Chair said “From themoment people arrived, and they were handed a glass, the room was filled with the sound of conversation and laughter.  Thank you to everyone who attended and made the evening truly special.”

The ASC Annual Award Dinner is a premier event in the security industry’s calendar. It serves as an opportunity to acknowledge excellence in the world of academia, exchange insights, and network with key decision-makers. 

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Imbert Award winner. The ASC was honoured that @Simon Imbert, son of Lord Imbert, attended in person to present the award to @Dennis Roe, who won the Imbert Award, and @Rosi Nicholson and @Marie Zeimetz, who were worthy finalists.

The prize is awarded annually to the best master’s degree dissertation on a security-related subject. It is fiercely competed for by students at universities across the UK.

The award has been running since 2005, it is awarded in memory of the ASC’s former patron, Lord Imbert of New Romney CVO QPM JP, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service and Lord Lieutenant of Greater London. 

The Award Dinner would not have been possible without the generous support of its sponsors. A very special thank you goes to Total Security Protection Ltd, Genetec and CIE-Group, their contributions have helped make the event a striking success.

As everyone enjoyed their coffees, after the most delicious meal, Sir Hugh Orde spoke to the guests and reflected on the ASC and the security landscape before presenting Joe Connell with his ASC Honorary Life Time Membership in recognition of his time as the ASC Chair.

As the event concluded, participants walked away reflecting on another great ASC event.

To catch a glimpse of the memorable moments from the evening, visit the ASC website’s photo gallery.  securityconsultants.org.uk/events/gallery

Winner Dennis Roe

University of Portsmouth

How ‘Risky’ are the surveyors who design security and surveillance solutions?

(A critical evaluation of the competency of UK Security Sector personnel relating to the design proposal and supply of risk aware and risk based electronic security systems.

Rosannagh Nicholson

Cranfield University – School of Defence and Security

The ‘Golden Thread’: An Exploration of the Relationship between Climate Change, Conflict and Terrorism. 

Marie Zeimetz

University of St Andrews

(Don’t) Let Them Return 

A Qualitative Analysis of French and British Media and Political Framings of Female Jihadists Detained in Syria since 2019 

We are aware that there may be some disruption to train services on the 6th December. But we are happy to say the long-anticipated Awards Dinner at the House of Lords will be going ahead as planned.

The highlight of the night is the presentation of the Imbert Award. The Imbert Award is awarded annually to the best master’s degree dissertation on a security-related subject. It is fiercely competed for by students at universities across the UK.

The award is in memory of the ASC’s former patron, Lord Imbert of New Romney CVO QPM JP, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service and Lord Lieutenant of Greater London.

We wish all our finalists the best of luck.

Rosannagh Nicholson

Cranfield University – School of Defence and Security

The ‘Golden Thread’: An Exploration of the Relationship between Climate Change, Conflict and Terrorism.

Dennis Roe

University of Portsmouth

How ‘Risky’ are the surveyors who design security and surveillance solutions?

(A critical evaluation of the competency of UK Security Sector personnel relating to the design proposal and supply of risk aware and risk based electronic security systems.

Marie Zeimetz

University of St Andrews

(Don’t) Let Them Return

A Qualitative Analysis of French and British Media and Political Framings of Female Jihadists Detained in Syria since 2019

We thank Total Security Protection [TSP], Genetec and CIE-Group for sponsoring this annual event.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre and the Republic of Korea’s National Intelligence Service are warning businesses that Cyber attackers associated with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are now focusing more on targeting software supply chain products in an attempt to infiltrate organisations worldwide.

You can find out more here

The CONSEC – ASC Annual Conference was opened by Gary Thomas, ASC Chair, and Bill Butler who was sadly chairing his last CONSEC. Gary took the opportunity to thank him for his support over the years and wish him well in the future.

Gary and Bill

Bill introduced the team of enthusiastic and expert speakers from Sibylline Ltd who led a panel discussion about Global Threats and forecasted what businesses can expect over the next 12 months. This was an incredibly popular input, with many questions from the audience, and luckily, we were able to facilitate the continuation of the conversations by inviting them to our November business group meeting

Sibylline Panel

Stuart Osborne then took over with his reminder about the importance of Security Governance followed by Philip Grindell who shared his experience and knowledge to help increase understanding about how to prioritise intelligence relating to fixated persons.

Stuart Osborne

Philip Grindell

Next up the audience was entranced as they heard from a speaker from the National Cyber Security Centre who left us all with lots to think about, with a presentation about the fast-developing world of GenAi. In an era where fake news spreads like wildfire, it is crucial for security professionals to understand how to separate fact from fiction. The audience heard about strategies and tools that can be employed to combat disinformation, providing valuable insights and practical solutions.

Last up before lunch was our sponsor Jason Piggott, from Dallmeier Electronic  who paid tribute to Dieter Dallmeier, who sadly is no longer with us, but built the Dallmeier organisation and continues to be an inspiration to many.

Lunch time was an opportunity, to chat with old friends, meet new friends, and enjoy finding out about the technology on display by the exhibitors.

Post lunch, Jayne King.  Chair of The Security Commonwealth, (SyCom), talked about the changes that are happening in SyCom.  SyCom is the umbrella organisation of independent membership bodies across the security industry. It provides a forum to consult and cooperate in the common interest and in the promotion of professionalism, good practice and information sharing to enhance UK security.

Jayne King

Next up was Robert Hall who gave valuable input on the recently published Government Risk Register.

Following Robert the audience had a chance to hear first hand from Toby Williamson, Clerk to The Fishmongers’ Livery Company about the aftermath of the terrorist attack at Fishmongers Hall in 2019. The aftermath of terrorism presents unique legal challenges, Understanding the legal landscape is essential for security professionals who play a critical role in ensuring the safety of individuals and organisations.

Toby Williamson

In May 2017, the devastating terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena shook the world and left an indelible mark on the city and its residents. In the aftermath of this tragic event, the Manchester Arena Inquiry was established to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and provide recommendations for future improvements in security measures. Additionally, Martyn’s Law, named in memory of Martyn Hett, a victim of the attack, aims to enhance security at public venues across the UK. The final speakers for the day, Paul Greaney KC, Counsel to the Manchester Arena Inquiry, and Shaun Hipgrave, Director Protect & Prepare at the Home Office’s Homeland Security Group, reflected on the findings of the inquiry and provided an update on the progress of Martyn’s Law.

Shaun Hipgrave

As the day drew to a close, the Board reflected on what a great day it had been and started making plans for CONSEC 2024. The event will celebrate its 30th anniversary and promises to be the best one yet. Stay tuned for more details!