From the archive, John Casson in the late 1990s was instrumental in the statutory regulation of the UK security industry
Thursday 8 February 2024
You may not know that the statutory regulation governed by the Security Industry Authority opposed to self-regulation nearly didn’t happen in 2003 had it not been for John Casson.
John Casson MBE is a former Devon and Cornwall Police Officer who left the force in 1987 on good terms to pursue his career ambitions in the security industry.
At that time there was no regulation of the UK manned guarding industry and John knew very well from his time with the police that there were many in the industry who had dubious and, in some cases, criminal backgrounds.
In 1995, the new edition of the Plymouth area Yellow Pages came out, an essential point of reference at that time before the internet.
He went to the manned guarding security pages and looked through the two pages of adverts; one company, he had been involved in the arrest of the owner; other companies were employing known criminals; one purported to have a 24-hour control room when they didn’t and so it went on!
Incensed and very concerned by this, when John’s company was setting the highest of standards, he wrote to John Major, the then Prime Minister, asking if the government would consider regulation.
A couple of weeks later the Cabinet Office contacted John advising that the Home Office Select Affairs Committee was looking into the future regulation needs of the manned guarding industry, and would he like to give evidence. Not normally short of words, John was shocked to receive such an invitation and gratefully accepted.
His company was considered a medium-sized one and on that day in a committee room at the House of Commons with Group Four, they gave evidence to Sir Ivan Lawrence and his committee.
Group 4, with David Fletcher, Chief Executive from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) who was present, strongly advocated self-regulation. John passionately believed as other small and medium-sized companies did that if they succeeded, their self-regulation would be biased in favour of BSIA membership and larger members who would try and dominate the rapidly growing industry in their favour to the detriment of smaller and medium-sized companies.
John passionately lobbied the Home Affairs Select Committee for statutory regulation, believing it would be independent and stronger in achieving a higher standard. After the hearing and outside the House of Parliament, David Fletcher aggressively challenged John advocating that John’s company should join the BSIA and support them with self-regulation.
John’s response was that he would not change his mind and that the best way forward was to bring the manned guarding industry together for a conference to test opinions, which would vote on self or statutory regulation, David was furious!
A few months later, John invited every manned guarding company in Great Britain to a conference he organised at the then Police Staff College at Bramshill. Places to attend sold out in two days. Speakers included John Stevens (now Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police), then Chief Constable of Northumberland, Sir Ivan Lawrence, Bruce George, Member of Parliament who at the time was very vocal about the need for regulation, the head of the European security association CoESS, myself and David Fletcher on behalf of the BSIA.
ITN covered the conference live on their lunchtime programme.
Two hundred of us listened to the speakers, we passionately debated the issues and at the end of the afternoon a vast majority by show of hands elected for statutory regulation.
John Stevens, acting on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) who were closely involved with the Home Office regarding the future of the manned guarding industry, regularly met and consulted with John until he retired from Northumbria Police in 1996.
He was succeeded in his ACPO role by Keith Povey (now Sir Keith Povey), Chief Constable of Leicestershire.
With rumours circulating that self-regulation may be the outcome, supported by ACPO, John called another conference in 1998. The position remained, statutory regulation was favoured by small and medium, including some larger companies still very concerned that self-regulation with lower standards may be dominated by the larger companies and BSIA.
In consequence and not wasting time, John went to see Keith Povey in his office at Leicestershire Police Headquarters. Keith listened intently to John’s reasoning for statutory regulation.
At the end of the meeting Keith advised that he had changed his mind and would advocate statutory regulation and so we have it today, the SIA.
How the outcome could have been so different without John’s commitment and persuasiveness.
