The first time I spoke to Lynn Watts-Plumpkin was at IFSEC 1996, although we had met in passing some years before. At that time Watts-Plumpkin had launched as a freelance health and safety, environmental and security compliance auditor … which in time proved very successful. So much so she was made an offer she could not refuse by the SSAIB to become their manned services and management systems scheme manager. The reason I had visited her on the SSAIB stand was to discuss the potential Women in Security (WiS Awards).
However, after a promising start it was evident that there was just not the volume of potential nominees then … unlike now. However, the women working within the industry at that time were contributing to help shape Security into the profession it is. Watts-Plumpkin moved from the SSAIB in 2013 to the NSI to become their head of operational development.
The start
I had intended to catch up with her around that time but by 2014 she had moved to her current position, Director and General Manager, IQ Verify Ltd. I therefore made it my business to meet her recently and talk about her experience as a security professional. My first question as always with industry characters was: how did you become involved with the security profession? She replied: “I was working as a medical records clerk at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey when my former Venture Scout leader walked past. He mentioned that there was a job going at Sainsbury’s as a security operator and said he would drop the application form around. A week later we met up again and I was happy to inform him that I had an interview lined up with Sainsbury’s. His response was ‘yes I know, I am conducting the interview’. Needless to say I was successful and in 1982 that was the start of my journey.”
Catching shoplifters
I asked her what that initial role entailed. She replied: “Primarily it was to catch shoplifters and staff who were pilfering. But also to try and improve the store’s results, by reducing damages and ensuring that stock was correctly handled. This was good grounding in the security industry as the security managers were all former police officers and we therefore received excellent training. I thoroughly enjoyed my work at Sainsbury’s, you never knew what was going to happen next.” She received several commendations throughout her four years at the supermarket chain but was most proud of the commendation from Dorking Police for helping to catch a ring of shoplifters targeting the Epsom, Leatherhead and Dorking area. Although she was happy at the retailer I asked what she did next. She said: “On leaving Sainsbury’s I went to work for a contract guarding company called Walsh Security. Walsh was a family run business based in New Malden. I started working for them as a store detective, which only lasted a couple of months, before I was promoted to supervisor, then shortly afterwards to operations manager running the Swindon Office.” She explained that she was responsible for 70 to 80 security personnel from the uniformed and covert side of the business. At Walsh she was contacted by Paul Elliott the security manager at Burmah Oil – Swindon. Paul had been involved in writing British Standards and was a Fellow of the International Institute of Security (now a part of the Security Institute). This contact would prove invaluable. His initial request was for a receptionist to cover an absence. Watts-Plumpkin identified that there were no female security officers in Walsh at that time so she took it upon herself to fill the gap! What did you do after Walsh, I asked.
Fitting the bill
She replied: “I became self-employed and worked for several companies including a private investigation company. I was responsible for running the office, process serving, internal investigations and close protection of witnesses. Then out of the blue I was contacted by Paul Elliott. Paul had left Burmah and now worked as the security advisor at P&O Containers Worldwide. He was looking for a deputy and he thought I fitted the bill.” Once again she was made an offer she could not refuse and found herself working in east London. “I loved working at P&O, it was a wonderful job, but it meant a lot of time away from home, so when an opportunity arose to work for Nationwide Building Society in Swindon in their investigations team, based close to home, I jumped at the chance.” We chatted about the work-life balance and how it can sometimes be difficult working away from home, and travelling abroad. She explained that it was around this time that she injured her back. What was she doing to hurt your back? “I was heavily involved with a martial art called ‘Jitsu Karate Kai’. I took a bad drop … I was working with an inexperienced pupil. It resulted in a slipped disc in my lower back. In fact on reflection there was a funny side to that period. On one occasion I was called into the HR manager’s office. Apparently he was concerned that I was always covered in bruises. When I explained that I performed martial arts three times a week and showed him my martial arts licence, he laughed, but I did notice he had a new-found respect for me!” She explained how excited she had been getting a role with Nationwide, but before starting a medical had been arranged as part of the recruitment process. She duly informed them of her newly acquired back injury. A week before she was supposed to start at the company they withdrew the job offer, due to possible back problems. She explained that she was devastated at the time but was quick to state that she had not had one day off sick since then, which was in 1991. After that she applied for a job with a local security company, Sigma Security, based at their head office. This time she was responsible for managing over 250 security personnel. After some time at Sigma, she was once again contacted by Paul Elliott who was looking for a senior retail and safety officer at Texas Homecare. She worked there, through a takeover by Homebase, from 1993 to 1996. She had decided to go self-employed again; she worked as a sub-contractor for Laura Ashley, bringing in BS7799 (now ISO 27001 the information security management standard) into Laura Ashley’s HQ at Newtown, Powys. She also carried out fire risk assessments, health and safety, environmental and security audits for all Laura Ashley stores around the UK and Ireland. She also audited Entrust, a Government Agency, allocating money for projects under the landfill tax scheme and compliance audits identifying safety and security breaches. With all these transferable skills she has held roles with industry bodies IPSA, SSAIB and NSI.
And now
She’s now at IQ Verify Ltd, an international certification body. She said: “IQ Verify does not want to step on the toes of NSI or SSAIB, as both are experts in their field; however there is inevitably some overlap with some standards such as the investigative services standard BS102000 which IQ Verify has recently achieved UKAS accreditation for. My aim is to build IQ Verify into a major international certification body to assist companies to raise standards and awareness in corporate resilience, to assist in protecting them, their business and that of their suppliers and stakeholders. IQ Verify is hoping to open offices in India and Dubai early in 2016; plus we have developed a level four international lead auditors qualification, to teach people how to conduct both internal and external audits.” Chief Executive of IQ Verify, Raymond Clarke said Lynn’s leadership of IQ since November, patiently working through the requirements of UKAS and developing a foundation for the new company, has been a revelation.
Change
I asked Lynn: what if she could change one thing in the industry? She replied: “I would like to see the SIA licence in-house security personnel as well as security consultants and those conducting investigative services etc. If this does not happen there is an alternative and I am in discussions with various senior industry personnel but at the time of print it is still confidential … but watch this space.” That sounded interesting but in the meantime how did she see the industry changing? She replied: “I hope that the SIA will start to raise the bar as the current regime for the approved contractors scheme is focused on a basic level. It would be preferable to include management and directors to ensure that they are appropriately qualified and experienced to undertake their roles. Security personnel often get a raw deal as their managers do not have the knowledge, experience and wherewithal to deal with them. In a security business the security personnel are the most important people, they are often the client interface, or the person doing the job. They should receive the appropriate recognition and respect as they are the ones that help towards building a good reputation.”
About Lynn Watts-Plumpkin: The compliance auditor who has worked for SSAIB and NSI, chaired the British Standard BS:102000 Investigative Services standard and with the committee which included ABI, IPI, IPSA, insurers, SSAIB, NSI, private investigation companies and individuals wrote the standard, in use today.
Photo by Una Riley.
