Some 21 ‘security officers of distinction’ were celebrated at the annual ACS Pacesetters lunch at Windsor on May 21.
While the Pacesetters as a group of the highest-scoring Security Industry Authority-approved contractors is unconnected to the SIA, the regulator’s chief executive Michelle Russell was among SIA personnel attending, besides Pacesetters members and their end user guests. Indeed in a talk to the event (Tim Archer, the SIA’s director of licensing and standards, was due to speak but was unable to attend) Michelle Russell paid tribute to the officers, and those supervisers and managers who nominated them. She asked those nominated to stand, to receive a round of applause from the room. For a gallery of photos from the afternoon, visit https://professionalsecurity.co.uk/gallery/.
‘Celebrating the best’ย
She went on to say: “Quite often as the regulator we see the worst of what goes on. Our job is to regulate and keep those out of the industry who don’t belong here. It’s a real privilege to be here, celebrating the best.” Addressing the officers more directly she said: “It isn’t an easy job that you do, you are expected to be skilled, to work under pressure, to be alert at all times and to often make split-second decisions to prevent and intervene before anyone knows there’s a risk materialising.” She recalled an earlier description of hers of the sector, as an ‘invisible blanket’ that the public often doesn’t realise is there – until something goes wrong. “And you put yourselves forward into harm’s way; then we realise how much we owe you. We genuinely say, thank you.”
Names
That served to introduce the awards that she presented. Citations were read by Mike White. Certificates went to (company name in brackets) Omorose Ogbeide (Kingdom), Adnan Yaseen (Land Sheriffs), Charistopher Marchant (OCS), Musa Khamees (Securitas UK) and Kyle Karim (Sodexo). Highly commended were Naveed Bashir (ABM Security Services UK), and Paul Bonnyman (Protec FM).
The winners of the officers of distinction awards were: Tristan Kenny (APCOA Parking UK), Luke Overy and Shani Baldwin (Assist Security; Shani was also a winner in 2023); Paul Tompkins (Bold Security Group), the CIS Security team at an unnamed central London site, a female officer (full name withheld, Constant Security Services), Ngombo Tuyangalala (ICTS UK and Ireland), Mohammed Naqshbandi (MAN Commercial Protection), Ron Cook (Sentinel Group Security), Kim Lowe (Total Security Services, TSS), Hazem Alaliaoui (Vigilant Protect UK), and Attaullah Umer and Craig Wilkinson (Westgrove Group).
Companies
Before lunch, came presentations to companies: Sodexo, OCS, CIS Security, ICTS, Securitas UK, Constant Security Services, ABM Facility Services UK, APCOA Parking, Centure Security Management, First Response Group (whose officers at Windsor racecourse were on duty at the venue), The Keyholding Company, TSS, Assist Security, Bold Security Group, Vigilant Protect UK, MAN Commercial Protection, Clipfine, Westgrove Support Services, Land Sheriffs, Kingdom Services Group and Protec FM.
Security Minds Matters
Mike Hurst of the security association IFPO UK gave a short presentation on the day’s good cause, the mental health support initiative Security Minds Matter. A raffle with donated prizes raised ยฃ2145 for the charity.
Judges
The compere for the day was Roy Cooper, MD of Professional Security Magazine, and one of the awards judges. The others were Mike White, Sarah Cork, Mike Hurst, Ashley Hoadley of the specialist security sector insurance broker Darwin Clayton, Andrew Brown of the SSAIB inspectorate, Liz Lloyd of the BSIA, James Doyle of the staffing and control room platform Orka, and Stephen Beels and Iona Blake.
About Pacesetters
For more about the members, who have to be within the top 15 per cent of the 700 SIA approved contractors, visit www.acspacesetters.co.uk.
More in the July 2026 edition of Professional Security Magazine. Photo by Mark Rowe.
