Professional Witnesses is a Manchester-based SIA-approved company, that does guarding and asset protection and other security services.
Founder Trevor Barton was a senior Greater Manchester Police man; he collected the MBE last year for his voluntary work towards sport and regeneration, earning this testimonial from local Labour MP and health minister Andy Burnham: “He is a good friend who has volunteered thousands of hours to improve sport and community activities in Leigh, and his positive thinking makes him a joy to work with."
On ACS, Trevor speaks in terms of ‘social justice’ – the guarding sector remaining open to young starters with say an old van, a dog and the desire to make something of themselves. As someone who started his own company after he retired from GMP in 1995, he speaks of entrepreneurs by definition starting with virtually nothing: “If a security company starts off, it shouldn’t be penalised for being a beginner.” That a larger company – perhaps with more specialised back office staff – is able to write well-crafted bids should not be the whole story with procurement people, Trevor suggests. He likens the procurement process to a 100m hurdles race, with each hurdle becoming harder to leap, leaving fewer bidders in the race at each one. A requirement for so many million pounds insurance cover, or a minimum turnover, or standards such as Investors in People (IiP), will knock some out; that makes it easier for the procurement person, but is that social justice? Trevor asks.
Not that Trevor is anti-standards; quite the opposite, his company has IiP, has just been accredited to the information security management standard 27001, it is in the top 5pc of ACS companies and has had ISO 9001 since 2004: “We have virtually every standard you can think of, because we work very hard, because we want the contracts.” Recently Professional Witnesses won a Post Office contract against stiff opposition to run the Grapevine scheme of gathering and passing on intelligence about risks such as cash in transit thefts against post offices. He acknowledges the procurement manager’s point of view: “I can well understand procurers wanting guarantees in relation to services provided … it’s what makes it a challenge for companies like ours. It’s hard work getting to the big stage and it keeps the big boys honest.”
