The security industry ought to credit police with their commercial know-how, says a former police officer now a consultant.
Graham Bennett, a former Detective Chief Inspector in the West Midlands Police, was the Head of Crime Prevention for the force. He runs a security consultancy business, Portland Security Solutions, in the Black Country.
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Having recently retired from the police service, as a senior officer, I found myself looking at a second career in the security industry. An easy transition for a senior police officer with a host of skills gained over some 27 years you may think. Not so fast’ ‘what commercial experience do you have’?, seemed to be the predominant response to any job application.
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Quickly realising that the private and commercial sector vastly underestimated the worth and expertise of someone with my background, I am prompted to set the record straight, and offer advice to would-be employers of former police officers. Historically former police officers have chosen security management as a preferred second career based upon a realistic and genuine belief that they possess the required skills. Many have been successful in gaining employment, but some have failed through a lack of understanding, by the commercial world, of the business and commercial acumen now being taught and practiced in the police service. There still prevails a perception by those who do not know, or have little knowledge, of how the police service is either run or organised. Indeed many private sector managers close their minds to the fact that the police service has been run as a commercial enterprise, with all the issues that brings, for many years.
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This may at first seem a damming criticism of these managers, but their defence is clear ‘res ipso loquitor'(the facts speak for themselves) ‘no-one has ever explained these issues to them, and yes, they are unaware of the commercial skills former officers have acquired and the benefits these could bring to their business. For my own part managing large numbers of people, controlling large budgets and an infrastructure the size of a medium sized company, was an integral part of the role of a senior police manager. In addition to this business management role, was that of senior investigator, policy maker and a whole lot more. The advent of further financial restraint and accountability ensured the police service and its managers became commercially-aware throughout the 90s and beyond. Joint training and partnerships with the private sector moved the service into the competitive environment of best value and performance targets, a culture which prevails today, and will only develop further.
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Many former colleagues also possess academic qualifications in business management as a result of gaining business related degrees, eg MBA. This aspect coupled with on the job management, often in critical situations, does I feel, make them ideally suited to migrate from the police service to the commercial sector. Such migration and change is now even easier to make and should be accounted for by recruiters of former police officers. Although they may not possess formal qualifications accredited by the industry or a background in commercial security management, the message is clear ‘ use the skills they have to the benefit of your business.
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Of course there will always be the former officer who merely wishes to supplement a pension, and therefore lack the motivation necessary for senior management roles within the industry. This will often show through in any interview, and the onus is on personnel professionals to filter such applications. However ‘ a word of caution, some officers now leave before their pension is payable for a variety of reasons, and have a genuine desire to enjoy a second career. Look at their profile and CV to establish the true facts, and question their motivation for the position applied for.
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Managers can still have confidence in former police officers who, in the main, are highly-trained professionals who can add tremendous value to any business. They are justly proud of the service given to the police and the communities they have supported. The prejudice they face when exploring a second career needs to be eradicated for their benefit and for the industry as a whole. Let us not waste the expertise available to us – but capitalise upon it.
