The University of Leicester has had a double win at the annual awards by the UK-based association for university heads of security, Aucso. The Leicester winners are: in the category ‘Security Officer of the Year for Excellent Service’, Joshua Rising, Control Room Operator; and for Security Initiative, Jeana Frid and Steve Fay. Nominations were by Laurence Perkins, Head of Security and Security Operations Manager at Leicester.
In other categories, Officer of the Year for an Outstanding Act of Courage was Ryan Hyland, University of Liverpool, nominated by David Ellis, Campus Support Manager; and Team of the Year was the Laurier Special Constable Service, Wilfred Laurier University, at Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Here (in no particular order) are the nominees (UK institution unless otherwise stated):
Security Officer of the Year (Excellence and Courage):
โขMr Ivan Pak Yan Cheung, Security Officer, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia;
โขMr Konstandinos Konstantopoulos, Security Officer, Deakin;
โขMr Joshua Rising, Control Room Operator, University of Leicester,
โขMr Richard Walker, Security Officer, University of Sussex,
โขRachel Humphrey, Security Officer and Communications Operator, Wilfred Laurier University, Ontario, Canada; and
โขMr Ryan Hyland, Campus Support Officer, University of Liverpool.
Security Team of the Year:
โขSecurity and Porter Team, Lancaster University,
โขB Team, University of Essex,
โขCampus Support Services, University of Liverpool,
โขSecurity Services Team D, University of Oxford,
โขSussex Estates and Facilities, University of Sussex (two nominations)
โขSecurity Department, University of Leicester
โขLaurier Special Constable Service, Wilfred Laurier University; and
โขLaurier Special Constable Service, Brantford, Wilfred Laurier University.
Security Initiative of the Year:
โขMrs Michelle Longhurst, Patrol Officer, University of Essex;
โขMiss Jeana Frid Deputy Team Manager and Steve Fay Control Room Operator, University of Leicester; and
โขMr Simon Kupec, Director Community Safety and Security (CSS) Portofolio, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
Due to the covid pandemic, Aucso is having to hold its usual Easter annual conference online, so that it’s not having an evening dinner for the winners to attend. Winners will have their awards presented locally. Aucso’s AGM will run online on April 21.
Aucso is due to have its 2022 conference at the University of Leeds, from March 29 to 31.
Photo by Mark Rowe; University of Leicester campus, autumn 2019.




