CSyP Annual Dinner | Professional security

The annual Register of Chartered Security Professionals (CSyPs) dinner has become one of the most prominent events on the UK private security calendar. We changed into our tuxedos to attend the 11th anniversary dinner last Monday.

Baroness Ruth Henig, as President of the Security Institute, delivered an introductory welcome speech in which she welcomed the growing demand for CSyP status and described the 260 CSyPs as “important pioneers”. She also commended the mentors and reviewers, all of whom volunteered their time. Among the backroom staff doing admin around CSyP, Baroness Henig praised Vicki Smith, who took over the helm from longtime Di Thomas. Baroness Henig pointed out that alongside the more general stakeholder sessions, tailor-made workshops for UK central government departments were offered through the Cabinet Office for those in the public sector interested in CSyP status.

Among the front runners were the present Master Paul Miller of the Worshipful Company; Jane Gyford, Cambridgeshire Deputy Chief Constable; former champion Peter French; former Chair of the Institute Prof. Alison Wakefield; Institute Treasurer Bob Martin, who offered the faithful toast; and institute chairman Peter Lavery. Don Randall, gallantly extending his arm to Baroness Henig to escort her down the stairs from the mezzanine floor (where aperitifs and conversation were enjoyed) to the dining room, called to order and asked for a minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

Panel registrar and former Institute Chair Garry Evanson read out the biographies of the new CSyPs; and listed about 12 CSyPs that have lasted ten years on the registry, which qualified them for another certificate and pin.

There are CSyPs in 20 countries; two from the Republic of Ireland, Garry Bergin and Paul Kellett, were among the guests, two of the 25 to have received CSyP status so far this year. Garry, who has a PhD in business administration, is a director at security company Manguard Plus; while Paul Kellett is Chief Officer at Midlands Prison in the Republic.

To briefly touch on the evening’s other CSyP recipients, they demonstrate the academic rigor and sheer diversity of the “gold standard” of security management in the English-speaking world. The CSyP is also not a contact point for those who apply; Baroness Henig mentioned that the CSyP had around 420 applications.

Garth Allsopp is a senior nuclear safety inspector; Thomas Balogun leads a cybersecurity team at the Department of Defense; James Bore is a director of a technology, information and cybersecurity company; Ed Cudmore, 22 years with the Met Police, is now in Amazon’s Protection Division; Stephen Deakin is MD of Data, Security and Technology Architecture for Global Functions Technology at Citi; Lee Garner is Inspector of Nuclear Safety at ONR (Office for Nuclear Regulation); Niall Griffin, 32 years with Sussex Police, is now General Manager of barrier products company Hardstaff Secure; Jane Gyford, featured in the August print issue of Professional Security as the 250th registrant; Chris Middleton is Director of Security and Customer Service at ABM UK (who was one of the speakers at the International Security Expo at London Olympia the following day); Tom O’Driscoll is director of security strategy and intelligence at National Highways); Robert Stenhouse is a former Royal Marine and Constable, now Security Advisor to the Combined Cheshire West and Chester Council; Brett Taylor is Associate Director, Safety and Security at the Diriyah Gate Development Authority in Saudi Arabia (who was there on the night); George Trebess is a Met Police Counter-Terrorism Security Coordinator; Brian von Kraus is CEO of risk management company FireWatch Solutions in the United States; and David Ward, now a consultant, was founding chairman of the City Security Council, a City of London-based group of security companies.

Earlier this year other CSyPs were presented with their certificates of registration in the City of London – Tony Cooper, Charlie Frank and Bill Nelson; and Andrew Donaldson, Neil Evans and Angela Vernon Lawson, the new COO of the Security Institute, by Princess Anne as the institute’s patron at the institute’s annual general meeting.

After the meal, the Government’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) and Head of Government Security, Vincent Devine, who is based in the Cabinet Office and succeeded Dominic Fortescue at the turn of the year, spoke.

More in the November print edition of Professional Security Magazine.

About the CSyP

Applicants must demonstrate that they work or consult at a strategic level and have a strategic approach and view of security disciplines. This does not necessarily require you to hold a managerial or equivalent position, but there must be clear evidence of strategic personal practical or consulting activity
contribution or in a very high class operational security context. To qualify, you must have a security-related degree or an academic degree plus security qualification. or, in the absence of academic qualifications, applicants complete a written portfolio consisting of three essays totaling 7,500 words from a list of pre-determined questions, including one prescribed by the document reviewers. Visit https://www.charteredsecurityprofessional.org/.

Under its Royal Charter, the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals was able to establish a Register of Chartered Practitioners in 2010 as the 108th Livery Company of the City of London. It is administered by the Security Institute for the Worshipful Company. Successful applicants can use the post-nominal CSyP.