A message from our Chief Executive, Michelle Russell, on International Security Officers’ Day.

As we mark International Security Officers’ Day, let’s pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of security officers in the UK who every day work tirelessly to keep us safe. The date of 24 July is a reminder of the work they do to protect people and property, professionally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are currently more than 420,000 SIA licensed security operatives in the UK. Each licence holder will have had training and checks to qualify for an SIA licence and play their part in protecting the public.

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of meeting licence holders working both in public-facing roles and behind the scenes. I spoke to operatives working in the night-time economy, at music events, in offices, in historic buildings and in CCTV control rooms to listen to their views about working in the security industry and learning about their experiences.

This year we continue to highlight some of the awe-inspiring stories of commitment, professionalism, courage, dedication and bravery through our #BehindTheBadge campaign. We invite members of the public to join us in thanking, celebrating and saluting our real-life heroes. Let’s pay tribute to them and their skills and qualities that make them heroes in everyday life.

So here’s to the brave ones, the courageous and compassionate ones, the resilient ones; the conflict resolvers and those who diligently and reliably look out for us 24/7 – we thank you for all the invaluable work you do to protect and keep us safe.

We see you. We respect you. We thank you.

Michelle Russell
Chief Executive, Security Industry Authority