How Much Do The Public Trust Security Personnel?

While we feel our service excellence, comprehensive case studies and independently audited position as the UK’s #1 ACS-approved security company speak for themselves, it’s equally true that we’re a standout example in our industry. While many of our competitors are just as professional, we’re well aware that there are just as many pretenders and false pretences.

We’ll look at what the public thinks about private security, why that matters to both ourselves and the wider security services industry, and where that could lead us in the future. We’ll also offer a fresh perspective on the sector and how we’re paving the way for a brighter and more trustworthy perception of security.

Analysing The Facts: A Data-Driven Approach To Trusted Security

We’ll start our report by looking at what’s already been established around how the UK public views and trusts manned security services. They’re no doubt a familiar sight, especially to those who enjoy Britain’s vibrant nightlife culture, but it’s also crucial we go beyond the reveller’s perception and look at how a security officer makes us feel.

The primary source for this is, of course, the Security Industry Authority (SIA). The SIA licensing process is well-documented, and that’s arguably what the body is best known for. They are, however, the primary point of contact for all things relating to professional security in the UK, and a key facet of that is how the public perceives security.

In early 2024, the SIA released a robust report on the “public trust and confidence in the private security industry”, which, to date, remains the largest and most comprehensive study of that nature. It contains findings from both 2022 and 2023, and is what we’ll be using as our base for this article.

While the findings of that study are extensive, we’ve distilled them down to a few of the key talking points:

• Most people trust private security. This is the crux of the SIA’s findings, and while the statistics aren’t quite as all-encompassing as we’d perhaps (59% of respondents trust security professionals), it does point towards an improving perception of security officers.
• The majority of people think security professionals do important work. Around 70% of those who responded to the survey value the work security officers do, and believe it’s important that they’re visible in a range of settings that include nightclubs, concerts, festivals, healthcare environments, and retail stores.
• Perceptions are improving. While the study (spanning 2022 and 2023) shows that public perceptions of security change slowly over time, these are improving. That’s particularly true in recent years, with the study finding that those who’d interacted with security in the last 6 months had a more positive opinion.
• Knowledge of the SIA is improving. As the security industry’s key body, the public (especially those in the market for security) must know who the SIA are. That’s steadily improving, with 33% of respondents being aware of the SIA and its role (up from 28% in 2022).

There are concerning findings, however. While public trust in manned security is gradually improving in the UK, other European countries aren’t enjoying the same level of trust. A study conducted in the Swedish city of Malmö found that less than half (48.7%) of respondents trusted private security (compared with 70% in the UK).

It’s also equally valid that personal experience (or the perceptions and experiences of those closest to us) is key. Although our previous point was that those who’ve interacted with security in the last 6 months viewed the experience positively, others didn’t have that same outlook. That’s especially true of those who reported interactions with door supervisors: 14% reporting a negative experience, with behaviour perceived as “rude, bossy or unhelpful”.

That’s all underpinned by one of the final points in the report, which ultimately outlines what people expect from the security personnel they interact with. The SIA encapsulate this well, noting that “People want professional, helpful and reliable security”.

Protecting The Overlap: How Public & Private Security Intersect

Of course, while we’ve established that public trust in manned security has steadily improved over recent years, it’d be remiss of us not to examine how that aligns with public security services, especially the Police. There’s always been a well-established overlap between the two, creating a symbiosis between public and private security services.

Incidents like this one in Leicester Square in August 2024 are perhaps indicative of how that’s evolved, with a watchful security presence offering the intervention and quick action needed in what could’ve been an incredibly dangerous scenario. Countless examples don’t make the news, though, and we’ve been privy to several of those across the sites we secure.

This is perhaps the most significant point to consider when examining how public and private security coexist. Corroborating with emergency services provides a more complete sense of reassurance and peace of mind, especially for professional security services.

In terms of confidence, however, trust in public policing has declined steadily over the last five years. A Parliamentary report released in late October last year highlighted that, in stark clarity, 52% of respondents to a YouGov survey stated that they had minimal confidence in the police’s ability to tackle local crime (compared with 39% in 2019).

The reasons behind that dwindling trust are myriad, and we won’t delve too far into those issues here, but suffice it to say that the tandem approach seems to be the right idea at the moment. Security officers have long supported emergency services, acting as the first response and rapid-acting presence that those situations demand.

Perhaps this is where the actual impetus of modern security lies – in offering a faster, more considered response to incidents that can and do occur. As trust in private security grows, it can have a positive knock-on effect on public safety and ultimately help the UK public feel more protected wherever they are.

A Positive Outlook: Our Thoughts On What This Means For The Future

Now, over a year on from that initial report, it’s translated to a more perceptive and well-informed public. More and more people are understanding the role the Security Industry Authority (SIA) plays, and recognising how integral that is for those who work in the sector. That can only be positive news for those looking to invest in their security measures.

There are positive signs for the future elsewhere in the SIA’s full report, not least in the training and the emphasis on a more “human” approach to security. Of course, the deterrence and presence won’t change – that’s the main impetus behind effective security services.

However, the emphasis should be on how security officers can adapt to be more friendly, approachable, and helpful. According to the aforementioned report from the SIA, that’s one of the key findings:

“…assertiveness and determination are desirable traits which security professionals already have. Respondents wanted them to be more professional, reliable and helpful.”

These findings are integral in determining the ideal way to deliver training. It’s something we’ve always done here at ProFM – our security officers understand the uniquely human demands of the industry and endeavour to be helpful, reliable and professional in everything they do.

To see that included in an official SIA report only serves to improve our sector and the protection we provide to the public, businesses, and institutions across the UK. We foresee this being a huge change going forward, especially with proposed SIA licensing changes already on the horizon.

There’s also the evolving role of private security alongside the police and other emergency services. That has historically been a difficult one, given that many conflate the two. Still, the relationship has evolved since reports like this one issued in 1999, and there’s now a greater scope for an open, symbiotic relationship between the two.

Whether that’s set to grow or shrink in the future is still a mystery, but for us as industry leaders, it’s one that only allows us to provide a more concrete sense of security and safety for the sites we secure. We’re constantly striving for that next level of quality and developing strategies to ensure we can continue to deliver ultra-professional, impassioned security.

Interested in experiencing the ProFM difference, or hearing more about how we’re campaigning for a brighter future in the private security industry?

Get in touch with our in-house representatives today to discuss your options in more detail and learn how we’re pushing the boundaries of what you can expect from your security provider.