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On Thursday, 24th July, the International Professional Security Association (IPSA) held its annual awards ceremony dedicated to celebrating the frontline of security. It’s so often an unsung role, and awards shows like IPSA’s offer an ideal opportunity to recognise those who make the security industry what it is.
ProFM were honoured to be in attendance on the day and to see one of our longest-standing and most decorated security professionals, Barry Higgins, scoop a richly deserved Hall of Fame award. This is the story of that day, Barry’s win, and why we feel that recognition makes all the difference in the security industry.
IPSA commented;
“Today we celebrate Barry Higgins from ProFM Group who joined our IPSA Hall of Heroes last week as part of International Security Officers’ Day on 24 July!
Barry’s swift, compassionate response during a critical incident likely saved a life. When a resident was suspected of self-harming, Barry acted immediately, gaining access, calmly assessing the scene, and ensuring constant support. He escalated emergency services when the individual’s condition worsened and remained by their side until paramedics arrived.
His quick thinking, professionalism, and care under pressure reflect the highest standards of frontline service and make him truly deserving of recognition.”
Congratulations Barry, and thank you for the role you play in keeping us safe 24/7/365.”
As their name implies, the International Professional Security Association (the IPSA) seek to bring together professionals, companies and contractors from the security sector to share insights and drive forward the standards. That’s been their mission since 1958 – collaboration and communication bring changes for the better.
Their extensive history makes them the single most well-established security industry authorities and, alongside the SIA and the Approved Contractor Scheme, helps direct our sector to new heights.
It’s no doubt been an inspiration for us and companies like ours. Continuing to uphold the expert levels of protection that clients demand isn’t always easy, but organisations like the IPSA allow us to learn, to prosper and to seamlessly deliver that next generation of service excellence.
They do that through a series of carefully chosen objectives, an extensive support network, and data-driven research that spurs us all on to do better.
It’s credentials like those, as well as their membership numbers that now exceed 10,000, that mean they’re ideally positioned to present their awards, and to recognise the heroes of the security frontline.
With the 24th July appropriately being 24/7, and International Security Officers Day, the IPSA award ceremony fell at an ideal time. We’ll discuss the importance of proper recognition in our sector in our next section, but suffice it to say that an event like that is an excellent way to show that we see those who go above and beyond.
Barry is, for us, the epitome of that. While we’ve historically had award winners and exceptional security personnel at ProFM, and no doubt many more that haven’t yet had their time in the spotlight, Barry’s story is one that struck a chord across so many aspects of our business.
His decisive actions and desire to do the right thing saved a life on what had otherwise been a routine night shift for Barry. He attended an emergency call at one of our sites, responding swiftly to get a vulnerable person the attention they needed to both survive and to recover from what could’ve been a potentially fatal incident.
Barry received the Hall of Fame Award – one of the highest honours from the IPSA, and for us, that’s no less than he deserved. He didn’t just embody those traits on that evening; it’s something he brings to every shift, and to each site he visits.
Security officers are in a position of power and responsibility, and while the research points towards the majority of the public trusting private security officers, it can often be a thankless task.
Whether that’s a concierge professional at a hotel, a steward at a football match, or a security officer at the entrance to a supermarket, they’ll go unnoticed by many of the people who use that service. That’s especially true of those who work on night shifts or remote premises, but it’s a consistent theme across our sector.
We’ve always sought to change that with our recognition awards, the Circle of Excellence. We seek to give these to the people in our business who go above and beyond, no matter what capacity they work in. Excellence is present across every aspect of our business, and we’ve worked hard to make sure we recognise that in all its forms.
It also allows people in those frontline roles to know that they’re seen, they’re recognised, and they’re rewarded. Proper recognition is a way to give back, especially to those who make the business the success that it is.
We’ve always sought to remember that our security officers are the foundation of what we do in the ProFM security division, and that without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.
Not only does that mean people feel fulfilled in what they do, but it’s a great way to help us strive towards that next level of superb service. Knowing you’re doing well spurs you on to do more and to continue to strive for that next level.
That’s a point of commonality between our own ProFM Circle of Excellence and the much grander scale of the IPSA awards – we want to give back wherever we can, and celebrate those who give so much to allow us to do what we do. It’s all part and parcel of the journey to creating a brighter future for professional security.
CCTV & Electronic Systems
John has a proven track record for motivating and leading high performance teams and has helped mentor and develop many people at ProFM who now hold key or senior positions within the business. John is committed to delivering only the finest services, exercising compelling leadership, maintaining good internal morale and striving to resolve any challenges efficiently and effectively.
