Dean McBride

Review of G4S Secure Solutions (UK) Ltd

G4S are an amalgamation of 2 of the UK's greatest ...

G4S are an amalgamation of 2 of the UK's greatest security companies Group 4 & Securicor. 5 years after the merger the new company called G4S began to unravel and started to fail as a leading security company.

Sia Licenced, Approved Contractor with security association acredidations but the company called G4S became a national laughing stock by its negative handling of the London Olympic Games in 2012.

For any security company tasked with the recruitment of 10,000 security staff is no small feat to pull off and although G4S did not manage to provide this amount they had managed to find 6,500 which in itself is an achievement no one has done before; the Government were forced to draught in with 2 weeks to go before the start of the London Olympic Games 3,500 UK military personnel.

Poor management through micro management led to their greatest embarressment with the Olympic Games and being summoned to appear at the Commons Select Committee and a heavy fine in the millions.

On the ground G4S can not govern themselves and their staff need to be supervised relying on overseas staff and a lack of essential real time security training makes G4S unreliable in the matter of which they work. G4S have Government contracts (which is concerning).

Part of the G4S problem is the Sia licence which is desk tested on each person wishing to work in security and once licenced are deemed a professional security officer; Sia licencing puts the emphasis on being licenced and not being trained as if you are unlicenced you commit a criminal offence; this is something the SIA need to improve.

Basic Security is now having a licence, but common sense and security training has become secondary.

Having experienced the many facets of this company I do not believe G4S is conducive to professional security in the UK;

and their SIA Licence & Approved Contractor status should be revoked.

My personal score is 1/10.