The UK-based International Security Journal recently highlighted two International Foundation for Protection Officers influencers. The journal ran a profile on IFPO Chief Strategic Officer Charles "Chuck" Andrews and a column IFPO UK & Ireland's Mike Hurst. Take a look:

 

Excerpt from Chuck's profile, with mention of the IFPO:

It was recently announced that Andrews had been appointed as Chief Strategic Officer for the International Foundation of Protection Officers (IFPO). The organisation’s mission statement is: “The International Foundation for Protection Officers is committed to the support and professional development of protection officers and supervisors. Through advocacy, promoting training standards and providing accessible training, education and certification opportunities, we seek to enhance their professional standing as well as increase and diversify the value of the vital services they provide.”

It is clearly a role this is close to Andrews’ heart as it provides more opportunities for him to offer support and assistance to security professionals. He said: “Security officers are on the frontline and therefore we need to give them the training, standards, certification and respect that they deserve. It is a thankless job and yet it is the most critical of jobs. The only group I know of that is looking to contribute to these changes is IFPO, they are leading the charge.”

Read the rest of the story.

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An excerpt from Mike's column:

Looking at what key trends we will see over the next 12 months in the security profession is, to say the least, tricky, but let's give it a go.

This may be aspirational rather than a forecast, but I am hopeful that business and the wider community will start to realise the important role that security and security professionals fill, not just in the protection of people, property and assets but also in the facilitation of business and our normal daily lives.

Indeed, done well, or even moderately well, perhaps in accordance with the principles of Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM), security can add tangible benefits to an operation and show a return on investment and I could cite many instances where security has added to the bottom line.

To paraphrase Professor Martin Gill, Founder of The OSPAs (Outstanding Security Professionals Awards), security professionals are, historically, not very good at telling people how good they really are.

Read the rest of the story here.