Protecting People, Premises and Property
With four campuses across Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, the University of Bedfordshire is a home away from home for over 20,000 students from 120 countries. Since 2010, Securitas has been a consistent presence at its Bedford and Luton sites, providing a range of protective services that enhance security whilst also delivering cost efficiencies for the University.
The Story in Brief:
- Securitas has been providing a comprehensive package of protective services at the University of Bedfordshire’s Luton and Bedford campus since 2010
- Our consistent presence on both campuses includes patrol security officers, STARS (Security Trained Assistance and Reception Services), onsite CCTV monitoring and Fire Safety testing
- Working closely with key stakeholders, our solutionsled, collaborative approach has built a long-lasting relationship and helped the University identify security cost savings of over £1.5 million
A Solutions-Led Approach
To address the challenges and risks oncampus, we offer round-the-clock protection through a combination of on-site SIA licensed officers, mobile patrols, electronic and remote security.
Patrol officers carry out ID checks to ensure unregistered visitors do not access the campus unchallenged – this is particularly important in the libraries which are open 24/7.
Officers who have undertaken our unique STARS training (Security Trained Assistance and Reception Services) provide enhanced reception services during out-of-office hours. As the first point of contact, they act as brand ambassadors for the University.
This physical presence is supported by an on-campus CCTV control room. Run by Securitas, it provides 24/7 monitoring to capture any incidents. Our officers also carry out fire tests on campus and play a pivotal role in escalating any critical on-site incidents to the University’s Critical Incident Response Team. “Their proactive approach to the security of the campus and its occupants is great,” says Natalie Gray, Head of Campus Services, “and they also have the flexibility to deal with any intermittent challenges which inevitably arise.”
Through our Contract Manager, Rhoni Ikhide, a member of the Association of University Chief Security Officers who sits on the panel of both the Eastern Region Counter Terrorism Group and the Police Advisory Group we can provide further intelligence to ensure the right solution is provided.
A Broad Scope
There are events happening on campus throughout the year – including exams, registrations, open days, graduations – and we work closely with the University’s Events Manager, supporting her team with planning and risk assessments.
We also sit on the University’s student safety forum, which exists to tackle student welfare and safety concerns. Recognising that our officers may well be the first port of call in the event of an urgent welfare situation, we introduced an awareness training programme to help them identify and support individuals with wellbeing issues.
Collaborative Working
We regularly undertake in-depth assessments, using a bespoke risk analysis tool to highlight new and emerging risks. We share the results with the University and advise them accordingly – for example, which parts of the campus should be restricted to maintain a safer environment. “The Securitas team on site, and through the regional structure, provides a really collaborative approach,” says Natalie.
This collaboration is supported with monthly review meetings, during which we report against KPIs and review spend against both requirement and return on investment. To date we have identified savings of over £1.5 million.
Extensive Sector Experience
The University of Bedfordshire is one of several universities across the UK with which we have security service contracts in place.
