William Hill becomes first betting company to gain Secured Environments accreditation
James Thorpe
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William Hill has become the first company in the betting industry to have its security management recognised by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, gaining the prestigious Secured Environments accreditation for ten of its premises in the Westminster area of London.
The award, which recognises that the bookmaker is following six key principles to maximise the safety of staff and customers, was achieved in the shops in Westminster despite them being some of the most challenging across the entire William Hill estate.
The six key principles are a commitment by an organisation and its leadership to create a secure environment; an understanding of the security risks that it faces; the development of an effective response to reduce the risks to the organisation; a management plan to achieve its aims and objectives; the effective implementation of the security and crime prevention measures; and the monitoring and evaluation of the security and crime prevention measures.
While licensing conditions dictate that a responsible approach is taken to prevent gambling from being a source of crime and disorder in an area, the accreditation recognises that William Hill has gone beyond that and demonstrated effective and comprehensive management measures to protect both their workforce and customers from criminal activities.
Professor Martin Gill, Managing Director of Perpetuity Research, said: “Many businesses face challenges in balancing customer service with the need to follow security procedures to minimise their risks and betting offices present a very apt example of the importance of engaging staff on both fronts. We are pleased to see the importance placed upon this by William Hill to safeguard staff, customers and the business.”
Gerard Davies, Head of Retail Security at William Hill commented: “William Hill is delighted to achieve Secured Environments certification. The ten shops included in the assessment are amongst the most challenging across our estate and to have successfully achieved certification is testament to the business’ commitment to crime prevention and, in particular, the safety and welfare of our colleagues, our customers and the communities in which we operate.
“It is great that the excellence William Hill strives for in relation to security matters, at all levels, has been recognised in this manner and it is an achievement of which we are extremely proud.”
Guy Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer at Police Crime Prevention Initiatives said: “It is crucial for businesses to recognise and respond to the crime and security risks they face as good security is valued by both employees and customers. It also supports the overall crime prevention efforts in an area. Secured Environments provides that framework for managing security and ensuring it is effective and that staff at all levels are involved.”
Secured Environments provides that framework for managing security and ensuring it is effective and that staff at all levels are involved.”
Secured Environments is part of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), a police owned organisation that works on behalf of the Police Service to deliver a wide range of crime prevention and demand reduction initiatives across the UK.
The Secured Environments police certification scheme was established in 2007 and presents certification to organisations that are able to show that they have adopted six key principles for protecting themselves against crime. Secured Environments provides a framework for managing and meeting the challenges faced, and it enables organisations to refine their approach and demonstrate that it is effective. The aim is to help organisations to think about their risks and how to make the best use of measures they already have.
Secured Environments was developed through the partnership of PCPI and Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International Limited (PRCI), a specialist in crime, risk and security management.
Secured Environments locations include a landmark building, shopping centres, Universities, halls of residence, a hospital, a data centre and business premises.
