Case Studies > HMCS Court Security Services
Early in the new millennium, ECS was given to understand that Gwent Magistrates Courts Committee (‘MCC’) was being audited and it was found to be failing in the area of providing effective Court Security Officers in their court houses. It was noted that both the Magistrates and witnesses attending court hearings were fearful, with the effect that there was low witness attendance at hearings.
ECS tendered for a contract to provide suitably trained Court Officers. ECS is very proud of the fact that despite being over 300 miles away from our main operational centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, ECS was able to secure a 3-year contract with Gwent MCC.
One of the measures introduced was new search equipment and procedures at each of the ten court houses; in addition, ECS also put in place an improved training regime for all new and existing Court Security Officers. As a result, the number of witnesses attending court has improved from under 32% to 87% over the course of twelve months.
No doubt, with ECS’s new security measures, both the Court staff and witnesses feel considerably safer. Indeed, ECS is very proud that we have secured a contract with Her Majesty’s Court Services for Dorset and Gloucestershire.The new Regional Area Director, Rod Brummit said “We have been extremely satisfied with the support we have received from ECS. The staff and court users have remarked how much safer they feel since ECS have taken over the security. The service provided by ECS has been successfully mapped against the ‘The Department of Constitutional Affairs’ ‘Safe and Secure’ exacting standards.”
Elite Contact Security Ltd Trading as ECS Security holds SIA Approved Status for the provision of Security Guarding and Keyholding Services. CCAS is the assessing body.
The ACS Standard encompasses all aspects of a security provides operation. It takes a histolic view of how well an organisation is managed and an approved organisation must demonstrate to an independent assessor, on an annual basis, that it has met defined standards.
SIA Registration Number 3516.
http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pages/acs-roac-intro.aspx
