Alan commented that his vision is to provide delegates with important and current security topics, delivered by excellent speakers in the very best conference facilities.  He said, “The annual SCY conferences will always be delegate driven with the topics and, in some cases, the speakers chosen by them.  I am determined that this event will continue to be the ‘Security Conference of the Year’ and I am committed to providing top quality content, first class delivery and the very best facilities.”

Opening the event, co-founder of SCY and conference facilitator Alan Townsend, former Flying Squad crime prevention co-ordinator, welcomed the delegates from several industry sectors including representatives from financial institutions, law enforcement, retail, cash in transit, insurance and travel industries.

Five top UK speakers provided perceptive presentations on a variety of security issues including public versus private risk management, the ever present threat of terrorism, handling financial intelligence, retail security and learning from offenders -- all subjects of significant interest to security professionals in today’s ever changing world.

Returning to SCY for a second year due to strong delegate demand, Professor Martin Gill a director of Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International and Professor of Criminology at the University of Leicester, provided delegates with a fascinating presentation on the subject ‘What can we learn from offenders’.  Based on hundreds of interviews with convicted criminals, Martin discussed why offenders thought it is easy to commit certain types of crime, what they relied on for success and their decision making process when committing these crimes.  Martin concluded with a series of useful guidelines on how industry security professionals could develop strategies to reduce the incidence of crime.

Graham Dowling, Senior Fraud Investigator with Nationwide Building Society delivered an incisive presentation into the many different aspects of fraud to which all businesses can be exposed, whether financial or retail.  His presentation contained highly significant information in relation to obtaining confidential or sensitive material, the Data Protection Act, whistle-blowing disclosures and the many different types of fraud that can affect the business world.

Commander Tim White QPM, Deputy National Co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism presented delegates with a unique background to recent terrorist activities, highlighting the ever present threat of terrorism in the UK and abroad using exclusive CCTV footage.  The graphic detail Tim was able to deliver on the current risk was a wake-up-call and his advice on how businesses could help reduce that risk was much appreciated by the delegates.

Andrew Nicholls is the Security & Licensing Manager for Mitchells & Butlers, one of the UK’s largest retail leisure groups specialising in theme premises catering for all age groups.  Andrew outlined the challenges that face retail security in protecting people and assets within a corporate organisation, while at the same time understanding brand and business culture; Andrew’s observations were refreshingly candid and received aconsiderable praise from the delegates.

Alan Brown OBE, former Assistant Commissioner with the Metropolitan Police Service and now Director of Security for Tesco plc, delivered the keynote speech entitled ‘Public versus Private Risk Management’.  Alan addressed the audience on the complex differences between risk management as a senior police officer and as a security director for an international retail company.  Alan’s concluding messages to the delegates were:  understand the dynamics of a crisis recognise the early signs and  have the appropriate security management structures in place beforehand ? otherwise prepare for failure!

In concluding the conference Alan Bullock thanked the speakers and delegates for attending.  He said, “The quality of this year’s agenda and speakers has been truly outstanding, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience that has been shared with us all and I guarantee that SCY’09 will be equally as good.”