Thursday 24 July 2008

Response from Vernon Coaker

Well, I wasn't prepared for the response Ive had from Mr Coaker, although I should have expected it, being from the Home Office after all.
It was less than enthusiastic to say the least.
All he has done is quote the Private Security Act 2001, and the self-defence 'reasonable force' laws.
I might have just as well got some random person off the street to comment on the letter I sent, I probably would have had a better response to be honest.

The full response from Mr Coaker will be available on the new APSO site once it is back up and running.

New home, new beginnings?

The main APSO site has moved home.
It is no longer on my own personal webspace, but at www.apso.org.uk, kindly donated to us by one of our members.

Its hoped that with the new address will come a new stage in the campaign for a better security industry, with the ability now to hand out to officers a simple web address, rather than a long laborious one, in the hope that more will join our cause and increase our ability to make a difference in this country.

Sunday 6 July 2008

Slight update...

Well, its a new month, and yet I see that security officers are still being attacked, and the government only seems to care about officers who work as cash in transit officers.
Im not saying they shouldnt be considered for increased protection etc, but at the same time, we have to put up with attacks as they do.
Obviously attacks against the rest of us are less frequent as we dont carry large amounts of cash around, but we still get attacked, and they are becoming more frequent as time goes on.

Have I received any kind of response from Mr Coaker? Nope.
Am I expecting one in the next few weeks? Nope.
Am I surprised? Not in the slightest.

Ive had some more interest from individual officers of late.
Hopefully this will increase, but unless it does, all of our efforts will be completely pointless.

We'll just have to see really.

Thursday 26 June 2008

Letter from Helen Goodman....

This morning, I have received a letter from my local MP, Helen Goodman, advising that she received the email I sent to her to forward onto the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.

Has it gone to her...? No.
It has instead gone through to Vernon Coaker MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, who apparently has responsibility for the Security Industry Authority.

If I knew it was only going to go there, I would have contacted him directly, as I may have had a response by now.

Oh well... just going to have to keep waiting really.

Sunday 15 June 2008

I should have posted this the other day...

... but I've had family things to deal with.
As you will notice in my previous post, I emailed both Jacqui Smith MP and David Davis MP, however, Mr Davis has now left his post as both Shadow Home Secretary and Member of the Conservative Party.
So Im now left with a bit of a dilemma: Do I wait to see who is taking his place as Shadow Home Secretary and email them, or do I wait to see if I get any kind of response from the Conservatives first, as they may forward the email onto someone who would be able to comment further on it.

Politicians huh!

Monday 9 June 2008

Let battle commence!

I have, JUST emailed both Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP via my local MP, Helen Goodman, and Shadow Home Secretary the Rt Hon David Davis MP, with regards to the state of the Security Industry.

Wonder who will respond first?
I have a funny feeling its going to be the Conservatives....

Monday 26 May 2008

More support

I have had a few people recently come to me and offer their names as supporters of the campaign, for which I am grateful, the more the merrier I say.
But today (Sunday 25th) I have spoken to the manager of a local company, Praetorian Security ltd, based here in Bishop Auckland, who has given permission to put him down also as a supporter of the campaign.
He too agrees that there needs to be reform in the industry, starting with the SIA as he has had to lay off many lads and lasses due to the SIA's huge delays in resolving their backlog from last year, one lad has been waiting for about 6 months sofar, and still no badge.

So come on people, put your names down, if there aren't the numbers we will never get taken seriously enough to make a difference.
Yeah, Mike Wilson has recognised we are in existance, but we need to get the rest of the 'powers that be' to recognise us, or else our efforts will be wasted.