Unpacking the truth…

Last week’s events in Leicester Square show why security is more than just ‘a job’ for some officers…

They say moving house is one of life’s most stressful events. I’m beginning to see why.

I got the keys to my new place last Thursday. Since then, it’s been complete chaos! As I write, I’m surrounded by a sea of half-opened boxes – each one a reminder that my unpacking priorities might have been slightly skewed.

I probably should have started unpacking immediately. But instead of getting down to business, I did what any rational person would do: I headed straight to the pub for the first time in six months. Well, I didn’t want to get my shiny new cooker dirty, did I?!

On the bright side, Esme (my dog) has been living her best life in the cardboard jungle that is now our home. Perhaps the boxes should stick around a bit longer after all…

Home organisation might not be at the top of my priorities, but security and public protection definitely are. Much in the same way they were for Abdullah – the security guard who helped save an 11-year-old girl from a horrifying knife attack in London’s Leicester Square last week.

“I heard a scream, and I just went outside and saw one guy had a knife,” he told the BBC. “The moment I saw it I just jumped on that guy and grabbed his hand… and put him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.”

Abdullah, who was working as a security guard at nearby TWG Tea, didn’t hesitate. “I had no time, I didn’t think. I just saw a kid getting stabbed and I just tried to save her,” he said. “It’s my duty to just save them.”

His comments highlight the instinctive bravery that many officers possess. Abdullah had no specialist training for a situation like that. His heroic actions weren’t in the job description. Yet he risked his life without a second thought.

People don’t go into security for the money – let’s be honest, they could earn more elsewhere. They do it because protecting others is in their DNA. It’s not just a job; it’s a calling.

Too often, the public sees security guards with very little regard. And I get that view. I’ve walked into stores and seen officers from other security companies glued to their phones or looking like they’re about to nod off. It doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, that’s why Advantage One exists; we want to change the public’s perception…

A customer once told me, “James, a security officer is a security officer”. But that’s not quite true.

Security officers have a choice as to how they approach their work. They can either watch the clock, counting down the minutes of an eight-hour shift, or they can throw themselves into the role with gusto.

As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr famously said: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’”

At Advantage One, we only hire officers who genuinely care about what they do. Our guards actually want to be here. They strive to do their best every single day. And even if they’re not natural-born pros, our rigorous training program ensures they’re up to the challenge.

So, how do we get the best out of our team? Simple: we understand what makes them tick. We celebrate their successes, and we make sure they feel valued.
In an industry with a notoriously high turnover, our top 20 employees have a combined service record of 250 years. I think that speaks volumes!

Thankfully, attacks like the one in Leicester Square are rare. But they highlight the dedication of top-notch security officers who are still just ‘people’ put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe.

I take my cap off to you Abdullah.

(And if you ever need a job, just give me a call!)