International Day of Security Officers 2023

As we celebrate International Security Officers Day, let us pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of security officers in the UK who work tirelessly every day to keep us safe. The date of July 24 recalls their work to protect people and property, professionally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are currently over 420,000 SIA Approved Security Officers in the UK. Each licensee will have undergone training and checks to qualify for an SIA license and play their role in protecting the public.

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of meeting licensees working in both audience-facing and behind-the-scenes roles. I spoke to agents working in the night economy, at music events, in offices, in historic buildings, and in CCTV control rooms to hear their perspective on working in the security industry and learn about their experiences.

This year we continue to highlight some of the impressive stories of commitment, professionalism, courage, dedication and bravery across our #BehindTheBadge campaign. We invite members of the public to join us in thanking, celebrating and saluting our real-life heroes. Let’s pay tribute to them and their skills and qualities that make them everyday heroes.

So here are the brave, the courageous and compassionate, the resilient; conflict resolvers and those who diligently and reliably watch over us 24/7, we thank you for all the invaluable work you do to protect us and keep us safe.

We see you. We respect you. We thank you.

Michelle Russell
Managing Director, Security Industry Authority