First tends to Royal College of physicians' security needs

First Security, the Number One manned guarding company in the City, has added to its reputation for protecting historic buildings and their contents, by securing the contract for the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) - one of the oldest medical institutions in England.

The RCP was originally created by Royal Charter of King Henry VIII in 1518, and since that time has engaged in a wide range of activities dedicated to its overall aim of upholding and improving standards of medical practice.  In 1964 it moved to its present headquarters building in Regent's Park design by Sir Denys Lasdun and given a Grade 1 listing by English Heritage in 1998.

The College appointed First Security to provide manned guarding services after competitive tender, helped by its proven track record in working on other sites of important historical significance, and having the right ‘fit' for the essential role as one of the first points of contact for visitors to the College.  As Deputy Bedell Ken Furie explains:

"As Deputy Bedell, one of my many responsibilities is security, and ensuring that no-one comes in who shouldn't be here," he says.  "First Security officers provide the ‘physical' security we need, but are also trained in a ‘Front of House' capacity such that legitimate visitors to our building are treated with the respect and welcome they deserve."

The College has some 11,000 Fellows worldwide - of whom approximately 6,500 are in the United Kingdom - and over 9,000 Collegiate Members.  The Fellows are senior members of the medical profession, usually hospital consultants or physicians working in university departments of medicine.  Given the history of the College, the headquarters is home to nearly 500-years worth of medical research and materiel, most of which has either intrinsic or actual value. Keeping it safe is therefore a considerable responsibility.

As well as having a physical presence, the First Security team also has a checklist of duties to support the Bedell in his day-to-day role, monitoring not just people coming in and out of the building but also technologies such as the Fire systems and building management systems.  They will also be in charge of monitoring the new CCTV system currently being upgraded to digital.

The officers wear a uniform to identify them instantly to members of staff, and their performance is continually assessed and benchmarked to ensure that it meets the high demands placed on them by the College.

Jonathan Levine, First Security's Managing Director commented: "The Royal College of Physicians is very particular in the type of officer it needs.  Certainly they need to provide a physical deterrent, but they also need to be welcoming to the very important visitors that the RCP has to its headquarters on a regular basis.  Our officers are hand-picked by the College and fully trained on site to provide a service that we believe is second-to-none."

First Security is particularly noted for its work protecting historic buildings, with recent contracts including The British Medical Association and The Royal British Library.