New petition launched calling for “Assaulting a Security Worker” to become a standalone criminal offence

The S12 Security Guarding Leadership Group and the Security Industry Federation Trade Union have today announced full, joint support for a national petition calling on the UK Government to introduce a specific offence for assaulting a security worker.

Every day, security officers across the UK face rising levels of violence, threats and abuse while protecting the public. Many suffer injuries, trauma and long-term impact on their mental health. Yet unlike emergency workers, security personnel still do not benefit from a dedicated statutory offence that reflects the risks they face.

S12, formed under the direction of the Security Minister and tasked with being the operational voice of the security guarding sector, exists to shape public-safety policy and to lead industry-wide action on critical issues affecting workers and the communities they protect. Today’s call for legislative reform aligns directly with its mandate to improve public safety and accelerate essential protective legislation.

The SIF, is the UK’s only dedicated trade union for security professionals, representing security workers across the UK including frontline officers, many of whom report daily violence, under-reporting, and inconsistent employer responses. Both S12 and SIF agree that the current legal framework does not go far enough to deter offenders or safeguard staff.

Alex Booth, S12 board member and workstream lead for Lobbying for Legislation to Protect SIA workers, said: “Calling for legislation to provide greater protection for security workers was quickly identified as one of the most pressing issues facing the sector during the S12’s industry-wide consultation in October. The launch of this petition will hopefully help signal how important this is and raise it further up the agenda.”

Daniel Garnham, SIF General Secretary said: “I welcome S12’s support for the call to create a specific offence for assaults on security workers. For too long, our frontline staff have faced serious and often brutal attacks, yet too many offenders leave court without meaningful consequences, a stark contrast to the protections rightly afforded to emergency workers.
Together, we are urging the industry to back this petition and calling on the Government to stand behind the thousands of security professionals across the UK who keep the public safe every day”.

The petition requires 10,000 signatures for a Government response and 100,000 signatures for parliamentary debate. The S12 and SIF are jointly urging the entire security sector, including employers, staff, clients, trade associations, and members of the public, to show their support.

📢 Call to Action

Sign and share the petition today:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/750121

Support the workers who protect us all.