The City Security Council was established in 2018 and officially launched in June 2019 by a group of leading security companies in the City of London to work in close partnership with the City of London Police during major crises and emergencies. Its founding purpose was to standardise and strengthen coordination between private security providers and the police, pooling information and the presence of thousands of frontline officers to deliver a more consistent and effective response to serious incidents.
About Us
Over time, the Council has grown in membership and remit, evolving from a City-focused initiative into a nationally recognised partnership model open to ACS-accredited security companies and those working to relevant British Standards across the UK. A significant phase of expansion came with the development of operations in Manchester, demonstrating that the CSC model can be successfully adopted beyond the capital and paving the way for other major cities and towns to follow. Today, it is widely regarded as a leading and authoritative voice for the security industry, representing the interests of thousands of security officers and helping to shape how public–private collaboration, preparedness, and resilience are delivered in cities and communities nationwide.
Since its inception, the City Security Council has significantly expanded in scope and influence and is now recognised as a leading voice for the UK security industry, particularly for frontline security professionals. Membership has been extended beyond the City of London to include any UK-based security company that is ACS-approved or working towards the relevant British Standards, reflecting the Council’s national ambition and reach.
The Council’s strategy focuses on delivering the highest levels of detection, prevention, deterrence, and response, underpinned by strong collaboration between public and private partners. By uniting private security and emergency services to protect cities and communities, through sharing intelligence, promoting high training standards, and strengthening crisis-response coordination, the City Security Council enhances public safety and gives its members a credible national voice. Together, this proven partnership model is helping to make the UK safer, stronger, and better prepared for today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
City Security Council Charter
The City Security Council has created a Charter that standardises effective and efficient responses from security companies when operating in times of emergency. This Charter was devised by key members of the security industry who met over a 12-month period to discuss ideas and agree on what is essentially a strategy which will operate as a code of good practice.
Establishing the Charter and standardising how security companies operate in emergencies means everyone instinctively knows what the physical reaction will be and how best to gather and share information.
Intelligence for detection, prevention and deterrence
The City of London’s Square Mile was the starting point for the CSC intelligence group, established under the leadership of Steve Shackell to bring security providers and the City of London Police together around a single, coordinated approach to information sharing and incident response. From this focused local model, the intelligence function has grown into a national capability, supporting a widening range of cities and regions while retaining the Square Mile as a key operational hub.
Within this footprint, CSC members combine their strengths through structured intelligence gathering, secure information sharing, and the coordinated presence of more than a thousand security officers and associated services.
This collective effort is directed towards achieving the highest possible standards of detection, prevention, deterrence, and response, in support of the City of London and the communities who work, visit, and live there.
As the network has expanded, intelligence and learning are now shared across London, Manchester and other emerging hubs, helping build a richer, real-time picture of risks and vulnerabilities. This joined-up approach improves situational awareness, supports earlier identification of emerging threats and enables good practice from one area to be rapidly adapted and applied elsewhere.
The City of London Police, the Metropolitan Police, the British Transport Police, Greater Manchester Police and other key partners benefit from a consistent, professional response from the security industry, with member organisations aligned on shared expectations and agreed protocols in the event of a crisis. Looking ahead, the CSC will continue to strengthen its intelligence capabilities, invest in secure and efficient information-sharing mechanisms and broaden participation from additional cities and regions, further enhancing public safety for everyone who works, visits and lives in these areas.