Counter Terrorism Policing, through the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, backs two things that increasingly shape how organisations choose protective-security advisers: a national register of verified specialists, and an Ofqual-regulated Level 3 qualification.
The register is a new national Counter Terrorism Security Specialists Register, delivered in partnership with the NPSA-sponsored Register of Security Engineers and Specialists and administered by the Institution of Civil Engineers. It gives businesses a way to find protective-security specialists whose competence has been independently checked, rather than taking a supplier's word for it.
The qualification is the Competent Person in the Workplace, a Level 3 award developed by SFJ Awards with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and funded by the Home Office. SFJ describes it as the only Ofqual-regulated qualification endorsed by CT Policing and NaCTSO that focuses on protecting premises from terrorism. Jon Savell, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations, framed the aim as empowering organisations to make informed decisions and raise their protective-security standards.
Both measures trace back to recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry. This is distinct from SIA licensing: it covers protective-security advice to premises and organisations, not front-line close protection or door supervision. For operators who advise on premises security or preparedness, buyers are starting to ask who verified your competence. Knowing where the register and this qualification sit, and whether you appear on the former, is now part of winning the work.
