Lodge Service appoints Bill Collinge as Business Development Manager

Bill Collinge has joined Lodge Service as Business Development Manager to support Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and provide community security staff in BID areas. Bill was previously Development Manager for SWL Security.

BIDs provide safety and security services required by local businesses and are funded by a levy after a ballot. The funding is ring-fenced for use only in the BID area, with businesses able to decide and direct the services they want.

Bill Collinge is working with Heidi Laybourn, the Lodge Service partnerships and data intelligence manager, to ensure a comprehensive approach to community security, involving retail security officers, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships and BIDS. He says:

“The community-based security delivery is a great initiative, proven to reduce crime and security costs in both public and private spaces. Importantly, our team will engage with local businesses and their concerns and their priorities. It is a proactive service that increases area footfall, making places pleasant to visit, where you can visit, work and live safely.

“Lodge’s service builds on our existing UK security team coverage in each region, where we already have local knowledge, and a current strategy to encourage and support crime reduction. Working with businesses, local authorities and other agencies, communities then benefit from more joined-up security and better environments”.

Lodge Service teams are SIA-compliant and can patrol a designated area up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or provide support at other key times for events or as required. Team rotas can be changed with just 24 hours’ notice. If a community team member is not present, the area users can call Lodge Service and the nearest patrolling officers will respond and provide prompt assistance.

Engaging with people at an incident scene, providing first aid, gathering evidence, and coordinating contact with emergency services as needed, security teams will also report any losses or damage in the public realm, communicating with appointed community partners.

On-site contact is supported by the Lodge Service national intelligence centre, where CCTV and alarm systems are also centrally monitored. The duty officer will notify local business managers of any issue and dispatch security personnel and support teams after hours as required.

The Ranger Role

The team from Lodge Service patrols designated areas, providing a reassuring presence to area users, to prevent and respond to anti-social behaviour. This is in addition to reporting crime to the Police and any environmental (public realm) issues to BID, Council or other authorities. Teams have the authority to share information with organisations such as the Police, community groups, social landlords, and tenants’ associations.

Rangers can support vulnerable people in the community, participating in local events, visiting schools, and attending community and residents’ meetings. 

The Lodge Service teams are recruited from the local area and trained with necessary skills and abilities, such as in public safety and security awareness, remaining calm in stressful situations and working cooperatively with other people and agencies. Training includes on-site attention to detail and active listening, as well as customer service skills and the ability to perform necessary activities on a computer or handheld device.

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