From the Editor
By Neil Sutton
The great and the grateful
If there was a theme at Canadian Security Honours this year, it was gratitude — not only from award winners but also from speakers and panelists who acknowledged the people who support the industry and provide mentorship.
We kicked off our Oct. 6 event with a keynote address from Bob Riddell, president of Riddell Risk Management, who observed that we are operating in a post-pandemic society characterized by “social frustration” and a growing schism between employers and employees. The “quiet quitting” phenomenon, he said, could potentially lead to more cases of insider threat.
He also reflected on the challenges faced by both frontline security personnel and police. He noted the “extraordinary parallels” between their experiences in the field and urged continued co-operation.
A Top 10 Under 40 panel discussion followed, featuring three of our 2022 winners Chris Anquist, Dayne Charbon and Kyle Klein. The conversation focused on topics such as mentorship and establishing a work-life balance.
Each panelist spoke of their engagement with industry associations like ASIS Inter-
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Jason Caissie: Profile Group
Ken Close: Shangri-La Hotel
Ashley Cooper: Paladin Security
David Hyde: Hyde Advisory & Investments
Sherri Ireland: Security Exclusive
national, not only for career development but as a means to foster professional networks.
Erin Mann, recipient of the 2022 Emerging Leader Award, noted that when she joined the security industry in 2016, she found it both welcoming and engaging.
“Speakers and panelists acknowledged the people who support the security industry and provide mentorship.”
A relative newcomer to security, Mann has committed herself to giving back to the industry and developing connections with peers. Her volunteer efforts include the Security Industry Association and its FAST (Foundation for Advancing Security Talent), RISE and Women in Security programs.
“ When you get to where you’re going, extend your hand behind you and help someone else along the path,” said Mann in her acceptance speech.
That thought was echoed by Keith (Melo) Melo, who offered the following advice as he accepted his Community Leader Award: volunteer early and often, such that it becomes a positive habit.
H e also emphasized the importance of humility, which for him means nurturing the ability to listen and learn from others.
This brought us to Lifetime Achievement Award winner Mark LaLonde, who joined the conference from one of his final stops along an Arctic roadtrip (a retirement gift to himself). In his speech, he credited much of his career success to a willingness to try new experiences.
Being open to such experiences, and sharing them with others, has taken him across the world for a variety of professional engagements.
The final award presentation of the afternoon was for Security Director of the Year, David Sulston. His acceptance speech was in keeping with the spirit of the event and nicely summed up one of the key takeaways. “I’m a firm believer that the successes that we have are built upon the people that we surround ourselves with,” he said.
We launched this awards program in 2018 to recognize industry talent. Year after year, the winners continue to inspire us with their leadership and generosity. |
CS
Fall 2022
Vol. 44, No.4 canadiansecuritymag.com
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ASIS Update
By Ian Henderson and Kyle Klein
Ian Henderson and Kyle Klein are co-assistant regional vice-presidents for the ASIS Canada Young Professionals program.
ASIS Young Professionals leading the way
The ASIS Young Professionals group is an important component of the organization because it connects emerging leaders in our industry with the resources, networks and educational opportunities that ASIS offers.
The Young Professionals meetings are typically open to anyone in the security industry, allowing each chapter to connect with people who might not have otherwise thought to join the organization.
ASIS Canada is fortunate to have a national Young Professionals program, which allows each chapter committee lead to share ideas, best practices and new initiatives with their colleagues across the country. Through monthly meetings of the committee chairs, we have been able to identify common challenges in organizing events, and also solutions that have worked well for others.
The ASIS national Young Professionals leadership team also seeks to provide program support across the country. For example, the group recently designed and distributed a challenge coin for all chapters across the nation. On this coin, the symbol of the white stag was used to signify our role as guides in the professional development of our peers.
During the COVID pandemic, the national group also pooled its resources in order to bring in a high profile speaker to address audiences across the nation. This year, we were very pleased to have law enforcement and security expert Jack
Enter share his thoughts on leadership challenges facing operational supervisors in his presentation “Leadership in the Midst of Change.” Next year we are excited to host another speaker to address our members.
Some noteworthy recent events from chapters across the countr y include:
• In-person networking with security profe ssionals from across industry verticals
• LinkedIn coaching session to help de-
velop an online presence and personal brand
• Speed mentoring session with industry veterans on a range of topics
• Leadership development workshop for operational supervisors | CS
ASIS YP Committee chairs:
Atlantic Chapter: Jason Shea, Securitas
Ottawa Chapter: Luis Morales, iGuard360 Security
Southwest Ontario Chapter: Chris Scholes, City of London
Toronto Chapter: Kyle Klein, Wealthsimple
Edmonton Chapter: Lionel Morrill, Paladin Security
Calgary Chapter: Adrian Cadmus-Dixon, H&R REIT
Canadian Pacific Chapter: Ian Henderson, Paladin Security
Ian Henderson, ARVP YP, and Brian Ison, chapter chair, ASIS Pacific chapter at a YP social event.
ASIS challenge coin featuring white stag
Trending
By Madalene Arias
Seneca campaign features security leader
In an effort to attract new talent, Seneca College launched its Challenge Accepted campaign over the summer of 2022.
Graduates of the college participated in a series of videos in which they shared their career successes and insights into the industries they currently serve. They also appear in large red posters now displayed throughout public spaces and on social media.
If you’ve navigated through Toronto’s bustling streets in late summer or fall, you might have seen one such poster featuring Mark Seenarine, security director at the Park Hyatt, on the side of a bus.
“Areas like public safety, law enforcement, and security are a priority at the moment,” says Gary Galbraith, who chairs Seneca’s School of Public Safety & Behavioural Studies.
“It’s important that we represent security as a great pathway in itself into wonderful employment opportunities, but also the way security can help people reach into law enforcement, correctional services and other areas as well.”
Seenarine successfully completed Seneca’s security and police foundations program in 1998. His reasons for participating in the college’s campaign extend beyond student recruitment.
“My hope for that campaign,” says Seenarine, “is when younger people of colour see me succeed in security and succeed at a big enough level where I’m on the side of a bus … they may say, ‘Okay, you know what, I could attain that.’”
In 1996, Seenarine acquired his first security role at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto’s west end while completing his studies at Seneca. He also completed a business administration certificate at Humber College later in his career.
Arielle Boshi also hopes to make a difference through her education. The student is completing her final year at Seneca’s honours bachelor of crime & intelligence analysis program. She believes sharpening her investigative skills can help shed light on corruption and hold the right people accountable.
“I looked at so many programs, and that was the only one that catered to what I really wanted — a lot of different, really cool courses that aren’t offered anywhere else,” says Boshi, who also studied at Seneca for her role as a youth outreach worker. She is also studying to acquire her private investigator licence.
Galbraith notes that employers in the fields of security and public safety value a commitment to lifelong learning and track records that indicate candidates can adapt to changes in the industry.
One of the key messages behind Seneca’s campaign is that the college is prepared to offer credentials for those wanting to develop new skills quickly.
Furthermore, Seneca’s campaign is using Seenarine’s example to educate prospective students on what it means to have a career in the modern security industry. “We just want to make sure students know the full range of opportunities they can explore,” says Galbraith. | CS
Coming Events
NOVEMBER 16-17, 2022
ISC East
New York, N.Y. www.isceast.com
NOV. 30 - DEC. 2, 2022
The Buildings Show Toronto, Ont. www.thebuildingsshow.com
DECEMBER 6, 2022
Focus on Healthcare Security Vaughan, Ont. www.focusonhealthcaresecurity.com
MARCH 28-31, 2023
ISC West
Las Vegas, Nev. www.iscwest.com
APRIL 26, 2023
“Areas like public safety, law enforcement, and security are a priority.”
— Gary Galbraith, Seneca College
Security Canada East Laval, Que. www.securitycanada.com
MAY 1-3, 2023
IAHSS Annual Conference & Exhibition Nashville, Tenn. www.iahss.org
JUNE 14, 2023
Security Canada West Richmond, B.C. www.securitycanada.com
JUNE 24-27, 2023
BOMA International Conference & Expo
Kansas City, Mo. www.boma.org
JUNE 27-30, 2023
IACLEA Annual Conference & Exposition Orlando, Fla. www.iaclea.org
SEPTEMBER 11-13, 2023
GSX Dallas, Tex. www.gsx.org
OCTOBER 25-26, 2023
Security Canada Central Toronto, Ont. www.securitycanada.com
Mark Seenarine, featured in the Challenge Accepted Seneca campaign
Window on Security
By Kevin Magee
Kevin Magee is the chief security officer at Microsoft Canada (microsoft.ca).
Engagement at the board level
Every board I talk t o is deeply concerned about cybersecurity and most are actively looking to bring security expertise to the table.
They claim that they just can’t seem to find people with the right experience and an interest in serving as a director. Yet a great number of cybersecurity professionals, when they hear of my interest in governance and my experience serving on boards, share with me that they would love to volunteer for a board position, give back to their community, expand their network and most importantly, experience the opportunity to learn.
So, what’s going on here and what can be done to close this gap? I have given plenty of advice to boards on how I think this problem can be addressed. Here are some ideas on why and how you, as a security professional, should get yourself on a board of directors.
Most of what I read about cybersecurity and the board are just remixes of the same two stories. First, that boards should be taking this seriously — which they are — and second, generalities about how CISOs should best communicate to the board, which they continue to struggle with.
The reason I think these two stories keep being retold is that we as an industry are trying to engage boards on the topic of cybersecurity from the outside looking in but with little experience of what they do, how they function or what
“Help others in the security industry to follow in your footsteps.”
is important to them.
The best solution to this dilemma is therefore to have cybersecurity professionals join them and learn. There is nothing more instructive on how and what to communicate to a board than having the opportunity to sit on the other side of the table and experience listening to it.
Every month, an average board member is expected to attend at least two committee meetings and the board meeting itself. Each meeting is accompanied by a huge agenda package of reading, including hundreds of pages of documentation on financial details, production numbers, safety items, labour negotiations, staffing challenges, and building and facilities concerns.
Buried somewhere in all that reading is the cybersecurity report. If you have ever wondered why they don’t understand cybersecurity, it is likely
because you are not making it easy for them to learn, let alone internalize all the information you are providing them.
While it’s unlikely you will have the opportunity to sit on the board of your own company, even if you are the CISO, I recommend that you find an organization that you have a personal connection to such as a charity, the college or university you graduated from, your local hospital, museum, kids’ sports league or a service club. Almost every organization you interact with has a board of directors and this is a great place to start.
S itting on a board for an organization you care about will create a safe place for you to learn how to be a board member. It is an opportunity to ask questions, make mistakes and build not only your skills in governance, but also your competence and confidence as a director.
An easy first step is reaching out to a contact you have at one of these organizations to introduce you to a member of the board, or the board chair. A short conversation over coffee or by phone will likely be enough to start the process of discovering if there is a fit and how you can best make a contribution.
Perhaps it is starting on a board committee as a community member to gain experience with the organization. This is also a great opportunity to demonstrate your consistency and commitment which will be an important factor in whether you are asked to join the board itself. The other thing you can do to better prepare and improve your chances of becoming a director is to do some homework. There are plenty of books available for sale or at your local library on the basics of governance and how boards operate. Another option is taking a course for aspiring or new directors provided by organizations such as the Institute of Corporate Directors. Doing so will make you a more attractive candidate for an open board position and better prepare you for success as a director. It will also provide valuable insights into how best to work with and communicate to your own board.
When you take the leap and finally become a board member, the most important step you can take is to help others in the security industry to follow in your footsteps — with introductions, advice and mentorship! | CS
Risk Perspective
By Tim McCreight
Revisiting risk at GSX
Irecently had the honour of attending GSX 2022 in Atlanta, Ga.
It was such an amazing experience to physically meet other security professionals, attend some great education sessions, and visit the show floor to see the latest and greatest technology and products.
What struck me this year was the focus on risk. I saw it in brochures and on booth walls, I heard it in the lineups for coffee, and found so many educational sessions focused on risk. It was a bit overwhelming — or maybe it was just being in large crowds after so many years!
It was comforting to see how the concepts of Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) permeated through education sessions and vendor presentations. I saw new ways of recording and assessing both physical and cyber risks, and learned how Operational Technology (OT) risks are now a critical part of the risk landscape for many organizations. We didn’t have these conversations a decade ago, or if we did, they weren’t as mature as the ones I experienced at GSX 2022.
How did we find ourselves in this place, so many years after those first forays into ESRM?
Part of the credit goes to the authors of our first text books on ESRM — Brian Allen and Rachelle Loyear. I had the good fortune to spend time with both of them during GSX 2022 and thanked them for their amazing contributions to security. Without their knowledge, experience and books, I don’t think we’d have the body of knowledge we see today on ESRM. Again, to both Brian and Rachelle — thank you!
We can thank some recent legis-
“I think we’re finally moving in a risk-based direction.”
lation across North America and globally for highlighting the need to look at security through a riskbased lens. I’ve reviewed a number of legislative and regulatory updates targeting critical infrastructure that specifically used risk language in proposed updates. I was impressed with the overall goals of the legislative changes, and the realization that security should be focused on reducing risks — not measuring compliance.
But one of the changes I’m most proud of is how security professionals are now actively discussing risk, or looking to embrace a risk-based approach to their security programs. It was really interesting for me this year to hear conversations from other folks in sessions, hallways, and on the trade show floor talking about risk. That was very rewarding.
I think we’re finally moving in a risk-based direction. I feel like the security profession is now open to embracing the concept of risk — something I couldn’t say many years ago when I first started writ-
ing this column. I had a number of attendees track me down and thank me personally for sessions I’ve held in the past, or articles I’ve written about ESRM. I got a chance to hear their stories, how they changed their security program and the successes they had along the way. I also heard their struggles and felt their pain as they talked about the missed steps along their journey. We realized that our journeys are never straightforward and that we can always learn from our experiences — embracing the concepts of Design Thinking!
It was a unique experience for me, getting ready to become the ASIS 2023 President and evolving into a new role within my organization. To see the changes to our industry as we move (albeit slowly) toward a profession, or at the very least more professional. And to meet so many new ESRM evangelists from across the globe.
It’s comforting to know there’s now a chorus of voices spreading the word about ESRM, and that you’re no longer alone. | CS
Tim McCreight is the national director, market development and strategic advisory at CGI (www.cgi.com).
ZERO TRUST IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
By Lisa Carroll, Public Sector Lead, Microsoft Canada
Thanks to the recent pandemic, our dependence on everything digital has grown exponentially, triggering global digital transformation that will only continue to evolve as we continue to innovate.
When the pandemic forced almost all public sector employees to move to remote work, literally overnight, migration to the cloud became even more critical to day-to day operations. The undisputed benefits for public sector organizations like scalability, speed, flexibility, and cost saving helped them to meet the urgent need for digital citizen services and support a hybrid work model for a workforce that traditionally worked “in office.”
The cloud is vital to building a resilient and robust public sector operation that meet the constantly evolving needs of an increasingly more digital population. But we can’t build modern digital infrastructure without a secure foundation.
With significantly more endpoints to monitor, more systems to manage, more protocols to implement and more people accessing systems from remote locations come more cybersecurity challenges
Protecting government and citizen data requires a proactive approach to cybersecurity that uses modern tools like AI and machine learning to adapt to the complexity of the digital environment, embraces the hybrid workplace and protects people, devices, apps and data wherever they’re located. It is also important that public sector organizations deploy a Zero Trust cybersecurity model in order to secure these new endpoints that are necessary for serving citizens who increasingly expect 24/7 access.
Instead of assuming everything behind the corporate firewall is safe, the Zero Trust model assumes breach and verifies each request as though it originates from an open network.
Regardless of where the request originates or what resource it accesses, Zero Trust teaches us to “never trust, always verify.” Every access request is fully authenticated, authorized and encrypted before granting access. With this model, every user, device, service that is given access is considered a risk, even if it is a known and approved device or user.
Zero Trust is built on three core principles:
• Verify explicitly - Always authenticate and authorize based on all available data points, including user identity, location, device health, service or workload, data classification and anomalies.
• Use least privileged access - Limit user
access with just-in-time and just-enoughaccess (JIT/JEA), risk-based adaptive polices, and data protection to help secure both data and productivity.
• Assume breach - Minimize blast radius and segment access. Verify end-to-end encryption and use analytics to get visibility, drive threat detection, and improve defenses.
The Zero Trust model will play an even more important role in the future of work as hybrid work continues to evolve, requiring more devices and flexibility. As such, a Zero Trust strategy will be top of mind for government organizations because its principles maintain security amid the IT, regulatory and compliance complexities that come with hybrid work in the public sector.
As we look at future proofing our public sector post-pandemic, adopting the Zero Trust model will support a growing digital economy where citizens can thrive.
At Microsoft, we understand that the public sector must often navigate additional layers of complexity to drive innovation, especially when it comes to security, compliance and implementation.
Our goal is to empower government organizations at all levels with the tools to work through the initial challenges that come with deploying new technology to help sustain Canada’s momentum as we continue to recover from the pandemic.
Industry View
By Winston Stewart
How to find the best guard company for your business
Hiring a reliable security guard business in this economy is more challenging than ever before.
More due diligence needs to be applied to your search, and care should be taken to ensure that the company’s reputation inspires trust and reliability.
The best way to evaluate a company is to start with looking at their website, and in particular, the quality of their employment pages. Good security companies will ensure their talent pipeline is always full by having a strong online application process and an automated recruitment portal.
Ultimately, this means more applications and the ability to automatically vet and pre-qualify candidates. It all adds up to more pre-screened, qualified guards they can handpick to join their agency.
Here are a few questions to ask any security company before signing the contract:
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?
An older security firm with at least a decade of experience (and a large, mature security guard roster) should be a good indication that it is a strong and reliable company that has stayed successfully in business through changing times.
HAVE YOU SENT GUARDS TO ANY BUSINESSES SIMILAR TO OURS, WITH THE SAME KIND OF SOPS AND SAFETY PRACTICES?
Familiarity with a particular industry, location or type of security challenge should be a consideration
in choosing your company. You could also ask the company for industry-specific references. Speak with the references to learn more about their experience and learn why customers were satisfied with the services.
HOW DOES YOUR PRICING BREAK DOWN?
Low prices may seem attractive, but they also have a direct impact on the quality of guards they send, and the caliber of services rendered. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If a company quotes rates much lower than others, you can expect to experience hidden costs, lower quality security (underpaid, undertrained guards), and poor customer service.
“The true measure of a security company’s effectiveness begins with hiring the right people.”
DO YOU HAVE UP-TO-DATE LICENSING AND INSURANCE?
Be sure any security firm provides proof of insurance to you and can supply you with a valid, up-to-date licence to operate in Ontario, or whichever province in which you require guarding.
WHAT ARE YOUR HIRING AND TRAINING PRACTICES?
T he true measure of a security company’s effectiveness begins with hiring the right people and equipping them with the best training. In particular, you will want to find out the following:
• How are they dealing with the security guard labour shortage?
• Do they conduct background checks?
• Do they recruit professionals in security, such as former police officers or military personnel?
• What type of training do security guards receive? In particular, you want to be sure they customize training to include specific technologies and SOPs relating to the site they are guarding.
WHO IS MY CONTACT AND ARE THEY ABLE TO RESPOND WHEN I NEED THEM?
Finally, you need to feel assured that someone at your security company will be reachable should any incident occur, at any time. A failure to provide a direct contact will tell you they will be unlikely to be there when you need them most. When it comes to security in the postCOVID world of labour shortages and
cutbacks, stay vigilant. Never settle for inferior, undertrained, underpaid guards to defend and protect what’s most valuable to your business.
Thankfully, there are still some great security companies out there with good practices and great guards, if you take the time to find them.
A CAMERA VISION
David Sulston champions body-worn cameras for frontline security at Oxford Properties
By Neil Sutton
For David Sulston, security decisions are based not only on his collected wisdom, years of experience and professional judgement, but common sense.
D oes the organization benefit from doing things a certain way? Can they be
improved upon? Will a change ultimately make us better security professionals and more effective in our jobs? When the answer is yes, Sulston is committed and decisive.
Such was the case when he led his employer Oxford Properties Group through a project that would see many of the frontline security professionals on its premises
wear body-worn cameras.
The results, after almost five years in the field, speak for themselves, says Sulston. In recognition of his leadership, dedication and project management expertise, Sulston was awarded Security Director of the Year 2022 by Canadian Security’s advisory board based on nominations that were submitted on his behalf.
David Sulston has built a 30-plus-year career managing security for assets owned by Oxford Properties, a Canadian multi-national real estate and property management corporation with a base of operations in Toronto and regional offices globally.
Laval, Quebec
April 26, 2023
Richmond, B.C.
June 14, 2023
Toronto, Ontario
October 25 - 26, 2023
Experience
His first security role was a summer job as a guard while he pursued computer programming studies. “It was a lot of fun and I saw a lot of opportunity in it,” says Sulston. As he was promoted through the ranks he recognized a new career path was opening up and, he says, “I continued to enjoy the changing landscape.”
Through the 90s and early 2000s, Sulston took on more and more senior security roles in Oxford facilities across the Greater Toronto Area, including Scarborough Town Centre, Bramalea City Centre and Pickering Town Centre.
W hen Oxford Properties was looking for its first security director, Sulston added his name to the running. He was promoted into the role in 2008, and has maintained it to the present day.
He says one of his primary obligations back then was to oversee operations, as well as set security standards and processes for Oxford facilities — including industrial, hotels, multi-residential, commercial and retail — and then audit against those standards.
Two years before the pandemic started, he began to expand this
mandate outside of Canada, building bridges into the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Singapore and other geographies where Oxford has assets. The idea is to build standards around emergency management, occupational health and safety, and physical security. The ultimate goal is to write and implement global
need to bolster the professionalism of the industry [and] we need to protect our people, and dispel any issues on behaviour.”
At the time, there were few, if any, security departments or companies using the technology, he says. Police agencies, particularly in the U.S., tended to be the early adopters.
“We need to bolster the professionalism of the industry ... we need to protect our people.”
—
David Sulston, Oxford Properties
standards for Oxford that can be established as benchmarks.
The body-worn camera project entered Sulston’s orbit around 2015 when he noted that one Oxford property had already implemented them in a very limited capacity. Immediately, he saw the potential and was drawn to the technology as an effective means to act as an objective third-party witness.
“I put it forward to our executive steering committee and said, we need to do this,” says Sulston. “We
Sulston says he’s familiar with all of the counter-arguments and some of the initial industry trepidation about adopting body-worn cameras — you’re opening yourself up for unwanted scrutiny; you’re creating a permanent record that could come back to haunt you.
But all of these supposed drawbacks are actually the greatest strengths of body-worn camera technology, he maintains.
“Every 13-year-old has a camera and they’re taping everything,” says
Sulston. And you certainly can’t control what they’re doing with that footage and where it will be posted.
Bodycam footage, on the other hand, is “a verified and unredactable recording of what truly happened.”
Sulston championed the idea, emphasizing the huge potential upside. Once the project had received the necessary approvals, including a review of its privacy implications, it was put up for tender and a competitive process between various manufacturers of body-worn cameras. The vendor ultimately selected to supply Oxford with the technology was Axon Enterprise.
Sulston relied on the expertise of his longtime colleague Neil Mathews, senior manager of emergency management and business continuity at Oxford Properties, to help manage the body-camera rollout.
Mathews was hired in 2008 as a commercial property security manager by Sulston not long after he took on the role as security director.
Mathews says that Sulston has been a mentor to him throughout his tenure at Oxford, encouraging him and supporting him as he built his own career. The two have collaborated during some of the biggest security challenges of the last decade or so, including the G20 summit of 2010 and the Pan Am Games of 2015 when Toronto acted as the host city.
Sulston provides mentorship to other security managers within the organization, whether they report to him or not, says Mathews. They all receive encouragement to pursue professional accreditation and development, including certifications available through ASIS International. (Sulston himself holds Certified Protection Professional and Physical Security Professional designations from ASIS.)
The cameras were first rolled out in 2018 to properties where they could be of the most benefit, including retail locations. Originally, 175 body-worns were deployed and that number has risen slightly in the four years they have been in the field.
T he cameras are assigned to shifts rather than individual guards, so they are shared. Once a shift ends, a unit is re -
turned for charging and the next shift equips another one.
The cameras are toggled on and off by the wearer, who immediately notifies anyone in the vicinity if they are in use.
Footage is managed via an Axon platform called Evidence.com where it can be retained and recalled if ever required for review or evidence. Footage can also be shared seamlessly with police agencies, particularly if they are operating on the same technology platform. About 23,000 evidence files comprising 5TB of data are currently being stored by Oxford.
Tie Pin / Cufflink
The effectiveness of the cameras was immediately apparent, says Mathews. “We not only saw a decrease in the intensity of interactions between people but we also saw an increase in the professionalism of security officers.”
For Sulston, the technology is an extra layer of protection, both for the guards and for the organization. Almost all of the guards working in Oxford facilities are on contract from third-party providers. However, the adoption of body-worn cameras hasn’t significantly changed those relationships. “We’ve always had good relationships with our partners. I don’t see it as a massive change. It is yet another tool to protect their teams,” he says.
The body-worn camera project is one amongst many that Sulston had led, championed and sometimes delegated during his professional security career. Those who nominated Sulston — a group of colleagues that includes Mathews — spoke of his commitment to the profession and encouragement of those around him.
“You can pick up the phone day or night and talk to Dave,” says Mathews. He recalls a week when he spoke to Sulston every day and only later found out he had been responding from the Bahamas while on vacation. “That’s just the type of guy he is.”
A more recent project championed by Sulston is guards carrying Nalaxone in select Oxford properties. The drug can be used to temporarily reverse the effect of opioids in overdose situations until emergency services arrive on the scene and administer medical attention. Again, for Sulston, this is a common sense case of simply being the right thing to do. | CS
Frontline lifesavers
As far as David Sulston is concerned, security guards don’t get enough credit.
Their good deeds sometimes go unnoticed — even those of the lifesaving variety. Overdose intervention, suicide prevention and CPR are all actions that have been performed by security guards in the line of duty.
Certainly there are commendations from their employers, and occasionally their actions receive positive media attention. But what was lacking was an organized, industrybased program that could truly acknowledge these security professionals.
With this in mind, Sulston co-founded the Canadian Security Lifesaver Association with Kevin Sanjari, president of Paragon Security, in 2020. The organization seeks nominations from the security industry, asking for examples of lifesaving incidents performed by frontline security. Nominations are judged by a panel of security industry professionals and awards highlight both individual and team lifesaving endeavours. (Note: Canadian Security is a CSLA media partner and editor Neil Sutton currently sits on the board of directors.)
“The CSLA initiative seeks to celebrate the contributions that frontline security teams bring to the communities in which they serve,” the association announced in a statement when it first launched.
“I would encourage all security leadership to talk about the CSLA within their organizations and look for opportunities to nominate our frontline security professionals,” Sulston told Canadian Security when the organization was established.
In the past two years, the CSLA has achieved remarkable growth, with more than 140 nominations and nine awards.
“What I find truly inspiring about the CSLA is the reach it has across the provinces and territories,” says Sulston today.
“We’ve had nominations from Whitehorse to Dartmouth, and the stories are just jaw dropping. If the general public were really aware of the types and frequency of heroic actions security teams make every day, the positive perception of the industry would be through the roof,” he adds.
For more details about the organization and information on how to nominate a frontline security professional, visit www.canadiansecuritylifesaver.ca.
The fifth annual Canadian Security Honours was held Oct. 6, recognizing the achievements of security leaders who have made a difference and continue to shape the future of the industry.
In 2022, we acknowledge Mark LaLonde (Lifetime Achievement Award); Erin Mann (Emerging Leader Award); Keith (Melo) Melo (Community Leader Award); and David Sulston (Security Director of the Year).
Our featured keynote speaker this year was
and founding
address focused on “Opportunities, Obstacles and Transformation for Partnerships Between Private Security and Public Emergency Services.”
Riddell’s keynote was followed by a Top 10 Under 40 panel, a discussion of mentorship and career advice, and remarks from each of our award winners. The event was supported by sponsors IDN Canada, Teledyne FLIR and GardaWorld.
If you missed the live event, please visit www.canadiansecurity.com/ virtual-events to view the sessions on-demand.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Mark LaLonde
Mark LaLonde’s career in public safety and policing spans over 40 years, and if you asked him where it all began, he’d say it was his job as a crossing guard at his elementary school in Port Moody, B.C.
Wearing a white helmet and reflective signs, a 10-year-old LaLonde directed traffic near his school. For the kids of Coronation Park Elementary, this job was a point of honour.
“Nobody thought anything was wrong with that at the time. Somebody would go to jail for that now,” says LaLonde on the phone as he makes final preparations before hitting the road for a photography trip to Tuktoyaktuk.
In his life, his greatest influences have been his mother’s sense of social justice and his father’s sense to always do what is right.
By the time he was 21, he had made up his mind to join the local police academy. After several months of training, he became an officer with the Vancouver City Police where he would serve from
“I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of interesting places.”
1981 to 1993. Years of work with the VPD strengthened his ability to form solid decisions under pressure. He grew more accustomed to interacting with diverse groups of people while working within a team. He would carry these competencies into his future roles in the decades that followed.
A more practised professional emerged after 12 years of service with the VPD, and he longed for different experiences.
“Rather than work for a large
bureaucracy, I wanted more individual control over my destiny and the challenges I could take on,” says LaLonde.
He became program director of the Police Academy with the Justice Institute of British Columbia, a position he would hold from 1993 until 2004. In this role, LaLonde oversaw the development of learning programs for government agencies involved in investigations, security and regulatory compliance. In 2005, LaLonde transitioned to
Bob Riddell, president
advisor, Riddell Risk Management. Riddell’s opening
— Winner profiles by Madalene Arias
the private sector where he assisted medium and large enterprises in risk assessment within their respective sectors, which included manufacturing, telecommunications and extractive industries.
At the same time, he began to take on projects through the United Nations as a consultant for police and justice reform in developing countries. His work with the UN would take him to Vietnam, Jordan and Afghanistan as well as some parts of the Caribbean.
“I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of interesting places that tourists don’t,” says LaLonde.
In Myanmar and Vietnam, LaLonde worked with other professionals on the ground to build police forces, assisting in the development of national legislation, police training programs and training standards.
NOW PROUDLY DISTRIBUTING
He made numerous trips to South Sudan over the course of four years after it had emerged from a 20-year civil war that left civilians without infrastructure. He would stay in the country for several weeks at a time, working with other groups on prison reform and infrastructure redevelopment that met international standards.
“Regardless of where you go, the people are the same. They want a better future for their kids. They want a stable government.”
LaLonde completed a graduate degree in justice and public safety leadership prior to consulting for the UN; however, he feels his work with the organization and career at large have benefitted most from his commitment to lifelong learning and curiosity.
In every country he came to know, he worked to understand the local context and came to recognize that what works well in
Canada most often does not transfer well to other parts of the world.
As an avid reader, LaLonde recommends reading outside of personal or career interests.
“And just asking questions, experimenting, trying different things. Not being afraid to fail but to learn from your failure.”
In 2016, LaLonde would return to work on school grounds, though this time as chief safety officer at Simon Fraser University. He has continued to consult for the UN through UNICEF, working to enhance police systems in Vietnam, Jordan and Myanmar and focusing on children affected by crime and conflict.
He commenced his career in community service and public safety without specific expectations, except to make a difference.
“Hopefully, I have made some difference in some way.” | CS
Community Leader Award: Keith (Melo) Melo
Keith (Melo) Melo wears multiple hats as professor at both Seneca and George Brown Colleges and security & life safety manager for Cadillac Fairview.
As early as his teenage years, he wanted to join a police canine unit and would discover his natural flair for teaching and training others at about the same time.
At 18, he began working as a security guard alongside his canine partner in Toronto’s Jane and Finch area. Melo noticed knowledge gaps among his fellow guards, and this prompted him to take the initiative and provide them with training. His inclination to help other guards enabled him to obtain a supervisory position with the company.
In 1997, he took his teaching and training experience to Olympus Security & Investigations, one of Canada’s largest canine security companies at the time. During his years with Olympus, Melo completed an honours diploma in security and law administration at Humber College.
A life-changing altercation in which Melo sustained three gunshot wounds caused him to temporarily pause his studies. Melo has since drawn upon this personal encounter to inspire his students to survive, to learn how to fight, and to push themselves at the gym as they train for the physical requirements of their field.
He completed his diploma at Humber in 2001 before studying at York University, where he earned an honours bachelor degree in sociology, law & society in 2004, and then a masters degree in disaster and emergency management in 2019. “The one big thing that I would say is, you need an employer that sup -
“You need an employer that supports your growth.”
ports your growth,” says Melo, who found that both Seneca and George Brown were supportive of his decision to further his education.
For almost 17 years, Melo has taught at George Brown College’s School of Emergency Management as a professor and program coordinator in the department of continuing education, while simultaneously teaching police foundations courses at Seneca for more than 11 years.
In his role at George Brown, Melo enjoys working with adult learners who are also seasoned
professionals from various backgrounds including EMS, military, security and police. He also enjoys sharing his knowledge and insights with the younger students at Seneca, who are mostly recent high school graduates with an eagerness to learn and launch their careers.
Since 2016, Melo has volunteered his expertise in community safety with Public Safety Canada’s Communities at Risk, Security Infrastructure Program, where he provides infrastructural security advice to communities that have been the subject of hate crimes. His other volunteer work includes Emergency Management Ontario and the Paradigm Professional Institute, which provides security training. Looking back at his career, Melo says his proudest moments have been surviving the attack in 1997 and gaining recognition from Canada’s former Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney for his contributions to national security. His ultimate definition for success is “watching people grow.” | CS
Emerging Leader Award: Erin Mann
Erin Mann’s passion for teamwork, people and creating positive experiences for others has permeated throughout her career in the security industry.
She currently serves as manager of Latch Canada and devotes her time outside of work to the industry’s talent retention efforts as vice-chair of SIA’s RISE committee. Mann uses
her position with RISE to champion young security professionals through the organization’s scholarship and mentorship programs.
“At least 65 per cent of the reason I want to stay in the industry is completely and totally dedicated to RISE and what that group has meant to me,” says Mann.
Earning a scholarship through SIA herself back in 2018 is what
“I’ve been really good at being a Swiss army knife.”
kick-started her broader involvement in the industry. Mann has earned various security roles since obtaining her communications degree at DePauw University back in 2016, each one building upon her previous experiences and enabling leadership opportunities.
Her career began with Allegion while based in Carmel, Ind., where she spent a year selling door hard-
ware as the company’s channel marketing manager for integration access control.
Allegion promoted Mann to marketing and CX manager for multifamily in October of 2019, bringing her to Toronto, where she would manage the company’s multifamily strategy for the next two years.
“When I joined Allegion, I didn’t realize it was part of this bigger security industry,” she recalls. “A couple of years in, reflectively, I realized I entered it much earlier than I had thought.”
Mann worked as both a resident and housing assistant during her student years at DePauw, a job which required her to manage 2,000 mechanical keys each day and help students who had locked themselves out of their dorms.
Her background in communications has become instrumental in finding the most effective ways to articulate value propositions for solutions as they relate to end users, distributors and policy makers. It has also enabled her to have a deeper appreciation for the different definitions people have regarding safety.
In June 2022, Mann participated as a panelist in SP&T News ’ Advance: Women in Security virtual event.
During the session, Mann emphasized the importance of breaking down barriers so that individuals of all identities could have an equal opportunity to success based on their talents.
While she has watched engagement
with the industry and its efforts to retain talent “blossom” in the last four years, Mann would like to see deeper collaboration among various groups in the industry come together to share their successes at a global level.
As for herself, she says she feels extremely grateful for the opportunity to work in an
industry that has made it easy for her to learn and make career moves.
“I’ve been really good at being a Swiss army knife and becoming proficient at a lot of things,” says Mann. “I think I’m ready to really double down on something. I just haven’t figured out what it is yet.” | CS
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Perimeter Protection Products
Product Focus
Mass Notification & Networking
Megaphones
AmpliVox
AmpliVox megaphones, in varying sizes, audience range capabilities, and with special features such as handheld microphones and alarms, have been used by police and fire departments, first responders, public safety officials, school supervisors, and more.
AmpliVox battery-powered megaphones are available in a wide range of models and audience ranges: Mini-Meg 10 watt Megaphone, S600; Mini-Meg 20 watt Megaphone, S601; Mity-Meg 25 watt Megaphone, S602; Mity-Meg Plus Megaphone, S602M; Safety Strobe Megaphone, S604; and Safety Wand Megaphone, S606. www.ampli.com
Notification portfolio
Edwards
Edwards introduced an addition to its Genesis LED notification portfolio, outdoor notification appliances. Designed specifically for extreme weather performance, the Genesis LED outdoor appliances are engineered to withstand high-pressure water spray, rain, sleet and snow while maintaining their horn, strobe and speaker functionalities. Edwards also introduced new features to EST4, its premier fire and emergency communications system. The additional functionality adds increased system capacity, flexibility, and integration with Lenel S2’s On-Guard platform, while enhancing cybersecurity protections. www.edwardsfiresafety.com
Mass communications
AtlasIED
AtlasIED introduces new additions to its GLOBALCOM enterprise-wide mass communication product ecosystem — the IP200 Series for announcement control and an on-premise server model, the IPSVR. AtlasIED ACS controllers are the heart of AtlasIED’s GLOBALCOM, and the new IP200 Series of controllers supports customers with varying VoIP requirements. The IP200 Series features three new models: IP200 Announcement Control Server supports VoIP and IEDNet+; IP216-D Announcement Control Server supports Audio over Ethernet (AoE) functionality using Audinate Dante; IP216-C Announcement Control Server supports CobraNet digital audio transport. Each ACS controller model has AtlasIED’s GCK Advanced Notification Application Software application pre-installed, is plug-and-play ready and is configured via a Microsoft Windows application. The new IPSVR on-premise server features the processing power and hard drive storage required to operate multiple AtlasIED solutions. www.atlasied.com/globalcom-controllers
10G switches
TRENDnet
TRENDnet announced two 10G switches to its multi-gigabit product solutions family. The two new 10G switches are the 5-Port 10G Switch (TEG-S750) and the 6-Port 10G Switch (TEG-S762). The 5-Port 10G Switch, model TEG-S750, features five dedicated 10G ports, with a 100Gbps switching capacity. It also supports 2.5G and 5G connections over Cat5e cabling (or better); 10G speeds are supported over Cat6A cabling (or better). The 6-Port 10G Switch, model TEG-S762, features two dedicated 10G ports and four dedicated 2.5G ports, with a 60Gbps switching capacity. A fanless design lowers energy consumption and reduces costs, while eliminating distracting noise.
www.trendnet.com
Network audio solutions
VIVOTEK
VIVOTEK announced the launch of its new Network Audio Solutions. The system includes the AU-001 Network Horn Speaker and the AU-002 Network Audio Driver. The indoor/outdoor AU-001 Network Horn Speaker provides a long range 106 dB voice alarm. It’s compatible with VAST 2 and allows users to upload their own audio clips on VAST 2 for broadcasting. With an all-metal housing and a dust and water tight IP66 rating, the AU-001 can be placed anywhere. It can be remotely configured, and powered up with built-in PoE. The AU-002 Network Speaker Driver solution converts a traditional analog speaker to a network speaker. It supports SIP and UDP Broadcast Protocols, has a built-in 20W power amplifier to drive speakers directly, is powered from the IP network cable using PoE+ IEEE 802.3at, and has remote configuration and firmware upgrade via HTTPS. www.vivotek.com
Commissionaires offers a complete suite of services including threat-risk assessments, monitoring and response, mobile patrol, guarding and digital fingerprinting.