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Career

Paul joined the SIA in 2001 after a 33-year career first in HM Armed Forces and then in the Police Service.

Paul retired from policing in 2020 as Assistant Chief Constable (Specialist Policing Services) for Bedfordshire Police and the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire constabularies, with responsibility for major crime, armed policing, counter-terrorism, and specialist policing services.

Paul was the National Policing Chiefs Council (NPCC) lead for the strategic investigation of complex, sensitive, and serious crime. In this role he advised on policy, mentoring, and developing executive senior law enforcement leaders and senior detectives.

Paul has been a detective at every rank and has served previously with Sussex Police, National Crime Squad, and Cambridgeshire Constabulary, having led several high-profile investigations on a national and international scale.

Paul was the Gold Commander for the tri-force response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with responsibility for all collaborated services across Bedfordshire Police and the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire constabularies.

Paul continues to provide support across UK law enforcement as a College of Policing associate and advisor. This includes leading on sensitive national reviews on behalf of the NPCC.

Since joining the SIA as Executive Director in 2001, Paul has sought to transform the Inspection & Enforcement Directorate, putting public protection at the heart of all activity, through effective strategic partnerships, proactive engagement and increased operational impact across the UK Private Security Industry.

Paul led on the SIA response to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations, working with industry and Home Office to provide an informed SIA position which fully considered views of industry and further enhanced public safety (business licensing/removing the in-house exemption). This is currently subject of a fresh review by the Home Office.

Paul has provided evidence at the Home Affairs Select Committee on ‘Spiking’ alongside other national experts and meeting the safeguarding minister (Jess Phillips) with other key stakeholders to support enhanced public protection activity across this key area. He continues to represent the SIA at national level with key strategic partners.

Since 2024 Paul has led the SIA response to tackling ‘Labour Exploitation’ called Operation Empower working with HMRC and key stakeholders from across the UK private security to raise awareness and tackle this dreadful crime which impacts on some many people.

Paul is also the strategic lead for Operation Benchmark, the SIA response to tackling training malpractice, fraud and criminality, also working with Ofqual and Awarding Organisations to raise awareness and seek to reduce the opportunity to undermine public safety in this critical area

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-fullwood/

Security Circle ⭕️ is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers