THE private security industry has traditionally been engaged by companies to protect private assets to include premises, property and most importantly their employees and not to patrol the streets, but increasingly crime knows no boundaries.

Across the country, crime continues to cost an estimated £50 billion a year and in deprived areas, which are particularly badly hit, it can cause business to quit and discourage others from starting up.

It can come as no surprise, therefore, that sometimes by default, but more often by plan, the private security industry is playing an increased role in securing the environment surrounding customer's premises and therefore, becoming a vital partner to the police service in making both businesses and communities safer.

There can be no doubt that terrorism, which is nothing more than crime against humanity, crime in general and the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, are issues that continue to dominate the news headlines and affect everyone. Talk to most people, however and they are likely to say that it is not even the fear of terrorism and serious crime that frightens them, but an ongoing concern regarding the increase in the number of people carrying and using weapons, fear of assaults and low-level offences such as vandalism, graffiti, happy-slapping and bullying, littering, skateboarding on pavements, substance abuse and under-age binge drinking on the streets.

When such issues are dealt with effectively, we all benefit from the results. Only communities that feel safe and secure can develop and prosper. Deprived communities can be demoralising places to live and work. Not only do many residents face poor living conditions and often difficult personal circumstances, but they also live with a constant fear of becoming victims of the aforementioned crime and anti-social behaviour which, by no coincidence, is always higher than average in these areas.

As the skills and standards setting body for the security business sector, Worcester-based Skills for Security is now playing a central role in providing both security companies and the wider business community with training courses and products and services, designed to address the aforementioned concerns. Since its launch in January 2006, the organisation has worked with a number of leading experts to develop a range of flexible solutions designed to build people's confidence and awareness of security related subjects.

One of its most successful partnerships is with PS5 Limited, which has an unsurpassed reputation for the quality of its design and production of educational and training materials. The partners are now offering a unique basic weapons recognition trainer's course which was piloted in July 2006 and has already attracted a high number of delegates.

The course is aimed at Level 3 qualified trainers already teaching or delivering training to the cash and valuables in transit, security guarding, door supervision, community warden, event stewarding and associated sub-sectors. However, it is highly relevant to other professions such as teaching, retail management and policing and provides trainers with a unique, ACPO approved, instructors manual, concealed weapons display box and student handbook under licence.

Steve Collins, chief executive of PS5, is very pleased with the outcome of the collaboration. He said: "The course is the first in a series of programmes designed to ensure that we develop a network of professional trainers who can promote awareness on the street and aid security personnel in the detection of prohibited and disguised weapons."

This was endorsed by Stefan Hay, a director at both Skills for Security and the Sørensen Centre for security research and studies, who said: "It is our duty to equip our sector trainers and their students with sufficient knowledge to recognise weapon concealment and to respond to a weapon-related incident in a calm, professional and most importantly, safe manner."