Partner Article

Ex-agent secures North East jobs

A former Secret Service agent has spoken of his plans to create hundreds of jobs at a North East security firm.

Russ Collett, chief operating officer of US-based security company IPC International, has been responsible for protecting three US presidents including President Clinton and George W Bush.

Mr Collett said the firm would rebrand Gateshead-based St James Security, which it bought in 2005, under its own name.

He is now aiming to create 500 jobs in this country, with a large proportion of them to be based in the North East, where IPC has its UK head office.

It provides a range of services from uniformed security at venues such as shopping centres, to event security and celebrity protection.

IPC is responsible for security of The Great North Run as well as shopping centres and retail parks from Glenrothes in Fife, to Taunton in Somerset.

Despite the different fields Mr Collett said that many elements of his previous role in the Secret Service were not dissimilar to his present job.

He said: “As you can imagine, a lot of people would think the budget for protecting the US President is unlimited but unfortunately it is not. The same rules apply.

“It was a good experience and I hope to bring a lot of things to private security and IPC in the UK.”

He was keen that the company should build closer ties with the police in this country, mirroring the American operation where relevant information is shared between private security firms and the public law enforcement agencies.

He said: “I had the privilege of travelling to 40 countries during my time working with the service and working with law enforcement across the world, building these relationships.

“Establishing trust is the most important thing.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .