WHY US?
24/7
COVER AVAILABLE
SIA
LICENSED OFFICERS
NSI
GOLD ACCREDITED
18+
YEARS EXPERIENCE
WHAT WE DO
SECURITY THAT WORKS ON THE FLOOR
Commercial and retail environments face a distinct set of security challenges shoplifting, staff theft, aggressive customers and the need to maintain a welcoming atmosphere while deterring criminal behaviour. Generic security doesn't cut it here. You need officers who understand retail dynamics and can operate with discretion, speed, and professionalism.
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Our SIA licensed officers are trained in loss prevention, conflict de-escalation and customer interaction delivering visible, effective security that makes shoppers feel safe and would be thieves think twice. We work closely with store management to understand your environment, peak footfall periods and specific risk areas, then position our team accordingly.
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Whether you need a single uniformed officer for a high street retailer, a multi officer team across a shopping centre, or covert loss prevention operatives for high value goods protection, we tailor the solution to your operation and budget.
✓ Uniformed and plain clothes loss prevention officers
✓ Access control and entrance management
✓ Shoplifting deterrence and apprehension (within legal powers)
✓ Staff conflict and customer aggression management
✓ Regular floor and stock room patrols
✓ CCTV monitoring and incident evidence support
✓ Out of hours lock up and alarm response
✓ Detailed incident reporting for insurance and police use
WHO IS THIS FOR
EVERY RETAIL & COMMERCIAL SETTING.
We work with independent retailers, national chains and facilities managers across Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford and throughout Kent. Short notice and holiday relief cover is available, particularly useful for retail businesses during peak trading periods.
HIGH STREET RETAIL
SHOPPING CENTRES
SUPERMARKETS
PHARMACY & HEALTH RETAIL
LUXURY & JEWELLERY
OFF LICENCES
COPORATE OFFICES
BUSINESS PARKS
BANKS & FINANCIAL
WAREHOUSING
OPERATOR STANDARDS
BUILT FOR RETAIL ENVIROMENTS.
LOSS PREVENTION
Uniformed and plain clothes operatives trained specifically in retail theft patterns, offender profiling and lawful apprehension procedures reducing shrinkage where it matters most.
CUSTOMER FACING PRESENCE
Our officers represent your brand. They're trained to interact with the public professionally, providing directions and assistance alongside their security function a visible benefit to your customer experience.
FLEXIBLE COVER
Daily, weekly, or peak period contracts. We can scale your security team up for busy trading periods, events, or when your existing team is short staffed often at short notice.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
COMMERCIAL & RETAIL SECURITY FAQS
What powers do retail security officers have?
SIA retail security officers act as agents of the store owner. They have the power of a citizen's arrest under Section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, allowing them to detain a person they reasonably suspect of committing a relevant indictable offence such as theft until police arrive. All our officers are trained in the lawful limits of their powers and operate strictly within them.
Do you offer plain clothes loss prevention as well as uniformed guards?
Yes. Some retail environments benefit most from a visible uniformed deterrent, while others benefit from covert plain clothes operatives who can observe and act without alerting offenders. We can provide both, independently or as part of a combined strategy tailored to your environment.
Can you provide cover at short notice for retail shifts?
Yes, this is one of the services we're most frequently called on to provide quickly. We maintain a pool of available licensed officers across Kent and can typically deploy within a few hours for same-day requests across Canterbury, Herne Bay, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford and surrounding areas.
How do you tailor security to our specific store?
Before any placement, we carry out a site briefing with your management team to understand your floor layout, high risk product areas, peak footfall times and previous incident history. Our officers are briefed on your store's specific entry policies, escalation procedures and staff security protocols. The officer placed with you is productive from their first shift.
Do retail security officers also help with aggressive customers?
Yes. All Akon Security officers receive conflict management and de-escalation training as a minimum qualification requirement. Managing difficult customer behaviour including verbal aggression, threatening conduct and refusal to leave is as important as shoplifting prevention. Our officers are trained to handle these situations calmly and professionally.