Page 64 - the SyI Quarterly V3 digital (1)

Chartered Security Professionals

Meet the CSyP

Nick Elton CSyP MSyI

Chief Inspector
Nick started his policing career in Cleveland Police in 1994, steadily making his way through the ranks and also serving in Surrey and Wiltshire
Police. In 2013, he commenced a four year secondment with Office for Security and Counter Terrorism where he worked on the Communications
Capabilities Development programme. It was during this secondment that he realised the value that membership of professional bodies and
associations can bring to one’s career. Not only through the resources available on member websites but also through networking opportunities
and contacts. He was made a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute in 2013 and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors in 2016.
Upon completing the secondment in 2017 he transferred to Hampshire Constabulary and was promoted to Chief Inspector. Working on a similar
development program in force he recognised the value that becoming a Chartered Security Professional would entail. Not only contributing to his
current role but how the mandatory CPD associated with such an accreditation would stand him well not only professionally but also in a personal
context. He joined the Security Institute in early 2019 and started to work towards becoming a Chartered Security Professional. “I found the process
very challenging not only in completing the application form and evidencing the required competencies, but also the interview and presentation at
the end of the process”, Nick commented. “I was very fortunate to have a former senior police officer on the interview panel and the other panel
member was a cyber security expert working for the government, which is my area of expertise. Both interviewers were able to draw out the best
of my evidence that I had to present, they clearly understood and had researched my application as the follow-up questions were very bespoke
to my area of expertise and clearly both members of the interview team were very knowledgeable on the competencies that I had given on my
application form”.

Since becoming a Chartered Security Professional Nick said “Membership of certain bodies and accreditations don’t always go far with employees
particularly in the public sector, however, I have found that since qualifying as a Chartered Security Professional it has enhanced my policing
career. I have found that it is recognised by stakeholders and law enforcement partners alike as well as academic institutions. My own force has
recognised the value of becoming a Chartered Security Professional and the efforts that were required to achieve it and asked me to sit on the
Force Security Board and design and deliver an internal cyber exercise. I have also benefited from making many new contacts on LinkedIn since
being able to use the CSyP post-nominals. Furthermore I have found recognition of the Chartered Security Professional accreditation within
academia, in the summer 2018 Honours awards I was appointed Visiting Professor to the Faculty of Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the
Built Environment at Birmingham City University, since becoming a Chartered Security Professional I have been invited to sit on numerous boards
including the Industrial Advisory Board.”

“I have long aspired to have my experience, knowledge, practice skills, leadership and professional commitment to CPD externally audited and
validated; the Chartered Security Professional accreditation has achieved all of this. In a dynamic climate CPD is essential if you are to not become
static, the Chartered Security Professional accreditation actively encourages me to keep abreast in an ever changing world”.

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