History

CHAIRS, VICE CHAIRS AND OFFICERS

Pre 1995        Bill Blythe, University of Liverpool

1995-1998     John Butler, University of Birmingham

1998-2000    Tony Watling, University of Surrey

2000-2001     Alan Millership, University of Reading

2001-2002     Bernadette Duncan, City University London        Vice – Alan Naylor, Scotland Region Chair

2002-2005     Brian Mole, University of Sheffield

2005-2007     George Blanchflower, Northumbria University    Vice – Roy Smith, University of Manchester

2008-2010     Mike McCormack, University of East Anglia

2011               Jerry Woods, University of Bristol                             Vice – Roger Morgan, University of Sussex

2011-2015     Roger Morgan, University of Sussex                         Vice – Adam Conn, Edinburgh University and                                       .                                                                                                                              Richard Mansfield City University

2015-2018    Mark Sutton, Aston University                                   Vice – Trevor Jones, University of Salford

2018-2021    Trevor Jones, University of Salford                            Vice – Les Allan, Heriot-Watt University

2021-2023    Les Allan, Heriot-Watt University                             Vice – Oliver Curran, University College London

2023 – 2025 Oliver Curran, University College London                Vice – Geoff Brown, University of York

In 2011 it was agreed that the Vice Chair post-holder would automatically take over as Chair after 2 years.

• AUCSO Chief Operating Officers:
  2008-2010        George Blanchflower (ex Northumbria University)
  2010-2012         Bernie Beesley (ex Anglia Ruskin University)
  2012-2021         Bernadette Duncan MBE (ex City University London)
• 2021-present    Julie Barker

AUCSO Treasurers:
2015-2019         Brian Schofield, University of Bath
2019-2023        Andrew Simpson, University of Gloucestershire

2023 – Watsons Associates

AUCSO FELLOWSHIPS

The Fellowship award was introduced in 2012 to recognise members who have made a significant contribution to AUCSO.

2012 – Bernadette Duncan MBE, City University London and Alfred Feichtinger, Zurich University
2015 – Ray Wheatley, Dublin City University and David Owen, AUCSO Secretary
2017 – Brian Schofield, The University of Bath

2023 – Trevor Jones, Salford University

CONFERENCES

No records held prior to 1993 although meetings were held since at least 1989

Year    Host & Venue

1993         University of East Anglia
1994         Oxford University
1995          John Butler, University of Birmingham
1996          David Owen, Southampton University (This was the first conference with delegates from EACS
1997          John Lamb, Maynooth, Dublin
1998          University of Lancashire, Preston
1999          Tony Watling, University of Surrey
04/2000    University of Edinburgh
09/2000    Alan Millership, University of Reading
04/2001    David Owen, Southampton University
09/2001    Brian Mole, University of Sheffield
04/2002    Laurence Edgar, University of Glasgow
09/2002    Adrian Hicks, University of Bath
04/2003    Tony Oliver, University of Cardiff
09/2003    Royce Farr, University of Warwick
2004          Ray Wheatley, Dublin City University (International delegates attended)
2005          Roy Smith, University of Manchester
2006          Mike Clash, Aston University
2007          Allan Edgcumbe, University of Exeter
2008          Adam Conn, University of Edinburgh
2009          Ken Batten,University of York
2010          Bernadette Duncan, City University London
2011          Jerry Woods,University of Bristol
2012          Stewart Davidson, University of St Andrews
2013          Phil Coxill, University of Durham
2014          Paul Markham-Jones, Roehampton University
2015          Stuart Christie, Loughborough University
2016          Trevor Jones, Salford University
2017          Dominique Van Acker, University of Ghent (First time annual conference held in Europe region)
2018          Lyndon Brown, Southampton Solent University
2019          Caroline Bluck, Aston University

2020         Les Allan, Heriot-Watt University – Conference cancelled due to Covid 19 pandemic

2021         Les Allan, Heriot-Watt University – Conference cancelled due to Covid 19 pandemic   

2022         Mark Bownass, Leeds University

2023         Les Allan, Heriot-Watt University

2024         Andrew Molloy, University of Liverpool

2025         Mark Kennell, University of Warwick

 

IACLEA and CAMPROSA

The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA)

This organisation is very similar to AUCSO. Most members are from the USA and Canada but all countries are invited to join.

AUCSO have maintained a good liaison for many years with IACLEA colleagues. The AUCSO COO maintains the ongoing relationship.  There is a reciprocal arrangement for COO/Chief Executive & Chair to be invited to respective annual conference, other members have attended their conferences for many years.

Campus Protection Society of Southern Africa (CAMPROSA)

This organisation is very similar to AUCSO and covers universities and colleges in South Africa, Namibia, Lesothoand Botswana.

AUCSO have maintained a good liaison for many years with Camprosa colleagues and have attended some of the Camprosa conferences.

Recent CAMPROSA Conferences:

No conference in 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

September 2022: Held in Emperors Palace, Johannesburg. Attended by Les Allan.

NOTABLE EVENTS:

Pre 2000

• In the 1980’s the Association met separately in the north and south, led by Neville Gladstone (Bath), John Hogg (City) and Bill Blyth (Liverpool) in the north to name but a few. It was Bill Blyth who instigated the first national meeting and from then on the national conference met twice a year in various locations.
• AUCSO liaised with the founder and President of the European Association of Campus Security (EACS), Jean Luc Mahieu, a Director at the University of Brussels with responsibility for security. EACS operated as a separate organisation from c.1996 until becoming the AUCSO Europe region in 2011. The first European Region Chair was Dr Alfred Feichtinger of Zurich University. He was later awarded an AUCSO Fellowship.
• Around 2000 the first AUCSO website was launched, enabling members to see documents and a contacts list.
• The conference held in September 2000 was during the national fuel strike, so it was unsure how many members would attend but only three dropped out!

2003

• In April this year only one national (annual) conference is held as AUCSO introduces interim regional meetings. Previously two shorter (one day) conferences were held each April and September.

2004

• The first AUCSO Conference inviting international delegates was held in Ireland at Dublin City University.

2007

• AUCSO successfully bid for funding from HEFCE (granted £130,000) for a project on Emergency Management. Led by Bernadette Duncan, City University London, with Project Officers Dr Lucy Easthope and Dr Ann Eyre.
• As a part of the project, AUCSO launches their 2 day course for AUCSO members on ‘Emergency Management’.
• AUCSO presented its first ‘Security Officer of the Year Award’ at the annual conference.

2008

• Ex Chair George Blanchflower takes on the voluntary role of Chief Operating Officer.
• AUCSO publishes its ‘Good Practice Guide; Emergency Management for Higher Education Institutions’, and sends printed versions to all Universities in the UK.
• AUCSO produces its first Business Plan.

2009

• AUCSO employs its first staff – Chief Operating Officer, Mr Bernie Beesley (ex Anglia Ruskin University).
• A new AUCSO website is launched, hosted by NetDreams with a member’s document library and forum.

2011

• 30 March – First meeting of the AUCSO European Region, Chaired by Alfred Feichtinger at Zurich University. The region had met over the previous seven years as the European Association for Campus Security (EACS).

2012

• Many London and other UK universities involved with the 2012 Olympics, held in Stratford, East London. Some campuses used as training grounds for international teams. AUCSO members shared their challenges and knowledge.

2013

• AUCSO introduces an International Exchange scheme for its members. Initially this was for one member selected by the Executive Committee from the applications, to exchange with a member of IACLEA. The exchange would be for each partner to spend a working week on each other’s campuses. The scheme was sponsored by one of the AUCSO major sponsors (one of the conference packages). The scheme later expanded to two participants to include an exchange with the Australasian region.

2014

• AUCSO publishes their revised ‘Good Practice Guide; Resilience in Higher Education’ (revised by Dr Lucy Easthope).

2016

• July – the new website goes live (hosted by Athena) giving members an improved forum, library, events calendar and news.
• A new ‘Diversity Group’ is formed to encourage under-represented groups (women, ethnic minorities and LBGT) to pursue their careers in university security.

2017

• AUCSO began to accept member applications from Australia and New Zealand, resulting in the formation of the AUCSO Australasia Region, chaired by Russell Gammie of Monash University, Melbourne. The region also includes members from Singapore.
• For the first time, the annual conference is held in the European Region, at the University of Ghent, Belgium.
• The long serving AUCSO Secretary David Owen retires and hands over to Elizabeth Palicza of London South Bank University.

2020

• The Covid 19 pandemic hit the world and for the first time in its history, the AUCSO annual conference is postponed for a year. This would have been hosted by Les Allan at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
• Later in the year the Executive Committee sadly agreed to also cancel the 2021 conference.