BSIA Recognises Adrian Simpson’s Life-Saving Bravery

A Trusted Presence

Before most colleagues arrive on site, Adrian Simpson has already checked the security systems, reviewed the day’s priorities, and spoken to members of his team across a 32-acre police headquarters site. His role combines operational oversight, security management, welfare support, and frontline response, often in situations where calm judgement matters most.

For the past 21 years, Adrian has worked at Leicestershire Police Headquarters as an OCS Security Manager. Supporting officers, fellow colleagues, and visitors through a role which requires vigilance, trust, and consistency every day. Over that time, he has become a respected presence across the site, not through titles or recognition, but through the way he supports the people around him and responds when it matters most.

Recently, Adrian received regional recognition from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) for outstanding bravery after helping to save the life of a colleague who suffered a heart attack while alone inside the building. The award recognised his quick and decisive instincts, but for those who know Adrian, it reflected something they have seen throughout his career: a colleague who steps forward without hesitation when people are in need.

Responding When It Mattered Most

The incident happened during a normal working day. Adrian found a retired police officer, now working as a staff member on site, unresponsive and struggling to breathe. Drawing on years of first-aid training, advice and awareness gained from being married to a nurse, and his own natural instinct, he acted immediately to clear the man’s airway and stabilise him until emergency support arrived.

East Midlands Ambulance Service later confirmed that Adrian’s actions saved the man’s life. For him, he modestly believes, it was simply doing what anyone else would have done.

What stands out most to Adrian is not the award itself, but the outcome for the family involved. Meeting the man’s daughter afterwards remains a moment that has stayed with him most.

This was not the first time Adrian had responded to a life-threatening situation. Across his career, he has been involved in several serious incidents, including previous attempts to save lives under difficult circumstances. He has also received a prestigious Chief Constable’s Special Appreciation Award, two OCS colleague awards, and service medals recognising his longstanding support for policing operations.

Despite the recognition, Adrian remains modest about his contribution. He speaks more readily about his team than about himself.

Supporting a Critical Environment Every Day

Working as part of a six-person security team, Adrian oversees site operations including CCTV management, access control, incident response, rota management, and security auditing. He also supports police professional standards investigations through the management of CCTV evidence and security records.

In recent years, he has helped strengthen operational processes across the site, improving accountability, key tracking, and site security measures. His focus on continuous improvement has helped create stronger visibility across the estate, supporting both safety and operational protocols.

The role has evolved significantly over two decades, particularly as security risks and operational demands have increased. Adrian has worked closely with police colleagues through changing threat levels, infrastructure upgrades, and complex operational incidents, giving him a deep respect for the work police officers do and the situations they face every day. Throughout it all, relationships and trust have remained key to how the site operates.

He describes the environment as one team, with OCS colleagues and police officers working together to share responsibility for keeping people safe.

That feeling of unity is something Adrian values. Several members of the team have worked together for many years, building strong professional bonds and a culture of looking out for one another, both on and off shift. One of Adrian’s colleagues was best man at his wedding, while many of the officers he supports have become close friends over the years.

Outside work, Adrian spends much of his spare time with fellow police colleagues and friends, sharing a passion for motorbikes. Regular bike meets and social rides have strengthened relationships beyond the workplace and reflect the site’s close-knit culture.

He also makes welfare a priority within his team, regularly checking in with night-shift colleagues and making time for a simple phone call to check everyone is doing well.

Twenty-One Years and Still Improving

Adrian’s route into the security sector began at a large manufacturing site before moving into retail security at a local shopping centre in Leicester. A recommendation from a friend led him to apply for a role at police headquarters more than two decades ago. He still remembers arriving for the first time and quickly realising it was different from anywhere he had worked before.

Today, he says he would happily stay until retirement, where many of his former colleagues have followed the same path.

Adrian’s commitment to continuous improvement shows in the way he works every day. Whether he’s supporting colleagues, improving processes, checking in on the team during night shifts, or responding to emergencies, he always focuses on doing the job well and looking out for the people around him.