Peter James (Jim) O’Dwyer 

Qualifications and Professional Membership:
Jim O’Dwyer has been an Associate of SafeGuard of SafeGuard Security Consultants Limited, an independent consultancy specialising in security for property, assets and people since 2007, specialising in restraint and Violence at Work issues.  He is a founder member of the ‘Institute of Conflict Management’, the recognised steering group for the development of national occupational training standards for employees facing violence and aggression. Jim is also the proprietor and editor of the Violence at Work (UK) web site

Background and Experience:
Since 1997, following a career in the Metropolitan Police and subsequently as a Courts Bailiff and private investigator, Jim has utilised his professional experience and his expertise as an Aikido instructor to develop a consultancy and training organisation providing services to NHS Trusts and Local Authorities on the subject of ‘Preventing and Managing Violence at Work’.  He has a strong track record in training security guards, NHS staff, Local Authority staff, door supervisors and others to work safely in high risk environments.  The training courses cover all aspects of dealing with hostile, dangerous and violent people including physical intervention and restraint.

Jim has written numerous publications, articles and occupational health and safety training courses including:

1998 – The ‘Breakaway Skills and Physical Intervention and Restraint’ training course.  This was the first physical skills training course to be officially approved for delivery to people working in the private security industry and was officially endorsed by SITO, the DfEE National Training Organisation for the Security Industry.

2006 – ‘Dealing with Potentially Dangerous People’ a training course endorsed by the Surry Region Open College Network.

2011 – ‘Physical Intervention Skills’ a (QCF Level 2) training course approved by awarding body Highfields (HABC) for SIA Door Supervisor Licence linked training.

2011 – ‘Physical Intervention Skills – Train the Trainer, a  (QCF Level 3) training course approved by awarding body Highfields (HABC) for SIA Door Supervisor Licence linked training.

2012 – ‘Healthcare Security Officer – Top Up’,  a training course approved by Awarding Body Industry Qualifications (IQ) and endorsed by the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS).

2013 – ‘Physical Intervention & Restraint Skills for Healthcare Security Officers’, a training course approved and endorsed by the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS).

2014 – ‘Healthcare Security Officer Training’ a training course approved and endorsed by the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS).

2015 – Three (e-learning) Security Training courses, recognised by and incorporated into the Security Institute’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme.

Jim has accrued an expert knowledge of workplace Health & Safety legislation and violence reduction strategies and continues to write articles for the Professional Security Magazine on a regular basis.  He has acted as an expert witness in numerous cases involving door supervisors, prison officers and members of the public.

Download Jim’s curriculum vitae

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