I was now a full member of the team, following on from the experience gained at the summer Labour Party Conference in Brighton. I had been punched, verbally abused and spat at by ‘normal’ people and that had earned my colleague’s respect.
But I was only just beginning in my quest to learn as much about the business of security and guarding. It was if I had been promoted as a result of my experiences, and so I was sent to one of our largest clients who were regularly being targeted by squatters and travellers. The company that employed me offered traveller eviction services as one of its main specialities as well as sharps clearance once a bunch of people had been moved on. Many of these properties could benefit from the installation of steel security fencing, which would solve the problem of intruders immediately, without the extra expense needed for security guards.
We’ve discussed it with the client on many occasions, but they are adamant about having someone onsite to phyically stand guard.
When I first got inside the building having cleared the remainder of people, I was shocked by the sight that was in front of me. I was once open-minded about the travelling community, thinking that they were proud of their heritage and culture. But the rubbish that was left behind, was truly awful! Human waste was not the only unpleasant things seen, there was also decaying food and needles from heavy drug usage. Naturally we were well equipped to deal with sort of problem, but as another human being, it was a truly stomach-wrenching experience. I wouldn’t have believed that someone could live in the conditions that I saw, drug user needles,and animal bits and pieces. But unless we cleared up after these people and made the places safe, the insurance people would class the properties as ‘void’ and would offer no further cover.
