A changing environment
New laws, regulations and expectations have increased the role private security professionals play in preparedness, prevention, response and resilience.
ABOUT UKCTAG
Independent by design.
UKCTAG was created to bridge a gap: strengthening counter-terrorism awareness, education, professional development and standards across the UK private security sector.
PEOPLEKNOWLEDGESTANDARDSCOLLABORATION
WHO WE ARE
An independent professional body built around a simple idea: better prepared people create safer environments.
The United Kingdom Counter Terrorism Advisory Group (UKCTAG) is an independent organisation focused on improving counter-terrorism awareness, education, research, professional development and standards within the UK private security sector.
Our membership and wider professional network brings together experience from military, policing, intelligence, academia and private security. That multidisciplinary perspective allows UKCTAG to examine counter-terrorism and protective security from operational, strategic and analytical viewpoints rather than from one professional silo.
Our independence matters. UKCTAG is not a government organisation and is not affiliated with any government department, police force, intelligence agency or law-enforcement body. We are an independent organisation working with professionals and stakeholders across the security community.
WHERE WE CAME FROM
UKCTAG started with a gap in the sector.
The organisation developed from a practical observation: the private security sector increasingly carries responsibilities connected to counter-terrorism, yet access to consistent, relevant education and professional development has not always kept pace.
Gaps became visible
The development of Protect Duty principles and wider counter-terrorism expectations highlighted gaps in awareness, training, education, guidance and consistency across parts of the sector.
A practical response
UKCTAG was created to help bridge those gaps by bringing practitioners and subject-matter expertise together around research, education, standards and collaboration.
WHY WE EXIST
A responsibility that cannot be met by training alone.
Counter-terrorism capability depends on people understanding threats, recognising vulnerabilities, knowing their responsibilities and having access to credible information.
Awareness
Helping people understand the threat environment and the role they can play in reducing vulnerability.
Education
Translating complex counter-terrorism, security and legislative issues into accessible professional knowledge.
Standards
Supporting consistency, professionalism and quality across counter-terrorism and private security activity.
Capability
Connecting knowledge to practical preparedness, risk management, resilience and response.
Collaboration
Breaking down silos between private security, policing, government, academia and industry.
Professionalism
Encouraging ethical leadership, evidence-led practice and continuous professional development.
WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE
To professionalise and strengthen the counter-terrorism and security sector.
UKCTAG's mission is to provide credible expertise, raise standards and support organisations and professionals to effectively identify, assess and mitigate risk. We want to create a professional environment where counter-terrorism knowledge is accessible, practical and continuously developed.
HOW WE WILL DO IT
People. Knowledge. Standards. Action.
Our structure is designed to turn professional experience into useful outputs for the sector.
Independent, applied research
Research into terrorism, counter-terrorism, emerging threats, hostile reconnaissance, legislation and sector vulnerabilities, producing briefings, position papers and practical recommendations.
Better learning frameworks
Supporting high-quality training frameworks aligned to operational requirements, working with accredited providers and industry partners to promote relevance, consistency and quality assurance.
Making complex issues understandable
Producing accessible briefings, reports, strategic insights and professional content that informs both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Connecting the sector
Building meaningful relationships across government, law enforcement, private security, academia and industry bodies to improve knowledge sharing and reduce professional silos.
Turning discussion into progress
Convening practitioners, experts and decision-makers to explore difficult issues, share experience and identify practical solutions to current and emerging challenges.
Learning beyond the UK
Maintaining an international outlook, sharing knowledge with partners and understanding how global threats and operational experience can inform UK practice.
Developing people
Supporting professional development and creating opportunities for experienced practitioners to share knowledge with the next generation.
Professional standards with integrity
Embedding ethical considerations into leadership, research, professional conduct and the development of counter-terrorism capability.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Experience. Collaboration. Positive change.
These principles sit at the centre of the organisation's development and reflect the themes represented in our leadership identity.
INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONBringing people together across professional boundaries.
RAISING STANDARDSSupporting better practice, education and professional development.
SHARING KNOWLEDGEMaking experience and evidence useful to the wider sector.
POSITIVE CHANGETurning ideas into practical improvements in capability and resilience.
A SAFER UKContributing to stronger preparedness across the environments people use every day.
SENIOR LEADERSHIPPeople with experience.
People with experience.
Purpose with direction.
UKCTAG's senior leadership combines operational, strategic, policing, corporate security and international experience.
Founder · Executive Director & ChairJoshua Brown
Founder of UKCTAG and responsible for strategic direction, organisational leadership and the long-term institute ambition.
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Director of OperationsBen Mumford
Brings policing, corporate security, risk and crisis management experience to operational delivery and organisational development.
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Director of Strategic Development, Partnerships & Industry EngagementKen Perry
Brings extensive military, international security, media safety and consultancy experience to strategic development and partnerships.
View full profile →THE FOUNDING VISION
Created to bridge the gap — and build something that lasts.
UKCTAG was founded by Joshua Brown from the recognition that the private security sector was being asked to play an increasingly important role in counter-terrorism and protective security while significant gaps remained in training, education and awareness.
The ambition was therefore bigger than creating a single training course or consultancy service. UKCTAG was established as a non-profit-focused professional initiative with the intention of building a long-term organisation capable of bringing together research, education, professional standards, collaboration and mentorship.
The ultimate objective is to develop UKCTAG into a recognised institute that can contribute credible research, support professional development, encourage better standards and provide an independent voice for the private security sector.
“Driving higher standards, stronger collaboration and a safer UK private security industry.”— Founding vision of UKCTAG
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Help us build a stronger professional community.
Whether you are a practitioner, trainer, researcher, academic, industry organisation or strategic partner, UKCTAG exists to create a space where knowledge can be shared and standards can develop.