Judges

Simon Ball

The Institute of Strategic Risk Management (Ireland Chapter)

Simon has over 30 years’ policing experience in Northern Ireland, having developed expertise in the fields of public order and public safety, personnel security, information security, change management, and corporate governance. Most recently, he served as a Detective Chief Inspector in the Crime Operations Department of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Simon is a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management and has been appointed as Law Enforcement Liaison for their Ireland Chapter. He serves as a Board Member of the International Association For Intelligence Education (IAFIE) European Chapter and sit on the Governance Committee for IAFIE Global.

Academically, Simon holds a BA (Hons.) in Psychology, an MSc in Police Leadership and Management, and an MA in Intelligence and Security.

Zsuzanna Bencsics

International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)

Zsuzsanna holds a degree in Public Relations from the Budapest Business School, Faculty of Foreign Trade, specializing in emergency communication and crisis management. She is a strategic security lead at a global organization, responsible for overall strategy execution of corporate security solutions and physical security systems within the Central and Eastern Europe region as well as she oversees an RSOC operation. Among others she holds a volunteer position as Vice Chair of IFPO European Executive Committee.

Daragh Bolton

The Institute of Strategic Risk Management (Ireland Chapter)

Daragh is a highly experienced security industry professional with 30+ years of expertise in corporate, physical, aviation, and healthcare security. Specializing in project management, physical security systems installations, training needs analysis, conflict management, CQC, and physical intervention, His leadership skills and collaborative approach have contributed to the successful execution of numerous security projects. Enthusiastic about process analysis & improvement, building teams, loss prevention, insider threat, development of individual and organisational capabilities to bring positive behavioural change and drive an enhanced security-awareness culture. As a panel judge, Daragh shares his knowledge and insights with aspiring professionals, making valuable contributions to the industry

Bob Martin

JP CSyP FSyI

A judge for the OSPA’s on a number of occasions in the past, Bob was awarded the accolade of being the UK’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 2024, and was the very first person to be entered onto the Security Hall of Fame. 

Bob has had an extensive career within the Security Profession, and his contributions have left an indelible mark on the field, reshaping and elevating the standards of security practices. His commitment, expertise, and visionary leadership have not only propelled the industry forward but have also inspired countless individuals to pursue excellence in their security endeavours. He is the epitome of visionary leadership in the diverse and complicated world of security management, and a worthy judge of the Irish OSPA awards. 

Jayne King

Security Commonwealth (SyCOM) 

Jayne King joined the NHS in 1991 and has extensive experience in managing both in house and outsourced Healthcare Security Services. She is the Head of Security and Site Services at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, which is one of the largest and oldest hospitals in the UK. One of Jayne’s key priorities is the building of partnerships and community working within the security sector and the promotion of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion strategy within the security industry.  Jayne is an Accredited Security Management Specialist (ASMS), a Fellow of the Security Institute (FSyI), President of the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS) and the current Chair of the Security Commonwealth (SyCom). 

Prior to her NHS career, Jayne spent 9 years in the Royal Air Force assigned to both National and NATO Forces. 

Patrick Finucane

International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)

With over three decades of experience in the private and public security sectors, Pat Finucane is a seasoned security professional and transformation leader with a proven track record in the design and execution of physical security programs on a global scale. Currently, he heads Global Physical Security Operations at Pinterest, where he oversees and manages the operational security response across the organization’s entire enterprise.

Before joining Pinterest, Pat held various security and intelligence roles at Dropbox, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Irish Defence Forces. His career includes operational deployments in the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans.

As a strong advocate for veterans’ affairs and ongoing professional development, Pat serves as the Co-President of the Veterans Employee Resource Group at Pinterest. In this role, he actively works to support and guide former service personnel as they transition from military service to new careers in the tech industry.

Pat’s academic background includes multiple postgraduate degrees from Dublin City University, University College Dublin, the University of St Andrews, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and the Institute of Technology, Carlow. Alongside his academic achievements, he holds IFPO CPO, CPOI, CSSM certifications, and the ASIS CPP certification.

Peter Murray – Dip.Crim.F.Phych; CPO; Dip.Sec.ARM; MSecII T.T.

Security Institute of Ireland

Peter is a Director and Member of the Security Institute of Ireland. He has worked in the Irish Security Industry for over 25 years and is a time served member of the Irish Defence Forces Reserve. He has many years of experience working in the locksmith sector and is the owner and managing director of Stoptheburglar.ie & Design Out Crime Ireland.

His is presently creating a new initiative “Community Security Awareness” making use of the principles of CPTED & SCP. Involving the community with all security matters to enhance their daily lives with no financial outlay.

His qualifications include an SII Diploma in Crime Prevention, SII Terrorism Awareness and locksmith qualifications through the National Locksmith Training School (UK). Peter is currently the Chairman of the Locksmiths Working Group within the Corporate Division of the SII. Peter is also Accredited through the ICA Class B’ CPTED Practitioner. (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)

Nicola Sproule

Security Institute of Ireland

Nicola Helen Sproule is an accomplished training specialist and industry leader with a proven track record in designing, delivering, and quality-assuring award-winning qualifications across the health care, security, and education sectors. As the founder of her own successful training company, Nicola has developed and delivered accredited programmes to organisations nationwide, earning a reputation for exceptional standards, innovation, and integrity in professional development.

Nicola is a recognised subject-matter expert in physical intervention. She has written and developed several courses that have been formally approved and acknowledged by both the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) and the Security Industry Authority (SIA)—a rare achievement that underscores the quality, compliance, and safety focus of her work. She also contributed to the design and national rollout of the groundbreaking QQI Level 5 Physical Intervention Qualification, the first award of its kind, supporting trainers and centres in adopting this new standard.

With extensive frontline and leadership experience in the security industry, Nicola brings real-world operational insight to every programme she develops. Her background spans corporate security, event management, risk reduction, conflict management and specialist intervention training, giving her a strong understanding of the challenges faced by organisations and frontline staff.

In addition to her training and consultancy work, Nicola serves as a Director of the Security Institute of Ireland and is a member of the steering group for the ACT community of practise where she plays a key role in steering professional standards, strategic development and industry governance.

Driven, Knowledgeable, and committed to raising standards across every sector she supports, Nicola continues to shape the landscape of safety, security and professional training throughout the UK, Ireland and beyond.

Dr. David Strachan-Morris 

Security Institute of Ireland

David is a Lecturer in Intelligence and Security in the School of History, Politics and International Relations (HyPIR) at the University of Leicester, where he is also the Director of Distance Learning for HyPIR. Before becoming a full-time academic he worked in the private security sector as an intelligence analyst and intelligence manager for 10 years and served in the Intelligence Corps in the British Army and the West Midlands Police Force. He holds a BA (Hons) Degree in War Studies with Politics, and a Ph.D., both awarded by the University of Wolverhampton.

David is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Association, a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management, and a Member of the Security Institute of Ireland, as well as being a Board Member of the Security Institute of Ireland. David serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Policing, Intelligence, and Counterterrorism, the Journal of Security, Intelligence, and Resilience Education, and Intelligence and National Security.

Recent Publications

Books

Erik Dahl and David Strachan-Morris (eds), Predictive Intelligence for Tomorrow’s Threats, (Abingdon: Routledge, 2025).

David Strachan-Morris, Spreading Ink Blots from Da Nang to the DMZ: The US Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Strategy in Vietnam 1965 – 1968, (Warwick: Helion & Company, 2020).

Articles

Erik Dahl and David Strachan-Morris, Predictive Intelligence for Tomorrow’s Threats: Is Predictive Intelligence Possible? Introduction to Special Issue, Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, Vol 19, No 4, 2025, pp 423-435.

David Strachan-Morris, ‘Knowledge Gives Strength to the Arms: An Agenda for Studying Combat Intelligence as a Discrete Function Within Military Intelligence’, Intelligence and National Security, Intelligence and National Security, Vol 39, No 7, 2024, pp 1158-1175.

Mark Phythian and David Strachan-Morris, ‘Intelligence and the Russo-Ukrainian War: Introduction to the Special Issue, Intelligence and National Security, Vol 39, No 3, 2024, pp 377-385.

David’s main research interests are strategic intelligence, military intelligence, and the role of intelligence in assessing risk and uncertainty.

Paul Phillips

Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) 

Having trained as an electronics engineer, Paul worked for security equipment manufacturers from 1994 until joining the British Security Industry Association in 2009, later becoming Technical Manager. He gained an MSc in Security and Risk Management in 2006.

Paul began working for SSAIB in 2017, initially as compliance manager. SSAIB provide certification for the fire and security industries, including audits against PSA standards in Ireland. He took over responsibility of the day to day running of the company in 2022 and became SSAIB’s Chief Executive in 2023. 

Along with development of codes of practice for various security topics, he has been involved in the development of British and European standards for electronic security systems since 2002. Until recently Paul chaired the group that develops the European standards for intruder alarm systems.

Roger Ringham

National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS) 

Roger is Chair of the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS). He is a Board Director of NAHS Limited (Companies House registration 13242341), and Chair of the South West Region Security Management Group (SWSMG). 

In addition, Roger works as an Assistant Director in the NHS, where he is the Head of Service for Security and Fraud Experts (SAFE). 

SAFE delivers specialist services including security management, counter-fraud and related training to: NHS organisations, Local Government Authorities and to the private sector. It is responsible for the protection of >30,000 employees at over 1,000 sites nationwide from the threat of physical harm and financial abuse. 

Before joining the NHS, Roger served as a Police Officer and spent most of his time in a variety of investigative roles. Specialising in the investigation of major, serious, and complex crime. 

In addition, he trained as an Authorised Firearms Officer. Working in V.I.P. Protection and engaged on Category ‘A’ escort duties (Transportation of High Value Targets). 

Damien McDonough

International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)

Damien is highly qualified security professional, with over two decades of experience in the Military and private sector. He holds a MSc in Security Risk Management from the University of Leicester, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Healthcare in Austere Environments from the University of South Wales. He also has a Professional Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Organisational Change from the National University of Ireland Maynooth.

Damien has planned and conducted multiple sensitive and strategic operations both domestically and internationally, working with clients to ensure discretion and enhance protection. He is a board-certified Protection Officer Instructor with the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) and is also a registered security consultant and trainer with the security institute of Ireland (SII). He is also a board-certified ASIS Certified Protection Professional (CPP), as well as a board-certified Security Risk Management Certified Professional (SRMCP) from the SRM body of knowledge. Damien is also a registered Emergency Medical Technician with the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council of Ireland (PHECC). He also holds a QQI level 6 in Train the Trainer.

• Director of the Security Institute of Ireland
• Regional Director of Ireland for the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)
• Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM)
• Certified Protection Officer Instructor (CPOI) with IFPO
• ASIS Certified Protection Professional CPP.

Paul Cuttle

Emergency Management Institute Ireland (EMII)

Paul Cuttle, BA, MBS, M-EMII, F-ISRM 

Paul is a consultant in the field of crisis and emergency management and the owner of Cuttle Consulting which he founded in 2013. He was previously an Inspector in An Garda Siochana with responsibility for major emergency management. 

Paul was a member of An Garda Siochana from 1982 until 2013 when he retired at the rank of Inspector. In the rank of Inspector, he was assigned responsibility for Major Emergency Management (MEM) in 2007. That assignment coincided with the commencement of the Framework for Major Emergency Management in Ireland. He received training in each facet of MEM prior to the rollout of the Framework in 2008. He was part of the MEM Regional Working Group (RWG) that designed and delivered training to the Principal Response Agencies (PRA) including An Garda Siochana, The Health Service Executive (HSE), National Ambulance Service, Fire and Rescue Services, Local Authorities, Civil Defence and the Irish Defence Forces. He delivered training for On-Scene Response, Local Coordination Centres,  Information Management and Media Management. On completion of the initial training, He was part of the RWG who designed, delivered and evaluated MEM exercises for the PRAs. For many of the exercises he was the Exercise Director. He regularly had robust debates with senior managers in the PRAs on the exercise scenarios. Often, they wanted to test areas that were within their comfort zones. He wanted to test risks identified as reasonable worst case scenarios. He believed strongly in emergency preparedness and always convinced the senior decision makers to run the exercise scenarios which would ultimately protect all in the event of a major emergency. In many cases he used near-misses to identify realistic scenarios. 

During that period of his career, he also had responsibility within his Division for large crowd events. He always approached these events as having the potential to result in a major emergency or serious critical incident and used the MEM Framework as an event planning tool.  

He was a trained and experienced Critical Incident On scene Commander for the West and Midlands. This training and operational experience has guided his approach to all critical incident risk identification. He uses his knowledge and experience to carefully plan and prepare for risks. 

During his 31 years’ service in An Garda Siochana, he undertook the following training courses: 

• Critical Incident On-Scene Commander 

• Risk Assessment, Mitigation and Management 

• Planning and Staging Exercises 

• Strategic Level Command 

• Crisis Communications 

• Crisis Management Teams 

• Tiger-Kidnapping Incident Responder 

• Child Rescue Ireland Incident Responder 

• Improvised Explosive Device Risk Management 

• Motorway Incident Response 

• Crowd Management and Crowd Control 

• Corporate Risk Management 

• Railway Incident Response 

In 2013 he retired from An Garda Síochana and established Cuttle Consulting Limited where he specialises in crisis and emergency management. He works across many industries in the public and private sector including rail, airports, universities, local authorities, power generation, waste management, pharmaceutical, medical devices, chemicals, manufacturing, hotels, shopping centres, technology, COMAH and large crowd events. The commonality between all these sectors is the accurate identification of their hazards and risks. He uses that risk assessment as the foundation for the creation of site and sector specific Emergency Response Plans (ERP). He trains the facilities Emergency Response Team (ERT) and their Crisis Management Team (CMT) on their role, responsibilities and mandates under the ERP. He follows that training with scenario based exercises which are always designed to test specific areas of the ERP, which also has the added advantage of reinforcing the ERT and CMT training to make those teams feel more confident in their roles. With confidence comes competence.  

Paul is a Director of the Emergency Management Institute of Ireland (EMII) and a Fellow of The Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM). 

Paul holds the following educational qualifications: 

• Masters in Business Studies: First Class Honours Masters in Advance Business Practice at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). His thesis was on the value of communications in crisis and emergency response. 

• Bachelor of Arts Degree: Honours degree in Police Management from the Garda Siochana College in association with the University of Limerick.  

• Level 9 Special Purpose Award: Special Purpose Award with Distinction in Scenario Planning for Brexit at TUS. 

• OFQUAL Level 5 Award: Level 5 Award for Training and Higher Education in Corporate Risk and Crisis Management with ISRM. 

Sean Ward

Emergency Management Institute Ireland (EMII)

Sean is a former Chief Superintendent in An Garda Síochána (Ireland’s Police Service) with over 35 years’ service based in Dublin City Centre where he had overall responsibility for the leadership, management and delivery of a comprehensive policing service to a wide range of diverse stakeholders including major event management , crime detection and prevention , safety and security planning and management ,risk management, strategy, planning, governance, staff training and development , and emergency planning.

He is the current Chairperson of the Emergency Management Institute of Ireland (EMII) which is the professional organisation for individuals engaged in emergency and crisis management in the Republic of Ireland.

As the Owner and Managing Director of 4Ward Planning since 2019, Sean has developed a comprehensive consultancy service in Emergency Planning and Emergency Management, Evacuation Planning and Event Safety, Security and Risk Management.

He holds an M.Sc.(Hons) in Emergency Management ,a BA (Hons) in Police Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management.