Group 4 Securicor

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Group 4 Securicor plc

Type of Company	Public limited company
Founded	1901
Headquarters	United Kingdom

Group 4 Securicor plc (LSE: GFS) is the world's second-largest security services provider. Formed by the merger of Securicor and Group 4 Falck in July 2004, it employs over 400,000 people across 110 nations and six continents. Its services include manned security, operation of criminal justice systems, electronic security systems, and financial services including cash transfer. It is often the market leader in many of the countries in which it operates. Its headquarters are in Crawley, UK.

Group 4 Securicor also owns the Wackenhut Corporation, a leading provider of security services in North America.

The anarcho-punk band Crass wrote a song entitled "Securicor", criticizing the corporation. In several games in the GTA video game series, the armored cars, or "Securicars," are branded "Gruppe Sechs," literally translated from German to "Group 6" but also a play on the pronunciation for group sex.

Group 4 Securicor is the subject of a global campaign by union workers alleging that subsidiaries in places like Indonesia, India, Uganda, Israel [1]and the USA undermine labour and human rights standards. Some of these groups are organised under the banner of Focus on Group 4 Securicor[2]. This group backed protests at Group 4 Securicor's annual general meeting in London in 2005[3] and 2006. The 2006 US State Department Report on Human Rights in Indonesia [4] released in March 2006 featured the on-going dispute in Jakarta with Group4/Securicor . In July 2006 the Indonesian Securicor workers had a substantial win - but the campaigners continue to support other Group 4 Securicor workers.[5]

The company has long disputed the claims and points to its strong relationships with unions around the world, including the GMB in Britain[6], with which it hosted a joint parliamentary reception the night before the 2006 annual general meeting.

[edit] History

In 2003 Group 4 Falck signed a Detention Services Contract with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (Australia)[7]. Under this contract Group 4 Falck took over direct control of Australia's refugee detention centres from Australasian Correctional Management, owned by its subsidiary Wackenhut, which had run them since 1998.

Cellnet the father of O₂ was started by Securicor. Cellnet merged with British Telecom to form BT Cellnet, which was then rebranded to O₂.