A former British Army regular soldier has launched a new name in security services on the island.

Kyle Powell, a former soldier in the Royal Anglian Regiment, explained he saw a gap in the market in Bermuda after he returned home — and finally decided to set up Sentinel Defense Group.

Mr Powell, 38, said: “I got the ball rolling last year, but I was travelling so much to the UK, I only really got going late this year.

“What I saw was an opportunity to make security a profession, rather than a retirement hustle or a weekend hustle.

“What I wanted to do is raise the bar to UK standards — UK Security Industry Authority standards. I see a chance to turn security into more of a profession.”

Sentinel, with a staff of around 10 plus more on call if needed, offers a range of security services, in addition to traditional stewarding for bars and clubs, venue and events security and residential and commercial work, like patrols and static security.

The company also provides security consultancy, executive security chauffeuring, close protection and bodyguard services, as well as medical first response, including personnel trained in CPR and the use of defibrillators.

Mr Powell, known as Billy, said: “I saw a gap in the market because I saw security companies charging exorbitant rates and just sticking anyone on site.

“We try and practice preventive security. Most companies are reactive — they only have someone on site to record and report, rather than stopping something happening.

“We’re trying to be more proactive and more professionally trained. All my employees are conflict management trained, first aid and CPR trained, background checked and licensed by the Bermuda Police Service, which some don’t do.”

He added: “They also wear body cameras and use techniques to prevent situations escalating.

“A lot of bars and clubs are using unlicensed operatives and they don’t understand that liability that goes with that.

“Hiring a fully-registered and trained company minimises that risk.

“You have to able to justify the use of force and you have to able to conduct yourself in a professional manner. What people have to understand is if they hire unlicensed security, they are liable for anything they do on their premises.”

Mr Powell, who worked in property management for an international company before creating Sentinel, said that, in addition to his military experience, he had completed specialist security courses in Britain.

He added: “Some of the training I did in the military definitely lends itself to security — crowd control, observation, things like that. All of that helps when dealing with large crowds.

“A lot of the private training I have done since I left the military has pushed me towards forming my own company.

“I just decided that, because I have done so many security courses over the years, I would give it a go rather than be stuck working for someone else forever.”

Mr Powell said that some services, like close protection and bodyguarding, would be a niche market in Bermuda, although he predicted the America’s Cup next year might see higher demand for executive protection.

He said: “There’s not much demand for it, but if someone wants it, it’s there. I’m a licensed close protection operative from the UK Security Industry Authority.

“We may have people coming here who might bring a security team with them. I imagine with the America’s Cup, there will be a few people who might want some guys with them and use us instead.”

Mr Powell added: “I hope to develop the company so I can have young Bermudians who are willing to do the courses and make a profession of it.”