Women on the Frontline: Changing the Face of Security
Meet Caitlin, Our Head Door Supervisor
Caitlin didn’t just join the security industry – she grew up in it. From an early age, she was surrounded by professionals working on the frontline, witnessing the sector before and during the licence roll-out era. She saw standards rise, professionalism evolve, and expectations shift.
Over the years, she has built not only experience, but real depth of understanding in what effective security truly looks like.
Today, as a respected Head Door Supervisor, Caitlin leads from the front. Her approach is calm, measured and confident, shaped by years of hands-on experience across complex, fast-paced environments.
But throughout her journey, one stereotype persisted: the idea that security is defined by physical strength alone.
Caitlin has consistently challenged that perception. For her, frontline security is about far more than presence. It’s about awareness. Emotional intelligence. Communication. Leadership. The ability to read a room before a situation escalates. The strength of character to make the right call under pressure.
A Mixed Journey and Meaningful Growth
Caitlin describes her experience as a woman in security as “a very mixed bag.”
Starting her career in her teens, she entered a nightlife environment where female door supervisors were rare – often doubted, frequently challenged, and at times openly disliked. The scrutiny was constant, expectations were different and the pressure to prove herself was higher.
It would have been easy to walk away but instead, she chose growth.
One of her greatest challenges was earning credibility, proving to venue teams and customers that she was there to do exactly the same job as her male counterparts. Not as the “weak link.” Not as an easy target. But as a capable, composed and highly competent professional.
And she did it in her own way.
While others focused on the more visible aspects of the role, Caitlin invested in mastering the skills that truly define effective frontline security:
- Recognising behavioural patterns before issues surface
- Understanding personalities and individual tolerance levels
- Reading body language and subtle shifts in atmosphere
- Observing the dynamics between bar staff, door teams and customers
- Anticipating risk before situations escalate
By intentionally blending into the environment rather than dominating it, she developed an acute level of situational awareness – allowing her to spot vulnerabilities, defuse tensions early, and identify risks others might overlook.
For Caitlin, it wasn’t about being the loudest in the room it was about being the most aware.
