Apart from the unseasonal but very welcome sunshine, March proved to be an interesting month.
In addition to my usual meetings with people involved in the industry and Government, we have rolled out improvements to our licensing arrangements, spent time on our preparations for the Olympic Games and are considering how we take forward new requirements for physical intervention training for those with the door supervisor licence.
We are currently working on a number of developments which will simplify and modernise the service we provide to licence holders. This is a significant piece of work and it was particularly pleasing this month to see the launch of our telephone renewals service, which allows those renewing or applying for a licence in an additional sector the opportunity to do so over the telephone.
The new service is faster and removes the need to complete another application form. It also reflects our commitment to support those of our customers who are continuing to operate in the private security industry. An interesting part of this has been the chance to test the new system with those who follow us on Facebook.
Preparing for the Olympic Games
Along with many others we have been preparing for the Olympic Games for some considerable time, and they are nearly upon us!
During March we published guidance for buyers and suppliers of private security with the Games in mind. This guidance (entitled ‘Olympic Security: Be Aware and Prepare’) summarises some of the issues that face the private security industry over the coming summer and is available from the new Olympic section of our website. It addresses the broader needs for private security beyond London and the Olympic Park itself, including the things for which private security companies need to plan.
We also make it clear that we will not be relaxing our requirements for licensing!
Physical intervention and door supervisors
The question of physical intervention training for door supervisors continues to be an important part of my agenda.
I do not believe that the many professional people in this sector go to work with the intention of causing anybody harm: this is evidenced by the fact that, in the majority of cases, those enjoying a night out are kept safe by the work of door supervisors.
That said, it’s an unfortunate fact that members of the public have been seriously injured and even killed as a result of physical intervention that has ‘gone wrong’. In the period before Christmas, members of my staff had to attend two inquests where a member of the public had died while being restrained by door supervisors.
For some time now It has been our view that all door supervisors should have received training in physical intervention. This has been a training requirement for new badge holders since June 2010, and Government ministers have now agreed that all other door supervisor licence holders should be required to carry out this training as well.
I appreciate that this places an additional requirement on those carrying out the role, but I’m firmly of the view it’s in the public interest that this additional training takes place.
I’m also acutely aware that the training requirement cannot cover every eventuality that door supervisors will face, but I’m satisfied that the required level of skill can reduce the risk for the public and for those working in the sector.
We still have work to do to finalise arrangements for bringing in this new requirement and we will publish details of the arrangements as soon as possible. It’s my intention that the new arrangements will give credit to those individuals and companies who have anticipated the need and taken such training on board on an early basis.
Bill Butler is chief executive of the Security Industry Authority