Of the 51 operatives checked by Security Industry Authority (SIA) investigators this week, just 11 were legally deployed and wearing their licences. One was not wearing a licence but 39 were completely unlicensed.
The compliance operation took place at construction sites and retail outlets across Scotland’s central belt and involved 53 sites operated by 11 separate companies.
Ten of those companies had been warned by the SIA in September that they might not be prepared for the new licensing regime, which came into force in Scotland on the 1st of November.
Jennifer Pattinson, a head of investigation at the SIA, said, “Two months on and most of these companies are acting unlawfully by deploying unlicensed staff.
“As we make clear in our published enforcement policy – we always take a fair and proportionate approach to any enforcement action and we work with individuals and companies to help them comply with the law.
“However, we expect compliance with the law at all times and further action may be taken under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.”
The penalties for offences under the Act are potentially severe. For the most serious offences, fines are unlimited and can carry a sentence of imprisonment of up to five years.