The joint campaign was launched by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Avon and Somerset Constabulary, the overriding aim being to support legitimate businesses that provide licensed staff to venues and safeguard them from the threat posed by organised crime.
As part of the operation, night-time inspections were carried out on Saturday 17 September, with ten venues visited and 45 door supervisors checked. All 45 operatives were found to hold a valid SIA licence, but several didn’t have them on display (which, of course, is a legal requirement).
In total, 13 people were found to be breaking licence conditions.
Of these, three door supervisors had failed to notify the SIA of criminal convictions: also a serious matter that can result in revocation of the SIA licence and prosecution. SIA investigators and police officers are now looking into this matter.
Ten individuals were issued with warnings by SIA investigators: six for failing to display their licence while on duty, three for failing to inform the SIA of a change of address and one for displaying a photocopy of their licence and also for failing to notify the SIA of their change of address.
Second stage of enforcement work
The unannounced checks in the city were followed by a second stage of activity during which officers from the SIA, SOCA and police met with venues, companies and individuals with possible links to serious and organised crime.
The operation was part of the first phase of a wider campaign that will see the agencies conduct similar enforcement actions across the UK.
Commenting on this latest round of compliance checks, Dave Humphries – the Regulator’s director of compliance, intelligence and communication – said: “The SIA is committed to working in partnership with SOCA and the police to ensure the safety of the public and to target organised crime and SIA licensing offences. These latest results show that some door staff underestimate the seriousness of breaching licence conditions. I must emphasise that this is a criminal offence and can lead to door staff having their SIA licences revoked and being prosecuted.”
SOCA’s deputy director Andy Baker added: “The pub and club scene is a very attractive market for organised criminals, particularly those looking to direct the supply of drugs. We know that criminal groups actively seek out opportunities to control the security around venues. That’s exactly why SOCA and its partners are working with the ones servicing Bristol’s vibrant nightlife and the firms that provide their security staff.”
Baker stressed that this is not about penalising those who are ‘coming up short’. “It’s about closing off criminal opportunities before they can be exploited,” he urged. “We want to send the message that using properly licensed staff helps prevent criminals from infiltrating the security industry, creates a safer environment for the public to enjoy themselves and is good for legitimate business.”
In conclusion, Baker explained: “We’ve gained useful intelligence on criminal activity from both the security industry and the public during this exercise. The work does not stop here though, and we’re now looking towards carrying out similar operations with the SIA and police forces in other major cities.”
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