From December, training leading to the SIA approved qualifications will be available in Northern Ireland. As of next May, the Regulator will begin to accept licence applications and company applications for the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS). Come December next year, it will be illegal to engage in licensable conduct in Northern Ireland without a licence.
The SIA has initiated a Project Board to manage the delivery of this latest tract of regulation, the chairman being Andy Drane (the Regulator’s deputy chief executive). The Board includes senior representatives from the Northern Ireland Office, the Home Office and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. There’s also a senior observer from the Private Security Authority, which regulates in the Republic of Ireland.
What the security minister says…
Commenting on the timetable announcement, Northern Ireland’s security minister Paul Goggins said: “Extending the remit of the Security Industry Authority to Northern Ireland will achieve the regulation that the industry wants. These new arrangements will enhance safeguards for those operating within the industry, and help to drive out illegal operators.”
Goggins added: “This is good news for both those in the industry as well as the people of Northern Ireland. Companies who invest in training their staff and training have nothing to fear, while the public can be reassured that those within the industry are operating lawfully and to the highest standards.”
Also serving as leader of the implementation programme, Andy Drane told info4security.com: “Regulation in Northern Ireland by the SIA will ensure standards of training and professionalism in the private security industry are the same right across the United Kingdom. The public will benefit from one regulator and one licensing scheme which allows them to have greater confidence in a regulated and professional industry.”
View from the NI Police Service
Assistant chief constable Duncan McCausland, who’s responsible for criminal justice in Northern Ireland, said: “We welcome the announcement that the SIA’s remit
will be extended to Northern Ireland next year. The implementation of the licensing scheme will help improve standards and promote Best Practice within the industry. The Police Service will work closely with the Regulator to promote public safety and reduce any criminality.”
The sectors requiring a licence in Northern Ireland are:
- Cash-and-Valuables-in-Transit (contracted)
- close protection (contracted)
- door supervision (in-house and contracted)
- Public Space Surveillance (CCTV) (contracted)
- security guarding (contracted)
- Key Holding (contracted)
- vehicle immobilising (in-house and contracted)
The proposal to extend the remit of the SIA to Northern Ireland was put out for public consultation by the Northern Ireland Office back in August 2006. The results showed an overwhelming desire within the industry for regulation, and that this should be in line with Best Practice in Great Britain.
BSIA welcomes the news
The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has welcomed the announcement by the Northern Ireland Office to bring regulation of the private security industry in Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK.
The organisation’s chief executive David Dickinson, speaking to info4security.com, said: “BSIA members in Northern Ireland have been calling for the robust regulation of the industry in the region for a number of years. The implementation of licensing will put Northern Ireland on an equal footing with the rest of the UK where regulation has already been successfully established.”
Dickinson continued: “Vitally, the introduction of licensing will also remove a minority of unscrupulous operators from the industry as an individual’s criminal record and identity will be checked before they’re issued with a licence. Levels of professionalism within the industry in Northern Ireland will be increased thanks not only to these checks, but also due to the compulsory training that individuals will have to undergo before they obtain a licence.”
In conclusion, the Trade Association leader added: “As with regulation in the rest of the UK, this will not be without cost which inevitably has implications for the customer. However, experience elsewhere has shown with increased certainty that this investment will bring real value. It’s clear that businesses will reap the rewards of a licensed and professionalised industry. They will have peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that their premises are being looked after by trained and licensed officers.”
Reliance addresses the clients
Following the announcement of the introduction of regulation to Northern Ireland in December 2009, Reliance Security Services is holding a complementary licensing and regulation seminar in Belfast on October 14 for customers with contracted security arrangements.
Speakers will include senior executives from the SIA, the BSIA, HBOS and, of course, Reliance who will be outlining the requirements of regulation, the implications for customers and at the same time providing a lively forum for questions and answers. The event will start at 10.00 am and conclude with a buffet lunch at 1.00pm.
Anyone interested in attending can register online at the Reliance web site (see our link on the right hand panel of this page) or e-mail events manager Stuart Wilson.