The Regulator’s investigators inspected 233 security officers, CCTV operatives and door supervisors. 150 sites were visited, among them construction sites, hospitals, retail outlets, CCTV suites, museums, offices, pubs and clubs.
In total, 225 operatives were found to hold valid Security Industry Authority licence cards which is a requirement by law. Eight people were found to be working illegally and five without a licence: one operative’s licence had been revoked, one was working with a forged licence and one with an expired licence.
Investigators will be following up on all the offences found in each area and prosecutions may follow.
In addition, investigators issued 11 warnings to operatives found to be breaking licence conditions, which included failing to display the Security Industry Authority licence while on duty and failing to notify the Regulator of a change of their address.
In Cambridge, Huntingdon, March and Wisbech, investigators visited building sites, car parks, university college campuses, industrial parks, science parks, research centres, business parks and licensed premises. 92 operatives were inspected and 89 held a valid licence issued by the Regulator.
Three unlicensed individuals were found: a door supervisor with no licence, a door supervisor with a revoked licence and an individual sporting a Security Guard licence when that individual should hold a CCTV licence. Six people were issued with warnings for breaking licence conditions.
Inspections in Wolverhampton and Newcastle
In Wolverhampton, investigators visited hospitals, racecourses, shopping centres and licensed premises. 35 operatives were inspected and 33 individuals found to be correctly licensed.
Two unlicensed door supervisors were detected: one with no licence and one working with a forged Security Industry Authority licence. One operative was issued with a warning for breaking licence conditions.
In Newcastle, Washington, Gateshead and Northumbria, investigators visited museums, hospitals, business parks, colleges, construction sites and licensed premises. 71 individuals were inspected and 69 operatives were properly licensed.
At business premises, two unlicensed security officers were found to be on duty. Three people were issued with warnings for breaking licence conditions.
North of the border checks
In Perth, investigators visited museums, racecourses, construction sites, hospitals, concert halls, retail sites and licensed premises.
Of the 21 operatives inspected, 20 were SIA licensed. At a retail site, an unlicensed security officer was found to be working with an expired licence. One person was issued with a warning for breaking conditions.
In Stirling, the Regulator’s investigators visited museums, shopping centres, construction sites, retail outlets, hospitals and licensed premises. All 14 individuals were found to be working legally with the required Security Industry Authority licence.
Speaking about this latest round of enforcement activity, the Regulator’s director of compliance, intelligence and communication, Dave Humphries, said: “This latest round of random checks shows that while the vast majority of security staff working at sites across the country are aware of the legal requirement to be SIA-licensed and adhere to the licence conditions, a small proportion of people are still flouting the law.”
Humphries continued: “This will not be tolerated, and we will be following up our investigations with these operatives and those that employed or deployed them.”
