The Security Industry Authority issues warnings

16 June 2011

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has handed out nine licence compliance warnings in a sweep of security businesses in four cities.

The random visits on security staff were carried out by SIA investigators earlier this month at 100 sites in Belfast, Lisburn, Southampton and Nottingham.

The businesses were visited as part of Operation Alexander, designed to test compliance among operatives working in security roles.

The premises visited included shopping centres, universities, office blocks, retail parks, a ferry terminal and a job centre.

Investigators checked CCTV operatives, door supervisors and general security guards. They issued nine warnings to individuals for either failing to display the SIA licence while on duty or for not informing the SIA of a change of address.

However, in Belfast and Lisburn, two operatives were detected working with Security Guarding licences that were not valid for the CCTV duties they were undertaking. The SIA said it is conducting further enquiries.

“I am pleased with the results from these latest random compliance checks,” said SIA director of compliance and enforcement Dave Humphries. “We will continue to monitor compliance with SIA licensing requirements by carrying out further activities like this across the UK.”

The sweep comes a month after the SIA announced it had launched research into the impact of SIA regulation in Northern Ireland.

The SIA wants to hear from private security employers and buyers of their services.

“The results will be compared with the findings of the SIA's 2008 survey, which was carried out before regulation was introduced in December 2009,” according to an SIA statement.

The research is being gathered through online surveys and the closing date for responses it 8 July.

The surveys, which take around 15 minutes to complete, are found on the SIA website.

The 2008 report can be found under 'SIA research' on the SIA website.

The SIA, responsible for regulating the private security industry, is an independent body reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.