The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is prioritising its use of better regulation principles and has made real progress improving its performance as a regulator, according to a new report published today by the Better Regulation Executive. The report, part of a series of reviews of national regulators, examined how the SIA matched up to the principles of effective regulation set out by Philip Hampton in 2005. The SIA, which regulates the growing private security industry, has placed a high priority on implementing these principles across their work. The SIA currently licences over 300,000 se...

A door supervisor working illegally with an expired SIA licence was sent home by police during checks on Friday [11 September]. SIA investigators and officers from Staffordshire Police visited nine pubs in Burton on Trent and Uttoxeter, inspecting 18 door supervisors. Of these, 17 held a valid SIA licence. By law, door supervisors must hold a valid frontline Security Industry Authority licence and display this whilst working. The premises supervisor must hold at least a non-frontline licence. One individual was found working with an expired licence, so was sent home by police and warned not to...

The Security Industry Authority is calling for views on whether a generic SIA license should be introduced. At present, SIA license cards are specific to each sector. Operatives working in more than one sector may need to be issued with multiple licenses. The two options set out in the consultation are: 1) To introduce a single generic license card covering all of the licensable activities that the holder is qualified to undertake; or 2) To continue to issue sector-specific and multiple licenses. If option one were introduced, all license cards would look the same. Information on the licensab...

University of Leicester researchers have combined crime research and space-age technology in ways that could lead to the quick detection of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in a black market currently worth an estimated $40billion per year. Professor George Fraser and Professor Martin Gill have combined their expertise of space physics and crime and security so that their Spectral ID project has been shortlisted for a Lord Stafford Award in the Innovation in Development category. Borne out of collaboration between Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International (PRCI) - a spin out company of the...

As part of a multi-agency operation, the SIA, Strathclyde Police and UK Border Agency targeted door staff working at pubs and clubs in Glasgow last weekend [28-29 August]. Since November 2007, door staff working at pubs, bars and clubs in Scotland must hold a frontline SIA licence and display this while working. If they are employed directly by a venue as staff member, rather than through a contractor, the manager must hold a non-frontline licence. 97 door staff working at 15 venues were inspected with some offences under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 detected. One individual was fou...

SIA investigators conducted random compliance checks on security operatives working at caravan parks in the Northumberland, North Tyneside and Durham areas on Tuesday evening [1 September]. By law, all door staff and security guards (working under contract) must have a Security Industry Authority licence, which must be displayed when working. 20 door staff and security guards were inspected and 19 individuals held valid SIA licences. One individual will be issued with warning letter for a Section 9 offence after failing to display their licence. SIA Head of Investigation, Lucia Howland said: ...

As part of an operation to tackle anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and violent crime across Cheshire, SIA investigators and officers from Cheshire Police checked pub door staff and security guards working in Ellesmere Port on Friday [21 August]. 17 security operatives working at pubs and retail outlets in the area were checked and all held valid SIA licences. It is illegal for door supervisors and contracted security guards to work without an SIA licence. SIA Head of Investigation, Lucia Howland said: “We have been working closely with the police to ensure that door staff and securit...

UK companies are investing greater resources in protecting their assets against a growing activist threat from the upcoming Climate Camp, according to G4S Secure Solutions (UK) (‘G4S’), the UK’s leading security company.  The next Climate Camp, which is being held in London from 27 August – 2 September, will be the third of three major camps across the UK in the last month. Speculation over its location has generated much media interest with a variety of targets suggested, including one of London’s main parks such as Hyde Park or Kew Gardens Park. Organisers have announced a series ...

Investigators from the Security Industry Authority and officers from Staffordshire Police carried out checks on security guards working at the V Festival in Weston Park on Friday [21 August]. The inspections were to ensure that companies providing security at the high profile event were working legally by only deploying SIA-licensed security operatives’ at the site near Weston-under Lizard. Of the 41 security guards inspected, only one individual was detected working without a licence. Enquiries will be made with the security company involved. Dave Holdway, Supt – Silver Commander V Festi...

The British Security Industry Association is encouraging information destruction companies to take advantage of new National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the sector. The new suite of standards, published earlier this year, define the level of competence needed to work in the information destruction sector, raise professionalism and in the future could inform an industry recognised training qualification for the sector. BSIA Information Destruction Section Chairman, Russell Harris, comments: “Throughout the development of the standards for the ID sector, the BSIA worked closely with Skil...