Any discussion of the responsibilities that will befall private sector security companies post-legislation must be prefaced by a definition of the factors currently affecting what is a multi-billion pound industry – and the responsibilities inherent in them.
In essence, there are four groups in the equation, all of them with vested interests – the service providers, their people, the customers and the authorities. Foremost among this group are the people. Our officers, technicians and engineers. The ones who provide the security service. All-too-often they are forgotten about.
Employers are the people who implement standards and create mechanisms for their people to succeed. Meantime, it’s the customers who fund the industry. They must surely be more influential than any of the other groups when it comes to raising standards across the private sector.
Then there’s the Government (both local and national) and trade associations including the British Security Industry Association and the Association of British Insurers. The Government has created a framework for our industry. The Associations have within their remit the power to enforce standards.
Legal and voluntary responsibilities
Our current responsibilities may be defined as legal and voluntary. Legal rights – encompassing health and safety, the Working Time Directive and other variants on employment legislation – enshrine the rights of every individual, and should be universally adhered to across the industry. Voluntary responsibilities (including screening, vetting, training and compliance audits), on the other hand, are the cornerstones ensuring some form of minimum standard.
These, then, are the responsibilities specific to our industry, yet they are not universally accepted across that industry.
Obviously, private security companies will have to comply with the terms and conditions of the Private Security Industry Act, obtaining licenses for not just the company itself but its current and future employees. That said, at the present time this appears to be the only element of the legislation that’s compulsory. For example, the soon-to-be-formed Security Industry Authority will operate a voluntary approved contractors inspection scheme covering operational procedures.
We must remember that the future of this industry is not simply about licenses. To use a famed analogy, just because a given individual possesses a driving licence does not make them either a good or safe driver. Future obligations must include the raising of standards, improved quality and consistency of service provision to the end user and – arguably most important of all – gaining the respect of society and industry at large.
The cost of poor security
Ultimately, security must be seen as a profession. A profession that’s every bit as important to our well-being as manufacturing and finance. Why? Simple. Every time security ‘gets it wrong’ it impacts on each and every one of us, either by way of higher product costs or increased insurance premiums.
Everyone accepts that the key to raising standards is the ‘production’ of good quality security officers. Fundamental to this is ‘The Salary’. Aside from the cash itself, the word ‘salary’ implies additional benefits. Sick pay, pension arrangements, life insurance and paid holidays readily spring to mind.
I see no good reason why officers, the most important people in this industry, should be denied the same rights applicable to those that make a living from running it.
A good salary is also fundamental in overcoming the bane of the industry – namely the unacceptably high rates of staff turnover.
Having managed to encourage staff to stick around, proper training and development must then take place such that skills, knowledge and awareness are continually improved. As soon as quality and consistency predominate, we are then honour-bound to promote longevity through career progression by giving everyone access to the best industry training, development and support.
If we have fulfilled these obligations then our people will be in a situation where they can express their own ideas, innovate and actively participate. Surely then we will enjoy Best Practice in all quarters.
Hopefully, we’ll also be mature enough as an industry to applaud Best Practice – and, more importantly perhaps – implement it throughout. In this way, perhaps we can then earn the respect of other professions.
Throughout I have used the term “we” as I’m referring to those four groupings with a vested interest. Unless we all work together to produce a vision and a strategy that will frame the future, I fear we will have failed in our obligations with respect to the Private Security Industry Act and other legislation.
There are many holistic visions of ‘one stop shops’ and ‘total security solutions’, but unless we can achieve a state whereby we’re walking consistently before trying to run we shall keep on falling over.
On the other hand, if we make these investments in time, effort, commitment and money, the future will surely be bright. We’ll have an industry that’s motivated, enthusiastic and committed to a quality service. An industry whose people are proud to say that they’re members of the security profession.
