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Shaping the future of security licence qualifications

Qualifications Review Update, February 2026

A progress update on our strategic review of qualifications from Tony Holyland, Head of Individual Standards at the SIA.

I want to update you on the progress we are making on our strategic review of qualifications. This work is our major review of the qualifications that operatives require before they can apply for, and in some cases renew, a licence. 

Why this review matters

Licence-linked qualifications are one of the most important ways we can ensure operatives have the safety-critical skills to protect themselves and the public. Getting this right matters — for front-line operatives who need training that reflects what they do, for employers who need confidence in the operatives they deploy, and for the public who deserve assurance that security professionals have been trained and assessed against basic safety-critical skills. 

We are reviewing the qualifications to ensure they:

  • reflect current risks and challenges
  • keep pace with changing industry practice and new technologies
  • contain up-to-date legislation
  • address how social and cultural changes affect the work of front-line security operatives

This review goes beyond updating content. We are also examining how assessment and quality assurance are delivered and taking a fresh look at how top-up and refresher training arrangements have developed over the years. 

What we have done so far

 Since launching the review in November 2025, we have been actively engaging with the private security industry. So far we have: 

  • spoken with over 450 people through our webinars
  • received responses from around 4,500 people through our surveys
  • convened sector-specific Expert Working Groups to develop detailed proposals for new qualification specifications

The response from the industry has been fantastic, and the insights we are gathering are shaping the direction of this review. 

Who is shaping the review

This review is being driven by those who understand security work best — the people who do it every day. 

Advisory Group 

Our Advisory Group provides strategic guidance and challenge throughout the review. The group brings together senior figures from across the sector, including: 

  • representatives from trade bodies and membership associations
  • senior figures from major security employers
  • counter-terrorism and protective security specialists
  • skills and training experts
  • representatives from awarding organisations

The Advisory Group meets every four to six weeks, ensuring we receive expert input on policy issues and emerging challenges as the project progresses. Their contribution has been invaluable in helping us ask the right questions and ensuring our proposals reflect operational realities. 

Expert Working Groups 

Alongside the Advisory Group, our Expert Working Groups are carrying out the detailed work on each qualification specification. These groups are composed primarily of front-line security professionals — door supervisors, security officers, CCTV operators, and close protection officers — supported by subject matter experts in areas such as physical intervention. 

By placing occupational expertise at the heart of specification development, we are ensuring the new qualifications reflect what operatives genuinely need to know and do. 

What we are hearing

Some interesting proposals are emerging from the working groups. I have grouped the main themes below. 

Convergence of skills across roles 

We are seeing a drive for a more substantial common skillset across all licensable roles. This reflects a growing recognition that door supervisors, security officers, and CCTV operators increasingly need overlapping knowledge and skills to work effectively together. Experts are telling us there is growing demand for operatives to be familiar with roles across the industry, to foster better teamworking and collaboration in the delivery of an integrated service. 

Cultural, social, and technological changes 

Some proposals reflect the changing environment in which operatives work: 

  • a shift in focus from drug detection and seizure towards understanding the harms of drug use
  • new content on dealing with social media auditors — members of the public who film security staff and test their responses
  • greater emphasis on staff wellbeing
  • content that better reflects modern thinking on equality, diversity, and inclusion

These changes recognise how significantly the security environment has shifted since the current qualifications were developed. 

Other developments 

We are also seeing strong proposals on: 

  • enhanced physical intervention skills for operatives working in higher-risk environments
  • updates to address the challenges posed by the rise in retail crime
  • modernised professional skills and updated content in close protection

What happens next

All of these proposed changes will be subject to a public consultation, which will be available in the spring. This is your opportunity to have your say on the content and approach for the next generation of qualifications. 

Alongside developing new content, we are working closely with our awarding organisation partners to strengthen the security of qualification assessments and examinations. 

Thank you to everyone who has engaged with the review so far. Your expertise and insights are making a real difference, and I look forward to continuing this conversation through the consultation. 

To stay informed

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Protecting public safety: our latest action against training malpractice 

Op Resolute Update, December 2025 

An update from Pete Easterbrook, Director of Inspections and Enforcement. Pete leads the SIA’s drive against training malpractice and qualification fraud. 

Training malpractice and qualification fraud are not simply shortcuts – they have real-world public safety consequences. That’s why we continue to take decisive action under Operation RESOLUTE to protect the integrity of SIA licence-linked qualifications and ensure the public can have confidence that security operatives are properly trained and genuinely qualified. 

Coordinated nationwide action 

In October 2025, our teams conducted a series of targeted inspections across the UK, visiting 9 training centres in a single week. While standards were generally high, we found that three training centres we visited were delivering training below our expectations.  In one of the cases, we witnessed malpractice taking place. As a result, the centre is being investigated by the awarding organisation, and any further training will be scrutinised and monitored. 

In November 2025, our teams conducted a major series of targeted inspections. More than twenty officers from the SIA’s Inspections and Enforcement Directorate, working closely with our partners at Ofqual, carried out simultaneous unannounced inspections across London, Manchester, Bradford, and Liverpool. 

In a single day, we visited 8 venues: 5 approved training centres, 2 security companies, and 1 non-approved training centre. We took this targeted action in direct response to intelligence we received. It was necessary to disrupt an organised network we believe has been engaging in serious malpractice and fraud. 

The results speak for themselves. The training centres we visited are now under investigation and close scrutiny from the awarding bodies. One of these centres has been further sanctioned, meaning the awarding organisation will not authorise the release of any further qualifications until it is satisfied the quality of training can be met. 

Operation Resolute: our commitment to rooting out malpractice 

These operations are part of Operation Resolute, our comprehensive initiative to identify, pursue, and root out anyone who undermines the system. We are determined to ensure the public have confidence that SIA licence holders have been properly trained, are genuinely qualified, and are fully capable of doing the job required of them. 

We’re now receiving intelligence from a wider range of sources. As these recent operations demonstrate, we’re using that intelligence, our UK-wide resources, and those of our partners to track down individuals who falsely believe they won’t be caught. 

Since the start of 2025  

  • 19 training centres have been closed down  
  • 242 SIA licences have been suspended  

Report your concerns 

If you have concerns about the integrity of SIA licence-linked training, please report them. Every piece of intelligence helps us protect the public and support the majority of training providers who operate to good standards.   

We will continue to provide updates on our progress as appropriate.  

If you have concerns about a training provider, please do report your concerns: Find out how you report training malpractice.  

More information about the parties involved in delivering SIA licence-linked training is available from our Learn about SIA licence-linked training  page. 

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Updates to our licensing criteria to ensure that it remains fit and proper

Tim Archer, Director of Licensing and Standards explains why we’re updating our criminality criteria and how the changes will impact our licensing decisions.

We are introducing important changes to our criminality criteria for licensing decisions, which will come into effect on 1 December 2025. These changes will affect how we assess criminality when making decisions about granting, renewing, suspending or revoking SIA licences.

With just days remaining until the new criteria take effect, it’s important that licence holders, applicants, and employers in the industry understand what’s changing and how it may impact them. Whether you’re applying for a new licence, seeking to renew an existing one, or employing licensed security operatives, these changes represent a significant update to our approach to assessing criminality.

In this blog, I want to explain what’s changing, why we’re making these changes, and what they mean for you.

The criteria we use to assess applications for SIA licences is set out in the document Get Licensed. We use this statutory guidance to determine whether someone is fit and proper to hold an SIA licence.

We consulted on proposed changes to the criteria in March 2025, and following that consultation, these changes have now been approved by our minister. They take effect on 1st December 2025.

The changes we’re making:

  • Adding new, additional offences to the list of offences that the SIA considers relevant for licencing decisions, including modern slavery, people trafficking and ‘upskirting’ offences.
  • Tightening up the rules around refusing a licence where an applicant has any criminal record that includes a sexual offence, child abuse or neglect offence, or a prison sentence of more than 48 months. We already look closely at the risks of applications involving these offences, and we’re going to refuse all such applications in future unless the applicant can convince us that they are not a public protection risk.
  • Taking a tougher approach to custodial sentences of more than 12 months, where additional checks and mitigation will be required to demonstrate that the applicant is fit and proper to hold a licence. This process is known as Consider Additional Factors and is currently used when an applicant has certain criminality, including a custodial sentence of more than 48 months.
  • Requiring applicants who have lived overseas for more than 6 continuous months in the last ten years to provide an overseas criminal record check when they apply for an SIA licence. At present, this requirement only covers the last five years. This brings us into line with criminality checks for issuing UK visas where someone will be working in education, health or social care.
  • Making clearer the broad range of information we may take into account when deciding whether someone is ‘fit and proper’ to be granted a licence – for example domestic violence orders or being subject to misconduct or other disciplinary proceedings.

These changes will bring our criteria up to date, with the inclusion of new relevant offences whilst also further toughening and tightening our approach to criminality and providing greater transparency for applicants and licence holders on our wider fit and proper test that they must meet.

Our consultation earlier in the year received over 3,000 responses and demonstrated very strong support for these enhancements to our licensing criteria. Following the consultation the SIA board agreed the changes which were then subject to, and received, ministerial approval.

Our current robust licensing processes help ensure public trust and confidence in the private security industry. These changes will further strengthen our licensing processes and support our drive to improve standards within the industry.

All licence applications decided from 1st December 2025 will be subject to these new criteria. Whilst only a small number of applicants will be directly affected by these changes, they will have a positive impact on the trust and confidence that members of the public and other stakeholders can have in the standards of security operatives as they go about their work of protecting people, property and premises.

Of course, the criminality checks as set out in Get Licensed are just one part of the checks that we conduct in deciding whether to grant a licence or not. Before applicants can apply they need to complete the required licence linked qualification and provide relevant evidence that they have an up to date first aid qualification and have undergone terror threat awareness training. Security operatives are very often the first person on the scene in the event of an incident, so ensuring that they have the appropriate skills to be able to respond to emergencies is essential.

Making sure that all these requirements are met, alongside identity checks and confirmation of right to work status, is important to provide assurance that there is appropriate rigour in the licensing regime. This in turn means that we can all have confidence in the integrity, ability and knowledge of those that are there to protect people, property and premises.

Read the findings of the consultation and more details about the changes.

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Significant activity to crack down on training malpractice

An update from Pete Easterbrook, interim SIA Director of Inspections and Enforcement. Pete leads our drive against training malpractice.  

We will not hesitate to act if we believe that an operative has not been trained to the standards we require as a result of training malpractice or qualification fraud. 

In the last 24 hours we have suspended the SIA licences of more than 60 people who undertook training at two separate centres in Glasgow and Manchester that were operated by the same company. This came as a result of information provided to us. 

We are continuing our enquiries. In the meantime,  the responsible awarding organisation has prevented the centre from delivering any further training. 

We will continue our work under Operation RESOLUTE, acting swiftly and decisively to root out abuse, detect and disrupt criminality, and make the private security industry a hostile environment for those who seek to exploit it. 

We will provide updates on our progress as appropriate.  

If you have concerns about a training provider, please report your concerns: Find out how you report training malpractice.  

You can find more information about the parties involved in delivering SIA licence-linked training from our Learn about SIA licence-linked training  page.  

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Turning the Tide on Training Malpractice in the Private Security Industry 

Pete Easterbrook, Interim Director of Inspections and Enforcement talks about a new phase to our approach to tackle training malpractice or mismanagement.

Those working within the private security hold positions of trust and responsibility. It is essential that the public, customers and stakeholders have confidence and trust that security operatives are properly trained, qualified, and capable of keeping people, property and premises safe. A key component of ensuring this trust and confidence is assuring the validity of the qualifications that operatives receive before they can apply for an SIA licence.  The majority of providers who deliver SIA licence linked training are professionals who share our commitment to high standards, however where this is not the case, poor standards and training malpractice can, at its worst, put the public at risk.   

While we play a central role in setting the minimum standards for licence-linked training, we’re not the only players in the game.  We define the core skills and knowledge required for operatives to qualify for a licence. However, the delivery of that training is conducted by around 650 training providers who are in turn approved by six Awarding Organisations (AOs), each regulated by Ofqual (England and Wales), SQA (Scotland), CCEA (Northern Ireland), which oversees quality assurance across the sector.    

Qualifications’ regulation is a well-established model that is in use in other sectors across the UK, but having multiple organisations involved in the process doesn’t always make things straightforward.  Regardless of who is responsible for which part of the process, where a qualification leads to a licence being granted, then our role is to ensure that the individual we have granted a licence to is fit and proper – and that includes possessing the safety critical skills and knowledge to undertake their role effectively.    

In 2024, we began to focus greater attention on training malpractice, which at it’s most serious can constitute fraud – a criminal offence.  As part of this, we undertook work to improve strategic relationships with key partners such as Awarding Organisations and qualification regulators such as Ofqual.  An enhanced communications campaign resulted in an increase in the intelligence we received relating to training malpractice – essential for us to be able to take the appropriate action.  

Since April 2025, we’ve built on the foundations of this work, and we are now moving into a new phase under Operation RESOLUTE.  RESOLUTE has been designed as a high impact initiative with a strong operational focus on intelligence led, unannounced inspections to training providers, as well as a deeper collaboration with partners. 

We are realigning our resources and ensuring we leverage the considerable expertise of our people.  By way of an example, we’ve now brought specialist training integrity resources into our Inspections and Enforcement directorate.  This shift has unlocked wider investigative expertise and enabled a more proactive, intelligence-led approach to tackling training abuse.  In addition, we’ve invested in nationally accredited training to sharpen the investigative skills of our frontline teams to ensure they are equipped to tackle training malpractice head on.   

Our robust and decisive approach is already having an impact.   

Since the 1st April 2025; 

  •  we’ve increased the number of unannounced training centre visits by 120% compared to the same period last year.  Those visits have resulted in 10 training centres having their approval to deliver training withdrawn, and one centre suspended from delivering training until the Awarding Body is satisfied the appropriate standard can be met.  
  • we’ve commenced a criminal investigation in one case due to the serious nature of the offending.  As part of this investigation 17 individual SIA licences have been revoked where our enquiries have brought into question whether the training an individual has received has been up to the required standard.  
  • In July 2025 my teams conducted a series of targeted inspections across the UK, visiting 15 training centres in a single week.  Whilst standards were generally high, four training centres we visited were found to be delivering training below our expectations.  In two cases the issues were so serious the centres were sanctioned by Awarding Bodies and any further training will be scrutinised and monitored. One of these centres was further sanctioned, and the Awarding Body will not authorise the release of any further qualifications until it is satisfied the quality of training can be met 

We are about to undertake a strategic review of the licence linked qualifications, within which we will seek to further reduce opportunities for abuse of the training system.  Naturally, this will involve us taking a close look at how assessments are conducted and administered.  In the meantime we are working closely with partners, will continue our work under Operation RESOLUTE, acting swiftly and decisively to root out abuse, detect and disrupt criminality, and make the private security industry a hostile environment for those who seek to exploit it. 

We will continue to provide updates on our progress as appropriate. 

If you have concerns about a training provider, please do report your concerns: Find out how you report training malpractice. 

More information about the parties involved in delivering SIA licence-linked training is available from our Learn about SIA licence-linked training  page. 

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Tackling labour exploitation – an update on Operation EMPOWER 

Ronnie Megaughin, Head of Compliance and Inspections, Security Industry Authority  

In August this year Paul Fullwood, the SIA Director of Inspections & Enforcement, published an article on our response to labour exploitation in the private security industry. This is an update on our operational response to the issue, which we are calling Operation EMPOWER.

The issues that Paul highlighted in his article are most prevalent in extended supply chains involving sub-contracting labour provision to service contracts.

EMPOWER, which has been running for about four months, combines a number of approaches. These include an intensive media campaign, primarily on social media platforms, and an operational response driven by a dedicated team of SIA Compliance and Inspections (C&I) Investigators working closely with partners in HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE).

We have raised around 150 investigation cases under the EMPOWER criteria. These relate to tax evasion through bogus self-employment, failure to pay National Insurance, breaches of National Minimum Wage legislation, and abuse of student and skilled worker visas.

Whist some cases are relatively straightforward and can result in a referral to HMRC Fraud Investigation Service, others are far more complex and will require time to work through and gather evidence. One such investigation resulted in Operation JACKFRUIT. This was a UK-wide day of action, led by SIA C&I and Criminal Enforcement investigators in partnership with HMRC and HOIE teams.

The main themes which JACKFRUIT aimed to address were NMW breaches, benefit fraud, abuse of visas, and bogus self-employment. We visited 35 separate sites, with two business inspections included in the plan. HOIE arrested one individual for visa abuse (working on a skilled worker visa in front line security). HOIE have the power to apply significant fines on the offending business in such circumstances. We and our partners are progressing other lines of investigation as a result of the information we obtained on the day.

We adapted our approach to inspections at summer festivals and events this year to include engagement with operatives to establish their employment status and who they were employed by. That work identified 283 individual cases with concerns about employment status. HMRC will follow those up with a view to addressing the companies responsible for their deployment.

We launched our social media campaign on 27 August 2024, using a newly-designed campaign identity based on our brand. Since then we’ve shared more than 50 posts across Twitter (X), LinkedIn and Facebook. We have written messaging to target four specific audiences: general licence-holders, businesses, buyers of security, and potential victims of labour exploitation. Our messages have been seen more than 100,000 times, with a good deal of positive engagement.

A significant challenge we face is the use of closed WhatsApp groups to recruit and arrange deployment of security operatives. At one time many of these groups would post hourly rates well below National Minimum Wage. However, the actions of well-intentioned members of the security industry, who sought to expose them on social media platforms, have driven their activities further underground. Many will now only offer an hourly rate over the telephone. Intelligence indicates that some groups are being operated entirely in foreign languages to further frustrate any attempts to infiltrate them.

Anecdotal evidence and feedback from all our public engagement indicates overwhelming support for our work under Operation EMPOWER. We are under no illusion that there is a quick fix. However there is no doubt that more robust contract management and greater due diligence in supply chains by the larger companies in the private security industry could have a significant positive impact.

We will continue to work under Operation EMPOWER, in partnership with all interested parties, to reduce the harm.

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What is spiking and what can I do about it?

This blog was written by Dr Amy Burrell, Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. She can be contacted  on a.burrell@bham.ac.uk or via LinkedIn

What is spiking?

Spiking is the covert administration of substances (e.g., drugs, alcohol) to another person without their knowledge or consent. People often think about spiking in the context of drinks and, whilst drink spiking (i.e., adding a substance to someone’s drink) is a common way to spike someone, it is not the only way it happens. There are also reports of spiking using food (e.g., lollipops, brownies, gummies), cigarettes and/or vapes, as well as chewing gum and even via needles/injection.

What is commonly used to spike people?

Drugs such as Rohypnol, GHB, and Ketamine have been associated with spiking and incidents involving such substances do occur. However, alcohol is the most common substance used to commit spiking. This is not surprising as it is cheap and easily available, especially when in a night-time economy context.

Why do people spike others?

Spiking is a criminal offence. However, it can also be used to make someone more susceptible to being a victim of another crime. There is little research evidence about motivations but what we do know is that they can vary – for example, from sexual assault to robbery to pranking. We also know that spiking is not always followed by another offence which lends more support to the idea that some perpetrators commit spiking for “fun” or “a laugh”. Whatever the motivation, the impact of spiking can be dangerous and, of course, frightening for the victim.

How can I tell if someone has been spiked?

Symptoms of spiking can vary, depending on the substance used. Sometimes it will look like someone is just very drunk – unsurprising if the substance used to spike is often alcohol. Symptoms can, therefore, look similar to drunkenness – e.g., nausea, dizziness, being unsteady on their feet. Other signs someone might have been spiking include becoming unresponsive, behaving out of character, paranoia, and/or hallucinations.

What should I do immediately/first if I think someone has been spiked?

First and foremost, focus on safety. Seek medical attention if necessary. Also, make the venue aware as well as SIA colleagues working nearby. It is not always easy to establish where spiking has taken place so making everyone aware of an incident is helpful. Listen to the person who is reporting they have been spiked – and their friends – as this will help you identify what will help them calm down/feel reassured/what help they need.

How do I help someone who has been spiked?

Remember that the person might not be aware of what is happening. They might be very frightened and/or distressed. It is important to try and find the person’s friends as, hopefully, this will help you understand what has happened. In particular, it will help you establish where they have been and if their behaviour seems out of character for them. One useful tip is to look at the group and the context – whilst it might be very difficult to determine if someone has been spiked if it is 4am and everyone is drunk, there are other times where it should be much clearer. For example, if it is 10pm and one person seems completely out of it, their friends are nearby, (more) sober, and telling you their friend is behaving oddly then this is a strong indicator of spiking. Either way, if in doubt, work on the basis it could be spiking and take the appropriate action.

How do I report a spiking incident?

Victims can be worried about reporting spiking as they might be frightened or feel like they won’t be believed. I would encourage people to report if they feel able to as this helps us to build up a picture of spiking and the more we know, the more effectively we can respond. Police UK have a website on spiking which includes links to reporting spiking incidents. If the victim would prefer not to contact the police, they can still report what has happened to them – for example, at Stamp Out Spiking and The Egalitarian.

What do I do if I want to find out more?

The Security Industry Authority can signpost you to training that is available to you. For example, the Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training is offered to SIA licence holders via the Safer Business Network. This offers you a good opportunity for supplementary training as an extra to your regular refresher SIA training.

There are also many charitable organisations who can offer help and support around spiking. They often have free resources available and/or options for reporting incidents. For example:

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Our compliance checks this summer- Q&A with Lucia Howland

We spoke with our Regional Investigation Manager & Tactical Events Lead Lucia Howland about our approach to compliance checks this busy summer.  

We seem to be visiting lots of festivals lately, what has our approach been for previous years? 

We’ve always had an interest in festivals and events. Typically, these tend to be high risk events by nature; there’s a demand for lots of security personnel for a limited time. This can lead to pressures on both the quality of staff provision and the due diligence needed to ensure compliance with regulations. Non-compliance might include unlicensed operatives, the presence of cloned or counterfeit licences or the use of stewards in place of security staff for designated roles. This can introduce risks to protecting the public. 

How does the industry cope with demands? 

Generally, the primary security provider that holds a contract with an event organiser will enter into contracts with other providers or use labour from others. Whilst this is acceptable if done correctly, it can dilute due diligence. We accept that this method of working must happen, so our interest is in making sure this is working as it should.  

How do we get intelligence and how does that inform our compliance and inspections activity?  

A lot of the intelligence we get is from the public where someone reports something they’ve seen. This tends to be after an event so the moment has often passed. The challenge is about getting the best intelligence so that it can properly inform our approach. We only have so many investigators so we can’t be present at every event, but we work hard on this and gather as much intelligence as possible. The intelligence team combines this with other information we gather from our own inspections and interactions with those in the industry to form a picture of the threats faced. These are then prioritised and tasked to the Compliance & Inspections teams. 

We need to be mindful that where we have rich intelligence on particular events or providers, we don’t place that on a pedestal; it doesn’t tell us what’s happening at other events we’ve not been to – sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. 

How do you mitigate lack of organisers’ awareness? 

We start work months before an event happens. We work with organisers and other partners at meetings known as ‘safety advisory groups’. In addition to ensuring security plans are sound, these meetings exist to address any issues in relation to the event for example, health and safety, the environment and logistics and transport issues. At these meetings, a number of partners attend to give opinions and expertise. Sometimes we attend at the request of partners such as the local authority or the event organiser, sometimes we invite ourselves. 

We also work with providers of security beforehand to advise on compliance. We build a good relationship and work with them to make sure their own plans meet the standards required. 

What’s the main difference for us between big and smaller festivals? 

Our processes are the same whether big or small, so it’s a matter of scale really. I think smaller events are easier; there’s less to inspect on the ground and a smaller geography means not trapsing over quite as many fields to inspect security provision and liaise with control stations. 

But the challenge with smaller events is there tends to be less wiggle room to deal with any issues. For example, having fewer security personnel means less flexibility to deploy an alternative operative if an issue relating to a licence is found. 

Venue size and security provision is not a linear relationship. I was at a festival last week with a capacity of 5,000 with 29 security operatives on duty. However, a recent festival with a capacity of 10,000 required 200 operatives. Numbers vary massively and are dictated by the type of event, location, make-up of the venue, geography, entry/control points, demographics, etc. 

What’s the team up to just now? 

The season is now underway, and events are happening so we’re moving to an operational phase. We’re out inspecting festivals regularly now. 

Even though we’ve had pre-meetings with organisers and security providers already, we still inspect. We don’t leave them to it as we need to ensure the assurances, we’re given are accurate. 

What’s the reaction to our presence? 

Generally, we are well received. Good quality security providers which are there to do a good job are pleased to see us and work with us. Some event organisers can see us as presenting ‘yet another hoop to jump through’. But when they see how little we disrupt things and appreciate the value we bring to make their events safer they welcome us being on board.   

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Our compliance checks at the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend Festival  

by Lisa Shaw, Investigations Officer, SIA Southeast

The BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend Festival took place this year in Luton from 24-26 May. As a popular event with a great line up, the numbers were expected to reach over 100,000 which meant a large security presence. My team at the SIA covers counties in the Southeast including Sussex, Essex, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Kent, Bedfordshire and Thames Valley. As the event was in my patch, my team and I planned a visit to ensure SIA compliance at the event. 

Our team checked 155 licences and spent time engaging with licence holders and security suppliers at the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend Festival in Luton.

We spent three days making checks at the event. The first two days involved us attending the site before the event opened to inspect licences of the security operatives on duty.  At the inspection planning stage, all suppliers provided me with a list of documents they had seen to verify identity of the licence holders. We then attended the first day of the event on Friday 24th May to inspect any licence holders we missed on the first two days.  We also observed security procedures and process to ensure that there was no crossover between licensable roles and actions of safety marshals present at the event.   

Sarah Runchman, our Head of Intelligence, joined the inspection to observe how an inspection unfolds, what obstacles we may face when out in the field and what improvements can be made in the process.  I also spent time walking around the site with local licensing officers working jointly to check security at the venue. 

On the day the event opened we were able to observe the security teams carrying out their duties. This included bag searches at the gates and drug detection dogs being used amongst the crowds. We observed how successfully the dogs detected illegal substances with members of the public removed from the queue as a result.  

From left to right: SIA Compliance and Inspections team – Ariarna Moore, Lisa Shaw, Alison Hughes and Elise Winnett 

The inspection was successful with high levels of compliance found from security officers. We inspected 155 licences over the three days. We issued 13 warnings for failure to update address and a further 5 verbal warnings to security officers for failing to display their SIA licences.  

Conducting much of the inspection prior to the opening of the event allowed us to really engage with security officers and marshals and get a feel for how the industry is for them. Our presence at the event was welcomed, with many security officers expressing gladness to see us there. We met a very talented event marshal who is now training to become an SIA licensed security operative. We also witnessed an unprovoked attack by an aggressive member of the public on a door supervisor.  The door supervisor handled the situation with restraint and calmness, preventing any escalation. Watching the incident unfold in front of us highlighted just how difficult a door supervisor’s job can be.  

Overall, it was a rewarding experience to be part of the event and to ensure levels of compliance were met by the security present.  I am grateful for the positive interactions and the opportunity to witness the dedication of everyone involved in ensuring safety of the public and property at the event.  

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Improving understanding of public trust and confidence in private security 

Michelle Russell, Chief Executive, Security Industry Authority 

The Security Industry Authority’s core purpose is protecting the public through effectively regulating the private security industry. As we mark 20 years since the start of our licensing regime, we want to make sure that the industry and its regulation is keeping pace with public expectations. It’s important that people can have trust and confidence in licence holders, the wider industry, and us as a regulator.

Research shows there are high levels of trust and confidence

We commissioned BMG to carry out research to help us to understand public perceptions of the industry, its regulation and private security careers. The overall results from nationally representative surveys of 2,600 UK adults in 2022 and 2023, and further exploration of key themes in focus groups, present a solid picture to build on.

It’s encouraging that most people trust security operatives, are confident that they do the right thing and carry out their duties competently. The public recognise the important role security operatives do. SIA licence holders can feel proud that most people feel safer due to their presence in settings like music concerts, sporting events, banks, hospitals, nighttime venues and retail premises.

There are high levels of consistency between the 2022 and 2023 results. This indicates that these findings are not a ‘one-off’. However, it also means that it will likely take time to change some of the more negative perceptions and stereotypes that some of the public hold about the security operatives they come across.

Personal encounters have a significant influence on views 

It is not unexpected that attitudes and personal experiences play a strong role in driving levels of trust. Those with a positive recent personal experience with a security operative were much more likely to have greater levels of trust and confidence overall in private security.

We set the entry level requirements for training content and standards of conduct required to get and keep a licence. The research findings show that operatives who display positive, customer-focused traits help to drive trust. People said they wanted the security staff they meet to be more professional, reliable and helpful. This highlights how important it is for individuals to take responsibility for their conduct and behaviour once they have a licence, putting their communication and conflict resolution skills into practice.

Employers also have a part to play, as they take responsibility for on the job training suitable for the role their employees are deployed to. Employers can encourage recruitment for desired skills and traits, and promote positive values.

Security businesses and leaders also have an important role – both in driving long-term improvements to standards, and in helping to change public perceptions. I’d like to recognise the impact of initiatives which are good examples of this such as the British Security Industry Association (BSIA)’s ‘People, Property, Places: Professionally Protected’ campaign and the work of the industry-led Skills Board which is made up of leaders from security businesses both small and large.

Our regulation also has a part to play in building trust

Though personal experience is a stronger driver, as the regulator we also play our part in building trust and confidence by setting requirements and standards, and acting swiftly against those who fall short of them. Whether that’s providing formal advice, or suspending or revoking licences. In the most serious cases, we will prosecute illegal activity that risks public safety, the integrity of the licensing regime or undermines the work of those that do comply with the rules.

Members of the public that took part in focus groups were mostly positive about regulation and felt reassured by knowing the industry is regulated. However, it is clear there is more that we can do to explain what licensing means and how SIA licence holders support public safety, given that 3 in 10 survey respondents were aware of us and our role. We’re acting on this and have built improving public understanding into our communications strategy for the next few years.

The focus group conversations also revealed that routine independent licensing checks will help to drive up trust. We have increased our inspection footprint and visibility across the UK over the last few years to help detect issues early and deter wrongdoing. We will continue to act against individuals and companies who put the public at risk.

Together we can change perceptions about careers

It is good news that 7 in 10 people agree that private security is a career to be proud of. However, most of the survey respondents saw working in security as a good secondary job, rather than a first-choice career. 

The SIA is already working in partnership with the industry to change perceptions so that more people can see private security as a role for them. Employers are responsible for attracting and retaining their staff. We act and use our voice where practices compromise public safety, including working with HMRC to address ‘cash in hand’ practices which are often linked to poor standards.  

We are also pleased to support the specialist work of bodies such as the Security Institute, The International Professional Security Association (IPSA) and Security Commonwealth, and industry-led initiatives such as the Private Security Industry Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group, which work to open pathways into security and formalise frameworks for further developing skills and expertise, post entry level. 

Long-term improvements to working conditions must continue to be driven by the industry. Employers are responsible for ensuring people are paid fairly and well for what they do and the skills they have, treated respectfully in the workplace and invested in with opportunities to develop and progress. Buyers also have a role to play in not letting pricing compromise public safety and quality. 

This is just a flavour of some of the key findings and learnings from the full research document. We have used the results to inform our own strategy. I encourage those working in the private security industry, those in positions of leadership and influence in security businesses, and employers, to reflect on and use these insights to inform your own activities. 

Read the report in full
Featured

Jo’s Day in a Life at Reading Festival

One of our Investigations Officers, Jo, takes us through two days on site at the Reading Festival, as part of our SIA team ensuring licence holder compliance.

The famous music event attracts over 105,000 festivalgoers each year, while the security provision numbers around 2,000 operatives.

Walking to the festival

Tuesday 22 August

10.45am I arrive at the festival command centre for the event. It’s home to control teams from the police, ambulance and fire services, as well as event control and security. There’s already an impressive buzz to the place. Communication equipment, monitors and displays are arranged in the centre’s multi use courts.

11.00am I meet the rest of our inspection team who are supporting me today. We meet the Safety Manager for the Reading Festival, and he takes us to the site.

Before we’re allowed in, we must go through a site induction and be given our access wrist bands. This was one of the smoothest processes we’ve encountered to access an event. We were impressed by the improvements to the accreditation process implemented since last year.

The weather was glorious – so no festival mud to traipse through.

When operatives arrive, they must scan in a QR code, which amongst other details includes emergency contact details, then they move to accreditation desk.

11.15am The Safety Manager takes us to the compound for one of the larger of the three security companies looking after public safety at the event. Two others are also supplying security. In the main accreditation tent, we get to grips with checking the process and how security officers coming onto the site are being checked.

Our inspection team splits into groups to do the same with the other two companies supplying security.

Firstly, we are assured of how their accreditation is set up. When operatives arrive, they must scan in a QR code, which amongst other details includes emergency contact details, then they move to the accreditation desk.

Each operative is checked against a staff list, their SIA licence is checked against additional photo identity and against the SIA register of licence holders, as well as a physical check of the card itself using an ultraviolet light to test security features.

It is a good set up and well run. We see people being taken out of the line to undergo further clarification on their accreditation, which shows due diligence on behalf of the security company.

Operatives then move through to pick up their uniforms, any equipment they need and a tabard, different colours for security staff and stewards.

Before they leave, they attend an initial briefing and one final SIA licence check.

It was a good set up and well run.

Next to the main stage

12.00pm Within the accreditation area, we undertake our own further checks on SIA licences and contact our operation control to confirm all is well.

By the time we finish, our team has checked 85 licence holders – all good.

It’s worth a note, that the total security provision numbers around 2,000 individuals across the whole weekend, less today as the event is still setting up. But the number of operatives on duty will increase when the festival opens to the public.

1.30pm We man the gatepost where operatives enter to undertake initial checks before they get to the accreditation gate.

2.00pm We return to the main security compound and meet back up with our team who have been doing similar checks with the other companies.

After a brief break, we go to see the deployed security staff. There’s security staff at three gates to the site and more dotted around arena and stages. We go to the main site gate then walk into the arena, checking staff as we go.

On our way back to the security compound, we hitch a ride on a buggy. We are held at a junction to make way for a convoy of 12 ice cream vans!

5.00pm We meet our team and make our way to the exit performing a few more checks along the way.

6.00pm We’re signed out of the site, and I can make my way back home. I endure the M25 again and when I get home, spend a little time catching up on emails and messages before signing off the day.

Thursday 24 August

Jo, Elsie, Dawn and Michelle on site

11.00am We arrive back at the command centre and meet with our team including our Chief Executive, Michelle Russell who is joining us today.

Despite threats of rain, and taking heavy coats and stout shoes, it was another glorious day.

By now, the festival is functioning rather than being set up. The campsites are filling up fast, there are already tents cheek by jowl. Concessions stands are open and the festival feels like it’s getting into full swing.

There are lots of people walking around, sitting about, enjoying the atmosphere, and getting to know where things are. Metal roadways along the main routes save these from turning into mud baths if it rains.

We can see a constant stream of people arriving, some with some strange luggage solutions; chairs strapped to backs, tents being dragged, sleeping bags hanging from rucksacks, things being dropped.

Security staff are now doing their job rather than being accredited.

Operatives are deployed walking around the camps, keeping an eye on concessions, undertaking access controls and deploying searches for main access areas.

There are eight camps in total; white, brown, orange, purple, blue, yellow, orange and eco.

Our team splits into a separate group.

11:30am We head off for ‘white’ camp, the furthest away, about a 30-minute walk. It was a good day for steps. I clocked up around 15,000 during the day.

White camp is over a temporary bridge built over a river. At each of the camps is a camp manager, store and security manager. We make further checks as the Security Manager radios his team one-by-one to come in for a check.

On the way back we check a further two camps. In addition, we sweep up any security operatives we meet as we walk through and carry out further   licensing checks.

1.45pm We stop for lunch sitting down for a well-deserved break. After which, we walk on a bit further to a site access point and carry out some more checks. We don’t interfere with the search area, as this is very busy.

2.30pm We visit the brown and purple campsites on the way back carrying out more licence checks.

4.15pm As we sweep our areas the other team does the same with theirs. We meet up at the main arena where another security company is providing service for the main arena with the huge stage. We introduce ourselves. The manager is helpful but very busy, so we carry out checks as efficiently as possible and let them get on.

“It was good to have our Chief Executive, Michelle Russell along to share our experiences and talk to her about the little things that can help make our jobs easier.”

4.45pm We decide to call it a day and sit in the command centre for a de-brief.

Overall, the team undertook a total of 85 checks during the day.

It was good to have our Chief Executive, Michelle Russell along to share our experiences and talk to her about the little things that can help make our jobs easier.

5.50pm Michelle thanks the event controller and we leave the site.

8.30pm I get home. A quick check in to catch up on emails and messages before logging off for the day.

Overall, the team completed 170 checks during the two-day operation. In addition, I created 14 watchlists and checked 637 licences prior to the event. So quite an achievement.  

This was the first festival operation that I was leading on, and I was pleased with how it went. Everything was well planned and everyone in the team, both (literally) in the field and at control did a marvellous job.

It was good to see the security provision being deployed to a very high standard. All the checks we undertook were positive, testimony to the work we do with security suppliers long before events take place.

Thank you to the SIA team, the security and events management companies and security operatives who all did a fantastic job in keeping the public safe over the two days.

“Everything was well planned and everyone in the team, both (literally) in the field and at control did a marvellous job.”

Featured

Minister of State for Safeguarding out on inspection with our compliance team in the City of London 

On Tuesday 12 September Sarah Dines, Minister of State for Safeguarding, accompanied our compliance team members and City of London Police on an inspection across six locations in the square mile. 

The Minister, Sarah Dines, and our Chair, Heather Baily met and spoke with frontline security operatives, including door supervisors and security guards. The Minister was keen to understand the role and the experiences of licence holders as well as speak with them about public safety. 

Our Investigations Officer, Kirsty Tagg shared with the Minister our ongoing work to tackle violence against women and girls in partnership with local boroughs and the police.  She also highlighted the vital training that operatives receive on recognising indicators of abuse and their duty of care to protect vulnerable people. 

The visits provided an opportunity for the security operatives to speak with the Minister and our Chair, and an opportunity for the Minister to observe our role in enforcing standards within the private security industry. 

The visits allowed us to meet security operatives with a wide range of experience of working in the private security industry. A couple of the operatives had been in role for over ten years, with one holding 18 years of service at the same venue. We also met with an operative who had only just recently received their first licence. 

One of the head door supervisors detailed that they had recently turned away a security operative, with what they thought may have been a fake licence.  

Using ultraviolet light, they had been unable to detect a lack of security features that should have been present on the individual’s licence card.  

We discussed the issue of counterfeited licences with the Minister and explained the ways in which we are tackling this issue by encouraging companies to undertake checks. 

The inspection was completed with a short debrief at the end of the night. 

It was a valuable exercise to introduce the Minister to the work we do out in the field, learn about the experiences of the SIA licence holders, and discuss some of the challenges we can encounter in our work.   

Our thanks go to Sarah Dines, her team, the City of London Police and to all who took part for their continued commitment to working with us. 

Featured

Safety Advisory Groups

Lucia Howland our Regional Investigation Manager and Tactical Events Lead talks about our role in the Safety Advisory Groups.

Safety Advisory Groups (SAGs) are usually co-ordinated by a local authority and made up of representatives from the local authority, emergency services, other relevant bodies and the event organiser.

The group’s role is to:

  • Promote high levels of safety and welfare at events by giving advice and guidance.
  • Promote good practice in safety and welfare planning for events.
  • Ensure events have a minimal adverse impact on the local community.

We are generally invited to SAG meetings by the police or local authority to contribute to the public safety agenda of the meeting- with a particular focus in relation to the provision of security at an event.

In many cases we work with the event organisers to establish their requirements for security.  If necessary, supporting them in confirming the different roles of people working at an event and whether they fall into licensable conduct under the Private Security Industry Act.  For example – is there a correct mix of stewards and is there an appropriate amount of door supervisors and security officers to be supplied.

We do not get involved in the number of security personnel required.  This is not our remit – this has to be specified by the organiser and is sometimes influenced by the police or local authority based on historical events or types of venue.

If a security provider hasn’t been chosen, we will take the opportunity to promote the ACS as a recognised hallmark of quality for security suppliers.

We will highlight to the organisers that their choice of security provider can have a significant impact on the success of their event. We recommend that they carry out some general due diligence enquiries before they choose a security provider. Investing time by undertaking some basic checks can reap rewards.

As soon as a security provider has been appointed there are a number of areas we will look at to reassure ourselves, and the SAG attendees, of the capability and capacity of the provider to deliver the service, these will include:

  • That they are capable of providing the required numbers of security personnel, or if not, have they got sufficient contractual relationships in place to deliver the requirement.
  • What screening and vetting checks of the operatives will be put in place to ensure that the supplied licensed operatives hold a valid and genuine SIA licence. 

From the SAG meeting we can gain an understanding of how the event is likely to run in terms of security personnel being accredited. We may share best practice and known intelligence to support the due diligence practices in place to mitigate as far as possible any known risks.

We will need reassurance that there will be a robust process in place to thoroughly vet and register the operatives deployed.

We don’t attend every event but when we do, we are generally very well received. We work alongside security suppliers during inspections to check the validity of SIA licences. Going forward we will be working even closer with event organisers as customers of security businesses, to mitigate the risk of the use of counterfeit and cloned licences at events and festivals.

Following the event debrief meetings will be arranged with event organisers where needed. These meetings provide an important opportunity for both event organisers and agencies to feedback, learn and share best practice.

Featured

Coronation Weekend – Extensive inspection activity in London and Windsor

The Coronation weekend required a large private security presence to deliver safe events and ensure public protection. 

Our Inspection and Enforcement teams engaged extensively in advance with the event organisers, partner agencies and security companies involved as well as being present during the weekend events to undertake compliance-related activity 

Our compliance activity focused on the large events in Windsor and Central London 

Windsor

Our South East regional investigators worked with the main security contractor to quality assure the accreditation process of SIA licence holders arriving at Windsor Castle to work at the event.

The team gave proactive advice around due diligence measures to mitigate against the risk of individuals trying to work in the private security industry using counterfeit licences.

The security operation at Windsor was very well organised with several hundred security operatives going through the process without issue.

We completed 40 random licence checks out of around 400 licence holders working the event, all were compliant.

Investigators also carried out inspections in and around Windsor town centre and the train station.

London

Our team of London investigators engaged with the organisers and suppliers in advance of the events across the weekend. Approximately 2,100 SIA licensed operatives were required for the event working alongside Police and the armed forces.  

In the lead up to the Coronation during the `build’ phase our investigators carried out visits to ensure the integrity of security around areas of temporary infrastructure.  

On Friday 5 May we undertook inspection activity carrying out licence checks in allocated areas at Green Park, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Parliament Square and finally St James’s Park and Horse Guards Parade.  

On Saturday 6 May on the day of the Kings Coronation investigators were out early in Parliament Square, Millbank, Green Park, and Hyde Park.  

During both inspections our investigators spoke with SIA licensed personnel to check they held a valid and active SIA licence.  We spoke with 260 individual licence holders. All held valid and active SIA licences. Warnings were issued to those failing to display their licence in accordance with licensing requirements.  

The team not only checked SIA licences but spoke with the officers about their role, their experience and training.  We also engaged with supervisors and managers on the ground representing the numerous providers of security personnel. 

Jonathan Fleet, Regional Investigation Manager for London said: 

“Many of the security officers at the event started work on event day at 4am for a 12 hour shift. We were impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the security operatives we spoke with who were doing a great job in areas with high numbers of the general public.” 

 

Featured

Public Protection is everyone’s responsibility!

The SIA’s recent update submitted to the Inquiry on 16 January, has been published on the Manchester Arena Inquiry website and is now also available here on GOV.UK.

In a blog published today, Paul Fullwood SIA Director of Inspections & Enforcement and Strategic Lead for the Manchester Arena Inquiry (MAI) gives an update on the SIA’s work on the two monitored recommendations made by the Inquiry. He also outlines the actions and improvements undertaken by the SIA to strengthen public safety since the attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry (MAI) has been a sobering experience for us all. The inquiry has provided significant learning for the public and various agencies as well as an examination of the role of the regulated Private Security sector.

On Monday 19th December 2022, the Government announced details for the Protect Duty, now to be known as ‘Martyn’s Law’ in tribute to Martyn Hett, who was killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena Terrorist Attack in 2017.

Further to Martyn’s Law, Volume One of the Inquiry’s report contained two monitored recommendations specifically for the Security Industry Authority and the Home Office.

I thought it would be helpful to explain the SIA’s work so far on the Inquiry’s Monitored Recommendations 7 (MR7 – extend in-house licensing) and 8 (MR8 – introduction of business licensing).

Over the last 18 months we have been working closely with the Home Office to consider possible options to address these recommendations.

From the perspective of the SIA, our professional assessment is that despite the best efforts of many, we have gaps in our existing regulatory powers which the proposals would seek to address. We have sought to address this in support of both public protection and working in partnership to raise standards across the private security industry.

Our proposals go further than the recommendations made by the MAI, and we have included:

  1. Individual SIA licensing for in-house security should be extended to both operators of CCTV/public surveillance and in-house security guards; and
  2. The licensing of private security contractors and labour providers be introduced.

We have been working with members of the private security industry & Home Office to test out our thinking, our own professional knowledge and independent research to ensure we have an evidence base to assist with any future decision making.

We have made our proposals on the basis that:

  •  they will support public protection and public safety,
  • they have the broad support of the private security operatives and businesses we have engaged with,
  • they will not result in a disproportionate regulatory burden with sensible measures proposed, including exemptions, exceptions, and thresholds.

There is often a misassumption that we (SIA) can introduce these changes immediately; we can’t!  We operate within the powers given to us under the Private Security Industry Act. Any changes to this legislation require the agreement of the Home Office, Ministers, and Parliament. The matter is now with Home Office officials, and ultimately Ministers for consideration and decision on whether to accept the proposals or not. We await to hear the outcome.

Alongside the introduction of ‘Martyn’s Law’ we feel these proposals will bolster public safety by further professionalising the private security industry and address several shortfalls that we know many professionals would like addressed.

The SIA submitted formal detailed proposals of both MR 7 and MR8 to the Home Office in November 2022.

As private security is a devolved matter, the SIA regulates the private security industry in Scotland and Northern Ireland on behalf of the governments in those nations. We have continued to keep those authorities updated as well.

In the meantime, we have also been developing many other areas that we can change within the SIA to further support public protection:

  • We have revised our Compliance, Enforcement & Supervision Strategy with our vision to be far more visible and proactive across the private security industry. We have increased our Inspection & Enforcement Resources (at no increase of the license fee) from 50 plus operatives to over 100 operatives (Intelligence, Inspections and Criminal Investigation) who are all being upskilled to national investigative & intelligence standards (PIP/IPP).
  • We have over 400,000 SIA licensed operatives across the UK, so readers will understand why our inspections/operations are targeted & intelligence led based on threat, risk, and harm, that said there is a real willingness to increase our visibility, make our presence felt and engage better with all parts of private security industry.
  • Year to date we have undertaken 6,000 individual licence checks, more than a 200% increase on the previous year. We have conducted inspection visits to 915 separate sites and checked operatives from 830 separate security providers. We have opened 880 compliance investigation cases based on intelligence and concern reports.  We have detected nearly 100 individual offences relating to unlicensed operatives and other PSIA 2001 offences.
  • We continue to work closely with UK Police/local policing, HMRC, UK Law Enforcement, Local Authority & key stakeholders across the UK.
  • We have also submitted to the Home Office several business cases to improve our current PSIA powers (alongside MR7 & MR8) which will assist with information sharing, investigative activity, and money laundering legislation in support of our regulatory responsibility.
  • We have made 100 unannounced visits to training providers and generated 103 action plans, which contain an average of 4 improvement points.  These are all followed up with the relevant awarding organisation.
  • We continue to improve the Approved Contractor Scheme recognising the link  between our proposals to the Home Office for ‘Inhouse & Business Licensing’.

We recognise that we have some brilliant people and organisations operating across the private security industry who are doing their very best for the public, their teams, and people they serve. This is why we need to keep moving forward, we can’t be complacent and why public protection and raising standards is all our responsibility if we want to prevent further tragedies.

Paul Fullwood – Director – Inspections & Enforcement (SIA Strategic lead for Manchester Arena Inquiry).

Suggested links:

Manchester Arena Inquiry official website: Manchester Arena Inquiry

MAI Volume 1: Volume 1 Report – Manchester Arena Inquiry

Protect Duty announcement: Martyn’s Law to ensure stronger protections against terrorism in public places – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Protect Duty Factsheet: Martyn’s Law Factsheet  – Home Office in the media (blog.gov.uk)

Featured

Supporting Public Safety during the Freshers season

Kirsty Tagg – SIA lead on preventing violence against women and girls reflects on the industry’s role in supporting a safe and enjoyable Freshers season.

We are now several weeks into the Freshers season. For many students “Freshers week” will mark a first in their lives. For younger students it will be the first time being away from home, their first experience of visiting a bar or club in an unfamiliar area. It’s an exciting time that should be enjoyed safely.

Over the past year along with my colleagues at the SIA, we have run a full-scale programme of engagement across the private security industry in support of strategies initiated by the UK Government and the devolved nations to tackle violence against women and girls. We have published and promoted materials and advice to the wider security sector, that raises awareness of the safety of women and girls in all environments.

The role that private security operatives will play in keeping the student population safe during Freshers season will be critical.
We are currently running a campaign to share and promote best practice guidance to help reduce incidents of violence and harm such as predatory behaviour, sexual assault, and spiking.

As I write this piece, across the country my colleagues are on the ground meeting with security operatives who will often be dealing with vulnerable people who are on a night out. The reassuring thing we are hearing from the industry is “we know what we are doing”. People should be able to enjoy a night out assured of their safety.

We are also speaking with venue owners and buyers of security; they have a responsibility to ensure they are using good companies with licensed operatives. At the end of the day this is about a holistic approach involving a range of actors such as the police, local authorities, educational establishments, street pastors, pub watch and many others.

Our aim is to remind operatives of their training. We also want to remind all those engaged in security that security operatives can proactively protect people in vulnerable situations.
Please read our advice on the contribution that security operatives can make to help keep themselves safe whilst also protecting others.

If you employ or provide security, you and your staff can access this information by clicking on the link below.

Supporting women and girls’ safety: SIA email campaign – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

How to protect yourself and others: guidance for door supervisors – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

To all our licence holders on the frontline, we ask that you please continue to fulfil your role to the highest standards. Thank you for your dedication and professionalism in keeping the public safe.

Kirsty Tagg

SIA Lead – Tackling Violence Towards Women and Girls

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Hiring security for events 

We remind you that those who use labour supplied by other parties remain responsible for ensuring that the supplied licensed operatives hold a valid and genuine SIA licence. You must undertake appropriate due diligence. We are encouraging all suppliers of security to continue to ensure that the SIA licence produced at `check-in’ is physically checked and is valid. 

We encourage you to use a UV (ultraviolet) light where possible as a quick and easy method to check licences. The SIA licence features several easy-to-check security features. These include:

•  on the front of the licence you should be able to see holograms when the licence is tilted backwards and forwards.

•  the expiry date of the licence is embossed on the bottom of the photograph (not printed on) – you should be able to run your finger over the date and feel that it is raised.

•  on the back of the licence there is a QR code and a bar code. The bar code should bring up the same licence number as shown on the licence.

•  a UV light should reveal `SIA’ in the top right and bottom left of the licence when scanned across the front. On older licences there will be a watermark pattern on the back of the licence that can only be revealed by the UV.

•  The address on the rear of the licence should show an `E’ post code.

Events Guidance for Suppliers of security

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Parklife Festival 2022, Manchester

Lucia Howland – SIA Regional Investigation Manager and Tactical Events Lead highlights SIA activity during the Parklife Festival in Manchester this year.

The weekend of 11/12 June saw the Parklife Festival return to Heaton Park in Manchester with an extensive array of acts and an 80,000 capacity.  A large private security presence helped to deliver a safe event and ensure public protection.  As part of routine compliance and enforcement work, SIA investigators engaged extensively in advance with the event organisers, partner agencies and security companies involved as well as being present during the festival to undertake compliance-related activity. 

Our approach at the festival, which was agreed in advance, was to focus on the identification and prevention of any attempted use of counterfeit SIA licences, alongside ensuring general compliance with SIA rules.  Counterfeit licences show genuine SIA licence number and name details and show up as “active” on the SIA’s Public Register of Licence Holders.  However, the photo on the licence is of the fraudulent holder rather than the genuine applicant.

A large private security presence helped to deliver a safe event and ensure public protection at the Parklife Festival

On the weekend itself, four SIA investigators attended Parklife with assistance from Greater Manchester Police.  In total we checked over 650 SIA licences, mostly at the accreditation stage prior to deployment.  Whilst the vast majority of the SIA licences we checked were genuine, we found one that was a counterfeit.  Whilst the name and SIA licence number showed as “active” on the SIA Register, the photo on the licence did not match with SIA records.  The counterfeit licence was seized immediately and the individual in question was arrested by Greater Manchester Police officers for suspected fraud and immigration offences.  Related enquires and follow-up work are underway.              

The protection of the public at high-profile festivals is paramount and we were pleased that the majority of those deployed were correctly licensed. Our inspection activity was vital to mitigate against the risk of individuals trying to work in the private security industry using counterfeit licences. Festival goers need the assurance that they will be safe when they are out enjoying themselves.

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Platinum Jubilee Weekend investigators out in force in Central London

The four-day Platinum Jubilee Weekend in early June featured significant high-profile, national events in Central London. To ensure that the public were kept safe during the events there was a substantial security and stewarding presence. Security operatives were in attendance well in advance of the Platinum Jubilee Weekend to ensure the safety of the build and the event infrastructure were protected.

Prior to the Platinum Jubilee Weekend our compliance and inspections London team worked with Arcadis, the event organiser, plus the main and other security suppliers clocking up around 164 hours of work. We gave proactive advice around due diligence measures to mitigate against the risk of individuals trying to work in the private security industry using counterfeit licences. Inspection activity, supported by our south-east regional investigators took place on Tuesday 31 May, at the Trooping of the Colour event on Thursday 02 June, and during the Pageant event on Sunday 05 June. Some operatives said that they wanted to work at these prestigious events because they were significant occasions. Our investigators undertook 150 licence checks finding two people with counterfeit licences. No other unlicensed activity was identified.

John Sandlin, our London Regional Manager said:

“It was pleasing that security providers prevented two people working with counterfeit licences identifying them at the  sign-in stage prior to any of our inspections. We wish to extend a big thank you to those who gave up part of their Bank Holiday Weekend to work at the Platinum Jubilee keeping the public safe.”

The size of the Platinum Jubilee Weekend did create significant challenges for security providers. Sourcing sufficient numbers of licensed individuals required support from a number of other security providers, with peak demand being the deployment of 2,500 licensed operatives.

Further work is taking place in relation to counterfeit licences and newly identified companies.

………….

We have published updated guidance to ensure that people providing security services at events are compliant with the law.

You can read our recent blog about safety at events here.

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Safety at Events

Lucia Howland – SIA Regional Investigation Manager and Tactical Events Lead highlights SIA guidance on industry compliance and public safety at events.

This summer looks set to be one of the busiest times we have seen in a while, with many high-profile events already booked in the national and local calendar. In addition, the potential of some promising weather, suggests that across the UK people can look forward to a summer packed with great festivals for music, food, and the arts.

With the air filled with anticipation and excitement, public safety at these events will be paramount.

I and my colleagues at the SIA have spent the last few months watching all of the planning that goes on behind the scenes. We’ve seen the security industry and the events sector working together to ensure that people can safely enjoy themselves.

The role that private security operatives will play in keeping the public safe at these events will be critical.

Most, although not all, events will require some professional security. Some or all of these security staff may require a licence issued by the SIA.

This week we have published updated guidance to ensure that people providing security services at events are compliant with the law. This means ensuring that security operatives are properly licensed where necessary. If you are providing a security service, this guidance will help you to identify the roles at your event that will by law require an SIA licence.

Our guidance also includes advice on the due diligence checks you should complete when supplying security. It’s important to understand who is legally responsible for conducting those checks, and what evidence to keep.

Throughout the summer we will also be issuing further information and guidance to support security operatives as they carry out their duties at these events.

We will cover a range of issues from how to identify people who may be vulnerable – to information from the government’s “Enough” campaign to end violence against women and girls. Watch out for information on counter-terrorism and best practice on ensuring public safety in crowded places. You can find this information on our GOV.UK pages and via our social media posts.

It looks like it going to be amazing summer. Let’s do everything we can to make it a safe one!

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New Close Protection Training Requirements 

By Rick Mounfield, Chief Executive of the Security Institute

The role of the Close Protection Officer has grown in the past decade. It’s no longer acceptable to be the protection on the shoulder, the Close Protection Officer needs to be the security and safety advisor to the principal. Their knowledge of threats goes beyond the physical and includes vulnerabilities that come via the internet of things and new and emerging security risks are realised that will determine who is the best at their craft.  A modern and capable Close Protection Officer needs to remain current in multiple vectors of threat and the mitigations (risk managers) that will secure the principal, their family and business. Can Close Protection Officers afford to be ignorant to these new and emerging threats? I would suggest not.  

Contracts are often lost on a whim and the protection officers must be trusted to advise on a range of threats to build trust so that the family can live their lives as freely as possible. Wealth and profile can often lead to living a privileged life in a golden cage.  

The new enhancements in the licensed linked skills and qualifications required by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) go a long way to addressing the shortfalls of the past. They did not decide upon these new skills lightly. The consultation with industry’s best operators and the companies who employ them, has been instrumental in improving the quality of Close Protection Officers and should be applauded. Many will think that the upskilling has not gone far enough but it is not for the regulator to set the bar so high that it precludes the masses, it is a baseline that sets a standard that all can meet and then allows the best to go further through individual professional development that allows them to stand out from the crowd and secure clients through fair competition. It is the Close Protection Officers determination and personal endeavours to be the best version of themself that will secure the best clients.  

Increasing the requirements to offer better medical capabilities is the most important upgrade in my opinion. However, in today’s society, even low risk locations, there is an ever present need to be aware of the threat of terrorism and counter terrorism awareness through the ACT training is also important.  

The industry overwhelmingly decided not to separate the door supervisor role from the Close Protection licensed operators. Many Close Protection Officers will supplement their income by working in a Door Supervisor role. This is applicable but the Door Supervisor role requires different soft and hard skills that are out with ordinary Close Protection doctrine. It is important the Close Protection Officer working in the night-time economy is well prepared to provide the appropriate service and protection to partygoers. A failure to understand physical intervention in this role can have life changing impacts for many if they are not trained properly.  

Training and delivery of the necessary skills are moving into a hybrid format and that is also a positive move forward. All areas of the business world have embraced digital methods of training and if the industry is to embrace the fast- moving changes to the operational environment, it must stay at the cutting edge of technology and training delivery methods. Obviously, some aspects must be practised in a physical environment, but many skills and practices can, and should be, delivered in easily accessible methods. Webinars and online courses are better than they have ever been, and platforms have improved to deliver quality training remotely.  

Overall, I am encouraged by the new regime, and I hope to support the ongoing development of the sector that I grew up in. It is a vital service and I hope that the majority of Close Protection Officers will embrace the enhancements as we drive the professional standards ever higher.  

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The Proceeds of Crime Act (2002)

This month, one of our Criminal Investigations Managers, Nathan Salmon explains how the SIA uses the (Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) to recover the profits made from offending within the private security industry.

Our blog aims to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion on our work. We look forward to having an on-going discussion with you; share your comments and opinions.

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Over the last 12 years, the SIA has been investigating and prosecuting anyone who repeatedly shows that they do not care about being licensed or working within the law. Our Partnerships and Interventions department does this by encouraging those working in the private security industry to stay within the law (the Private Security Industry Act). You can find out more about our enforcement activity on our website.

The SIA licence is a way to safeguard the industry and general public, and it is our responsibility to make sure that only ‘fit and proper’ people work in the industry. Those who ignore us and disregard the importance of licensing could be barred from operating in private security and prosecuted.

We do not always prosecute but investigate and consider whether there are public safety risks or if we need to protect the integrity of the private security industry or our licensing system.

The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and repeat offenders

In recent years, we noted that some security companies were being investigated repeatedly. We had to do something because we didn’t want businesses treating court fines as a type of tax where the level of profit for working outside the law is worth the potential penalties any judge or court may give.

In 2015, the government amended POCA to include to regulatory bodies like us and we applied to take advantage of these powers. POCA is a law that means any money made from criminal activity can be recovered. It is also used by the likes of local authorities, HMRC and the Police to name a few.

We started using POCA in November 2015 to financially investigate companies and individuals who make a profit from criminal activity in the private security industry. Since then, we have employed financial investigators. They are accredited to use POCA to investigate and confiscate assets.

A recent example of our use of POCA is the case of Billy Jones, a security director who continued to work despite having had his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence revoked. He was ordered to pay £300,000 at Cardiff Crown Court, in April 2019. This kind of conviction removes the benefit of working outside the law in the private security industry.

How does the SIA use POCA?

Our Criminal Investigations Team, is part of our Partnerships and Interventions department and is responsible for the SIA’s criminal investigations. This includes Accredited Financial Investigators (AFIs) who are able to legally present financial information in court. AFI’s are unique and very important because they have the power to ask financial institutions for information and use this to build a clear picture of someone’s financial status.

There are currently two main ways that our AFI’s can use POCA:

  1. Restraining assets
    AFI’s can apply to the court to restrain the assets of people under financial investigation. This makes sure that the money or assets of anyone we are prosecuting cannot be sold or dissipated before a court case ends. For example, for someone who is being investigated, the amount they can withdraw from their bank account can be restricted and their assets frozen.
  2. Confiscating assets
    Once convicted, a court can order a person to pay an amount of money based on how much they made through criminal activity. If they fail to pay this money, they could end up in prison and when released they would still need to pay this amount. In some cases, life-changing amounts of money can be confiscated by the courts. How POCA figures are calculated is shaped by case law, meaning specific cases determine how the calculations should be applied. We’re really pleased to have contributed to this and case law specific to the security industry exists.

During POCA proceedings, the people we’re investigating may see their lifestyle change. Due to current case law and depending on the situation, how much we confiscate may be the entire value of a security contract and not just the profit. This is because the turnover from a security contract may be a significant figure, a business or person might have to pay back hundreds of thousands of pounds. Selling assets like houses, cars or investments, to pay back the proceeds of their crime may be required.

If you’re wondering where this money goes, most of it returns to the Treasury. A proportion is allocated to the investigating organisation, which we can use to fund future financial investigations. In practice, we get no more than 34%. The money can also be allocated towards good causes, and we are exploring opportunities that will benefit the private security industry.

What will the SIA do with POCA in the future?

Over the next few months, we want financial investigations to become increasingly a core part of the way we prosecute at the SIA. This is really important because it is how we can guarantee that criminal profits are not reinvested, into “phoenix” companies that are essentially the same companies with a different name that have been set up after a criminal conviction. Our ability to use POCA should act as a warning to businesses seeking to operate outside private security regulations – you risk not only your business, but potentially your personal assets as well.

We are making really good progress and the volume of criminal cases under consideration has never been higher. Our success with POCA strengthens our regulation of the private security and we will continue to work with Regional Asset Recovery Teams and Police partners so that those who want to profit from illegal and poor business practice are removed from the private security industry.

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Quality assuring private security training

We began the skills and qualifications review at the beginning of September to review the criteria required for our licence-linked qualifications. We do this every five years so that the skills criteria are kept current.

This month, our Quality and Risk Manager, Tracey Lilley, discusses the skills and qualifications review and about the importance of this opportunity for the industry to share its views to ensure a robust assessment processes within the private security industry.

Our blog aims to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion on our work. We look forward to having an on-going discussion with you; please share your comments and opinions.

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I’m a Quality & Risk Manager at the SIA. My role includes liaising with the awarding organisations on the delivery, assessment and quality assurance of the qualifications required for an SIA licence. We have contracts with all the awarding organisations who approve training providers to deliver licence-linked qualifications across the UK.  Training providers are quality assured by the awarding organisations, who are themselves quality assured by the qualification regulators and by us.

A big part of my work has been the development of a comprehensive quality improvement plan designed to support both the awarding organisations and their training centres. This plan is designed to continually improve the way in which the qualifications required for an SIA licence are delivered and assessed.

Our relationship with the awarding organisations and training providers has developed a great deal over the last year.  We now work more effectively together with improved identification, coordination and management of training malpractice.

A key component of the improvement plan involves the introduction of a new initiative of   unannounced visits to training centres delivering qualifications required for an SIA licence. These visits will give us the opportunity to see training being delivered, speak to learners, and observe assessments. Visits will start from the beginning of 2019, so don’t be surprised to see me or my colleagues popping in to observe training and assessments being delivered.

Skills and Qualifications Review
As most of you will be aware, we have begun a wide-ranging review of the licence-linked qualifications needed for the private security industry. We have widened the scope of this work to consider not just the mandatory qualifications we require, but how to support the industry to address the skills and knowledge needed by operatives throughout their careers across the private security industry.

One key element of this review is to make sure that robust assessment processes exist to ensure the integrity of the qualifications achieved. This will further assure us of the integrity of the qualifications and help us to reduce instances of training malpractice.

We have set up expert working groups consisting of representatives from all the awarding organisations and subject matter specialists from the security sectors we regulate.

One group was designed to review the current assessment and quality assurance measures and look at ways of strengthening these to ensure they continue to meet the needs of their relevant sector, protect the public, and are future-proof for the next 5 years.

At our first meeting the following recommendations were discussed and are being considered:

  • CCTV Practical – some short answer questions to ensure full knowledge of all elements if it is not possible to demonstrate them all fully
  • Conflict Management – move away from multiple choice questions to practical assessment. This is better suited to the content and can also be a way of assessing a learner’s ability to speak English
  • Working in the private security industry – some practical assessment around communication skills
  • Working as a Door Supervisor – some practical assessment around searching and report writing
  • Working as a Security Guard – some practical assessment around searching and report writing, plus use of radios
  • English Language requirements – We discussed using a standardised pre-entry English language competency test, and all agreed this would be an option to pursue.

We have held further discussions with our experts to consider the findings from our first consultation on the specifications for learning and qualifications, along with the research we conducted to understand the current and future skills needs of the private security industry in the UK.

All of this invaluable feedback and opinion will feed into the next draft of our specifications for learning and qualifications. The expert working group will again provide valuable insight on this.

We will be consulting for a final time on the new specifications in January 2019. Please keep an eye out for this, as it will be your last opportunity to help shape the qualifications and to ensure they stay relevant for your industry in the years ahead.

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How we are tackling identity theft

In the last months, two of our prosecutions cases have highlighted how we have tackled the fraudulent behaviour of some licence holders and the challenges we face.

This month, our Director of Partnerships and Interventions, Dave Humphries, discusses our counter fraud initiatives and the steps we took in these cases.

Our blog aims to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion about our work. We look forward to having an on-going discussion with you; please share your comments and opinions.

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Most licensing systems are based on a set of standards and for us at the SIA our system is designed to ensure only appropriate people are given the licence to operate. This involves a number of checks to prove identity that people have the relevant qualifications, checks on criminality and verifying that a person has the right to work in the United Kingdom. Most applicants provide the information we need to make a considered decision.

But what happens when someone knows they will not qualify for a licence, but is determined to get one?  They may test the robustness of our checks and they may submit false documents to do so. We are constantly alert and we do all we can do to address specific threats.

One particular type of fraud that we face is identity theft.  It is not the only category of fraud we have come across, but it was a feature in two recent cases.

These two recent investigations have involved fraudsters stealing the identities of others, but being prosecuted by the SIA for their actions. In both cases, the fraud involved not only an attempt to bypass our online licensing system, but the two individuals also tried to get around the requirement of proving their identity by taking on the full identity of another, to get an SIA licence.

The first fraudster was Moses Oshunkoya who knew the person whose identity he targeted.  He used their personal information to the point that he was able to gain a passport under this new identity.  Using this false identity Oshunkoya got as far as fraudulently gaining an SIA licence.  Nonetheless, our investigation of him resulted in a criminal prosecution.

The second case was Kazeem Oladimeji who was more contrived in his approach. He sought out a former SIA licence holder no longer working within the industry.  He adopted that identity by purchasing a fraudulent passport in the victim’s name. He changed the licence holder’s address, enabling Oladimeji to replace an SIA licence.  Again, the outcome was a successful criminal prosecution.

Both examples show the real threat posed by identity theft.  In both cases, the victims who had their identity stolen contacted us. Once we were aware, we investigated and prosecuted the offenders to ensure their fraudulent activity was brought to an end.

What are we doing to combat such activity?

Thankfully, processing changes in recent years have and will make future cases like this less likely.  For example, we introduced personal online accounts which are password protected. This reduces the ability for fraudsters to engage with us without having access to the online accounts.

We have also made improvements to the way we verify documents. We have improved technology to better identify fraudulent identity documents.  When we do find instances of fraud, we take robust action with our enforcement partners to ensure such documents are taken out of circulation.  Finally, as these two cases highlight, we prosecute the fraudsters.

As the regulator of the private security industry, we play an important role in dealing with identify fraud and together with our partners, we take robust action to tackle such criminality.

Those working in the private security industry can support this by being our eyes and ears and reporting any fraud that they come across.  As with other types of criminality within the security industry; if you suspect fraud please report online or contact Crimestoppers.  Specific information and how the fraud was identified will enable us to take positive action.

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Play a proactive part in regulation through our Licence Management service

Approved contractors currently using our Licence Assist service for more than six months now have the chance to move on to our Licence Management service.

This month Tony Holyland our Head of Quality & Standards talks about the ins and outs of our refreshed Licence Management service.

Our blog aims to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion on our work. We look forward to having an on-going discussion with you; please share your comments and opinions.

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I am pleased to share that our Licence Management service is now available to approved contractors who have been using the Licence Assist service for six months. Licence Management allows a business to manage the licence application process for its staff – just as people have been asking for.

In 2013, I joined the team that manages our Approved Contractor Scheme. Since then I’ve met a large number of people running businesses that are part of the scheme.

Many of you have told me that you would like to help your staff when they are applying for a licence, by being more involved in the licence application process. After all, it seems inefficient for a business to carry out the same checks that we do.

This new service gives security businesses the chance to be proactive and share responsibility in the licensing process. In essence, Licence Management allows us to work closely with approved contractors and make the process of getting a licence easier.

We have listened to the valuable feedback from our pilot exercise with nine approved contractors to inform and improve our service. For us, Licence Management has a strategic value that fits with how we drive business improvement via the ACS and how we seek to engage businesses using our licensing system.

We hope that the service will give us closer relationships with businesses and that this will help raise industry involvement in regulation.

 What are the benefits of the Licence Management service?

If you don’t already know about our Licence Management service, it gives an approved contractor greater control over the licensing of its staff.

Similar to the Licence Assist service, Licence Management provides an approved contractor with the tools to enable them to manage employees’ licence applications online. To do this you will have had to have met certain criteria that are beyond the scope of the usual ACS requirements.

A significant benefit is that it enables an approved contractor to check and verify the identity documents of an applicant. This removes the need for a licence applicant to visit a post office and reduces the duplication of checks.

Other benefits include:

  • Online access to submit and manage licence applications for your workforce.
  • The ability for your business to update information e.g. Individual’s details directly onto the system.
  • The ability to assist licence applicants through the licensing process making your business more attractive to applicants.
  • Saving time, cost and reducing the risk of document loss as the need to send valuable documents to us is removed in most cases.
  • Receiving real-time alerts of revoked or suspended licences, when a licence is due for renewal and other relevant updates.
  • The ability to pay for a single – and multiple applications – online and by direct debit.

It is important to mention that all approved contractors using the Licence Management service are required to have Cyber Essentials Plus certification (or equivalent standard). This is a government scheme designed to verify implementation of a set of basic technical controls to help organisations protect themselves against common, online security threats and is in line with data protection legislation.

We have also developed a comprehensive library of resources available on our website here. This will provide additional information and guidance which includes:

  • The approved contractor scheme application form
  • Licence Management service customer journey
  • Code of Connection
  • Code of Connection guidance
  • Licence Management Partnership Agreement
  • Licence Management Operating Manual

The entire process from application to decision should take between three and six months.

I think that Licence Management is a significant step forward for both the industry and the SIA.

This initiative will strengthen our overall approach to driving up the quality and operational efficiency of businesses.

If you would like to know more, please send us a message through your SIA online business account using the phrase: “Tell me about Licence Management” and include a contact number.

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SIA Open Day in Manchester

This month Peter Selwyn Smith our stakeholder manager talks about our recent Manchester open day on 4 July.

Our blog aims to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion on our work. We look forward to having an on-going discussion with you; please share your comments and opinions.

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The opportunity to meet with people in the industry and learn more about their experiences and priorities, is something we value enormously.

The Manchester open day, at the Crowne Plaza, on 4 July was designed to create a space for people to meet and have a conversation with us and where possible for us to resolve any issues and concerns. The format of the day was similar to the London event we held last year with the London Night Czar Amy Lame.

At the Manchester event, our licensing experts were on-hand to provide one-to-one help and support to people renewing or applying for a licence. We also had experts from across the rest of the organisation; from our Training, Quality and Standards team, Partnerships & Interventions North team and our Stakeholder Engagement team.

The day started with a session run by our Director of Partnerships & Interventions, Dave Humphries. He first gave an overview of our key priorities for the next twelve months which included:

  • How our licensing system is working well
  • The completion of the review of the Approved Contractor Scheme
  • An upcoming review of the licence-linked qualifications
  • Enforcement activity we undertake to prevent continued lawbreaking.

After a few hours, the event came to life. Some of those attending took the chance to talk with our SIA staff including our Chair, Liz France.

Our partnerships and interventions team, based in the North, also spoke to businesses about initiatives in the region. They discussed how they are dealing with those businesses who don’t comply with regulation. The importance of telling us about any non-compliant businesses in the region, also came up in conversations with delegates.

Our customer support and decisions teams held one-to-one sessions with individuals and businesses, and anyone who needed help with their applications was able to speak to a specialist immediately.

It was clear that people had given up their time and, in some cases, travelled a long distance to talk to us about their needs. For our staff, who were able to help most of the people who came, it was satisfying to see people go home happy.

We met an applicant who did not understand why his application was being held up. Our decisions manager explained the situation was due to a more complex than usual set of circumstances. Before he left, he said he felt reassured that we had not forgotten about his application, understood the situation and was now confident it would be dealt with soon.

Another applicant whom we met had mistyped their name when applying. This meant our system couldn’t find and match his online account to his existing licence, holding up his application. Our customer support experts were able to deal with this quickly as he had ID to show that his licence was linked to him. As a result, his application was able to progress there and then.

We also met with an existing licence holder about our decision to suspend his licence. He brought his employer and a friend along and we spoke with them all to explain the reasons for our decision.

On the day, the training, quality and standards team spoke to a number of businesses. They came to the event to find out more about the Approved Contractor Scheme, whether it would be right for their company and what the application process involves.

All in all, it was a valuable, lively day. The feedback we received from the event was very positive. Some of the comments include:

‘Very pleased with the service and the staff were very friendly’

‘I commend the SIA for taking the initiative to do these workshops well done’

‘Useful information gleaned from each session’

It was good to see the clear difference the day made to the individuals and businesses who came along. On the day, 13 licences were granted and several more licence applications progressed to the next stage.

We would like to thank all those who came along as we know how precious your time is. We have already begun planning the next open day and will be canvassing views on what people would find most useful. We hope to be in Birmingham in the autumn. Do look out for more details on our website, in our newsletters and on our social media channels.z

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The Review of the SIA Published by the Home Office – What is to Come

This month our chief executive talks about the Home Office’s review of the SIA. He discusses the important role the private security industry plays in public safety.

This blog exists to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion on our work. Please share your comments and opinions and engage in an on-going discussion with us.

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On the 7th June the Home Office published the tailored review (formerly known as a triennial review) for the SIA. You can find it here.

For a number of reasons the review has been a long time coming. But now it is here, we welcome its publication and the important contribution the private security industry has made to its recommendations.

The private security industry is a thriving sector covering a range of services, many of which have a direct bearing on public safety. We are all used to seeing private security operatives in our everyday lives in shopping centres, pubs, leisure facilities, industrial settings and at events.

The review recognises the vital role the private security industry plays in public protection and national security. It also affirms that there is a clear need for regulation in the industry. The review acknowledges the role of the SIA in raising standards and our contribution to safeguarding, public protection and national security.

Many of the recommendations of this review reflect the SIA’s published priorities, some of which we are already delivering successfully. For example, we continue to focus on further reducing violence and criminality. As part our drive to improve standards and strengthen the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) we have recently completed a comprehensive review of the ACS. The outcomes of this review will be implemented in the spring of 2019.

Going forward we will be reviewing the qualifications and training of those working in the industry to further improve knowledge and skills to facilitate even more effective protection of the public.

The heightened security threats from terrorism in recent years have served to bring a sharper focus on the role that private security can play and whether its capabilities are being used by the state to the fullest potential.

We have been facilitating greater collaboration between the counter terrorism (CT) law enforcement community and the large numbers of security operatives in areas such as door supervision, guarding and CCTV. We are also exploring with the CT community how the private security industry can be better equipped with knowledge and skills to reduce the threat to the public from a terrorist attack.

A key part of our plan remains the delivery of excellent services at the lowest possible cost. We strive to keep fees for those we regulate as low as possible and have reduced our costs by 27% since 2010. Further efficiencies have enabled us to keep the licence fee at £220 over the last six years, despite costs rising with inflation. We have recently moved to a joint Government Hub and will continue to seek efficiencies. We are currently working with the Home Office to review fee levels.

We are aligned with the review in continuing to take an even more risk-based approach to regulation with a sharper focus on non-compliant individuals and businesses, placing less of a regulatory burden where standards have been met or exceeded.

We will work with the Home Office and Devolved Administrations to implement all parts of this review that the Government wishes to take forward. We also stand ready to take on any additional areas of regulation, should the Government ask us to do so.

Ultimately our work is dependent on partnership not just with the police and other public bodies, but with the industry itself. We seek, and continue to benefit from, the support and cooperation of those working in the private security industry and our many partners to provide effective regulation. We are grateful for that support and cooperation.

As we look to the future we look forward to continuing to work with the private security industry and our partners to deliver high quality regulation and public protection.

We’re taking a stand against labour exploitation

We’ve set up a dedicated multi-disciplinary team across the SIA, headed by Paul Fullwood, our Director of Inspections and Enforcement, to address labour exploitation under the name Operation EMPOWER. The aim of this operation is to seek to reduce labour exploitation across the UK private security industry, working in collaboration with the industry itself, key partners, and government. Our plan begins with the launch of a communications campaign to raise awareness of the signs of potential labour exploitation and encourage reporting. Paul explains more here:

We know that labour exploitation exists within the private security industry. The harm to individuals is unacceptable. The consequent injury to standards and public safety, to law-abiding businesses who are undercut by criminal enterprises, and to the reputation of the industry, demand a response. 

We’re confident that most private security suppliers meet high standards and provide fair working conditions, which contributes to public safety. However, we know from our intelligence and stakeholder engagement that the industry has concerns that some companies are undermining quality businesses through alleged poor practices. 

We’ve set up a dedicated multi-disciplinary team across the SIA, headed at director level, to address labour exploitation under the name Operation EMPOWER. This project team includes intelligence specialists and criminal investigators, as well as representatives from Individual and Business Standards, Legal, Policy, and Communications. 

The aim of this operation is to seek to reduce labour exploitation across the UK private security industry, working in collaboration with the industry itself, key partners, and government. We need the commitment and support of departments and agencies with relevant powers, such as HM Revenue and Customs and the Home Office. This is because our current powers under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 provide us with limited opportunities to tackle this issue on our own. 

People who are being exploited can be hard to reach. They may be vulnerable due to their immigration status. They may not even realise that they’re being exploited. We want security operatives to understand what labour exploitation looks like. For example, they may not be being paid the National Minimum Wage. For some individuals, particularly those who are being used by organised crime, their situation may be far worse. We need these individuals to be able to identify when they’re being exploited, and to know that they can report their situation in confidence to the SIA and other agencies. The expectation must be that action will follow. 

We are also talking to security businesses to make sure they’re aware of their responsibilities to the people they employ. We want buyers of security to be vigilant as well, as we know that labour exploitation – particularly low pay – can be a feature of sub-contracting chains. If buyers are sourcing cheap security, say for an event, they may be paying an amount that guarantees that operatives themselves are not being paid National Minimum Wage. 

A private security company supplier, which is under contract to a buyer, must make sure that their employees are paid correctly and contribute the correct amount of national insurance and tax. They must also make sure that this is being done throughout their supply chain. 

No employer is exempt from paying their workers the statutory minimum wage. Employers must pay their employees the National Minimum Wage (to apprentices or people aged under 21) or the National Living Wage (to people aged 21 or over). There are also minimum unavoidable costs for basic employment matters such as national insurance. 

This should be of special interest to legitimate security businesses, as unscrupulous operators can undercut those who treat their staff fairly and pay them properly. 

Our plan begins with a communications strategy aiming to raise awareness of the signs of potential labour exploitation, and encourage reporting, with the support of key communications partners. We’re directing people to a new guidance and reporting page on our GOV.UK site. We will follow this first phase with a programme of engagement on the actions we are collectively taking to address labour exploitation. 

In this way we are embarking on a multi-partnership operation intended to disrupt and dissuade the individuals and businesses that direct or facilitate labour exploitation. Keep an eye out for our messages, and if you come across exploitation in the private security industry – please report it.