Industry regulation must go further

Sir – regulation of the private security industry will undoubtedly drive up standards, enabling its practitioners to play an even greater role in fighting crime and anti-social behaviour in local communities alongside the police. However, unless loopholes such as the non-licensing of in-house security operations are closed, the full benefits of regulation will never be realised.

The private security industry is a prime example of where co-operation may be sought and encouraged for the benefit of all, but regulation brings with it an implicit commitment to greater accountability and openness. These are the qualities of organisations committed to providing public reassurance and effectiveness in the local community.

To date, private sector practitioners have already played a viable role in community safety by freeing fully-trained police officers from roles such as prisoner escorting, the escorting of abnormal loads and securing police establishments. Security companies have also successfully taken over the operation of CCTV Control Rooms from a number of local authorities, and are now monitoring towns and cities on a round-the-clock basis.

However, ACPO is still concerned about the potential loopholes in the legislation governing regulation, and will continue to press for changes. ACPO wants the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to have the power to directly prosecute those companies that don’t comply with the legislation. There’s also a feeling that the Approved Companies Scheme should be mandatory as opposed to voluntary.

Without such changes, unscrupulous operators will continue to undermine the benefits afforded by the SIA’s new regime.