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The Security Industry Authority, the governing body for the UK security industry, has released its latest figures regarding membership and licensing. The group aims to protect the public by ensuring that only suitable people participate in the private security industry. They also help determine regulation while lobbying to protect the interests of their members. By meeting their objectives, the SIA wants to improve standards and security for the public.
Licence Requirements
The SIA is responsible for issuing licences to those that require them. It is a legal requirement that any door personnel and contract providing security company has appropriate licences in place for all of its operatives while licences are also needed for those that manage these individuals but do not have a front facing position. The SIA are responsible for gathering information on licences, enforcing their use, and taking action against anybody that does not hold the requisite licence. Such action may include written warnings, but can also include fines and other punishments.
Licences
In total 382,377 licences have been issued by the SIA to 339,940 individuals. The majority (58%) of these were issued to door supervisors while security guards (24%) and CCTV licences (11%) were the next most common. In nearly ten years since the introduction of licensing in 2004, more than 1 million licences have now been granted and supplied by the ISA. The SIA has a target of responding to 80% of licence applications within 25 working days, and managed to respond within this timeframe to 87% of applicants.
Intelligence Gathering
The SIA also has the purview of intelligence gathering. This intelligence is commonly used to identify those that are not complying with licence requirements, but may also be used to help identify areas for possible improvement. In the two years to 31st December 2013, the organisation received more than 10,000 items of intelligence. The majority (38%) came through the group’s website with 15% and 14% of intelligence files submitted by enforcement partners and Crimestoppers respectively.
Licence Enforcement
Through regular spot checks and the follow up of intelligence gathered, the ISA is also responsible for taking action against those that do not have appropriate licences and that break their licencing agreements. 337 written warnings, 59 improvement notices, and 17 SIA prosecutions have been brought against security individuals and organisations since March 2013. In five years since January 2008, 22,722 licence applications have been refused and 33,945 licences have been revoked.
Approved Contractor Scheme
The Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) is a list of contractors that the ISA has checked and licenced. People, groups, and organisations that are looking for security services can use this list to help find professional and high quality services. There are 770 approved contractors on the scheme, representing a total of 133,000 operatives.
The organisation has also seen its list of followers online increase. They now have 6,070 Facebook followers and 4,164 Twitter followers. The SIA Facebook page has been viewed more than 205,000 times since March and the regular newsletter is received by more than 16,000 subscribers.
Licence Requirements
The SIA is responsible for issuing licences to those that require them. It is a legal requirement that any door personnel and contract providing security company has appropriate licences in place for all of its operatives while licences are also needed for those that manage these individuals but do not have a front facing position. The SIA are responsible for gathering information on licences, enforcing their use, and taking action against anybody that does not hold the requisite licence. Such action may include written warnings, but can also include fines and other punishments.
Licences
In total 382,377 licences have been issued by the SIA to 339,940 individuals. The majority (58%) of these were issued to door supervisors while security guards (24%) and CCTV licences (11%) were the next most common. In nearly ten years since the introduction of licensing in 2004, more than 1 million licences have now been granted and supplied by the ISA. The SIA has a target of responding to 80% of licence applications within 25 working days, and managed to respond within this timeframe to 87% of applicants.
Intelligence Gathering
The SIA also has the purview of intelligence gathering. This intelligence is commonly used to identify those that are not complying with licence requirements, but may also be used to help identify areas for possible improvement. In the two years to 31st December 2013, the organisation received more than 10,000 items of intelligence. The majority (38%) came through the group’s website with 15% and 14% of intelligence files submitted by enforcement partners and Crimestoppers respectively.
Licence Enforcement
Through regular spot checks and the follow up of intelligence gathered, the ISA is also responsible for taking action against those that do not have appropriate licences and that break their licencing agreements. 337 written warnings, 59 improvement notices, and 17 SIA prosecutions have been brought against security individuals and organisations since March 2013. In five years since January 2008, 22,722 licence applications have been refused and 33,945 licences have been revoked.
Approved Contractor Scheme
The Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) is a list of contractors that the ISA has checked and licenced. People, groups, and organisations that are looking for security services can use this list to help find professional and high quality services. There are 770 approved contractors on the scheme, representing a total of 133,000 operatives.
The organisation has also seen its list of followers online increase. They now have 6,070 Facebook followers and 4,164 Twitter followers. The SIA Facebook page has been viewed more than 205,000 times since March and the regular newsletter is received by more than 16,000 subscribers.