An umbrella group for the security guard dog handler sector has gone live with its website, www.sidcg.org.uk
The Security Industry Dog Consultation Group’ (SIDCG) has Jerry Lathbury as chairman, Sandra Timmis as vice-chair and Carol Oldfield as secretary. The group reports that the website is the most cost-effective way to converse with the security industry as widely as possible. As Professional Security reported in February, some handlers take issue with the Security Industry Authority that there is no SIA licence training particular to dog handling, meaning any contract guard (or door staff) licence holder can work with a dog.
SIDCG organisers report that since February 2004 at the invitation of the SIA and the Security Industry Training Organisation (SITO), representatives from the security dog sector have been holding regular meetings to develop National Occupational Standards (NOS) for security dog handling. Although initially set up under the SIA/SITO umbrella, November 2004 saw the inaugural meeting of the SIDCG.
