The latest Security Industry Authority (SIA) wide-scale random compliance checks took place across Cambridgeshire, West Midlands, North East England and Scotland on Friday, September 9.
The regulator’s investigators inspected 233 security guards, CCTV operatives and door supervisors. 150 sites were visited which included construction sites, hospitals, retail outlets, CCTV suites, museums, offices, pubs and clubs.
In total, 225 operatives held a valid SIA licence, which is a requirement by law. Eight people were found to be working illegally; five without a licence, one whose SIA licence had been revoked, one working with a forged licence and one with an expired licence. SIA investigators will be following up on all the offences found in each area and prosecutions may follow. Investigators issued 11 warnings to operatives found to be breaking licence conditions, which included failing to display the SIA licence while on duty and failing to notify the SIA of a change of their address.
In Cambridge, Huntingdon, March and Wisbech, investigators visited building sites, car parks, university college campuses, industrial parks, science parks, research centres, business parks and licensed premises. Some 92 operatives were inspected and 89 held a valid SIA licence. Three unlicensed individuals were found; a door supervisor with no licence, a door supervisor with a revoked licence and an individual with a contract security guard licence when they should have been holding a CCTV licence (sample pictured). Six people were issued with warnings for breaking licence conditions.
In Wolverhampton, investigators visited hospitals, racecourses, shopping centres and licensed premises. Some 35 operatives were inspected and 33 individual were correctly licensed. Two unlicensed door supervisors were detected, one with no licence, and one working with a forged SIA licence. One operative was issued with a warning for breaking licence conditions.
In Newcastle, Washington, Gateshead and Northumbria, investigators visited museums, hospitals, business parks, colleges, construction sites and licensed premises. Seventy-one individuals were inspected and 69 operatives were properly licensed. At business premises, two unlicensed security guards were found. Three people were issued with warnings for breaking licence conditions.
In Perth, investigators visited museums, racecourses, construction sites, hospitals, concert halls, retail sites and licensed premises. Of the 21 operatives inspected 20 were SIA licensed. At a retail site, an unlicensed guard was found to be working with an expired licence. One person was issued with a warning for breaking conditions.
And in Stirling, investigators visited museums, shopping centres, construction sites, retail outlets, hospitals and licensed premises. All 14 individuals were found to be working legally with the required SIA licence.
Director of Compliance, Intelligence and Communication Dave Humphries said: “This latest round of random checks shows that whilst the vast majority of security staff working at sites across the country are aware of the legal requirement to be SIA-licensed and adhere to the licence conditions, a small proportion of people are still flouting the law. This will not be tolerated and we will be following up with these operatives and those that employed or deployed them.”
