In an exercise to provide staff at the regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) with a practical understanding of the training that door supervisors (DS) receive as part of their initial (or top-up) training, in March and June the SIA’s decisions team go through part of the same training that door staff receive so as to apply for a licence.
The Authority’s decisions teams already receive training for their role. This is because making decisions on whether individuals SIA licences are suspended, revoked or measures implemented is often a complex task and ultimately has an impact on a person’s eligibility to work in private security. The staff completed Unit 3 (covering conflict management) and Unit 4 (physical intervention) over a three-day period of training and assessment.
The training involved not only the theory elements of the two units, but also the practical elements and assessments. Those taking part were filmed and assessed managing verbally aggressive customers, defending themselves from simulated attacks and carrying out low level physical intervention manoeuvres. The training provider who won the bid to deliver this training was Skills for Jobs Ltd. Company Director and Lead Instructor Rob Knowles, pictured, said: “We were delighted to be selected to deliver this training for the SIA. I think it was a great idea and a great exercise for those who make decisions on granting or denying licences as these decisions can often be complex.
“A clear method to enhance their knowledge is for them to first hand experience the content of what is, and what isn’t contained within the SIA licence linked modules, particularly around the areas of dealing with conflict management and physical intervention. It was a privilege to be invited to deliver the training for the SIA at their HQ in London, a further privilege (and opportunity for me) was to ensure that I made the training as impacting and as real as possible for them. Part of the reason I really wanted this job was to ensure that it was done properly. I have a large amount of experience and understanding with regards to the knowledge surrounding the use of physical intervention and a greater understanding of violence and phycology of violence so it was comforting for me to know that they would be getting a ‘true’ understanding of what door supervisors are sometimes faced – i.e. often having to make split-second decisions on violence during violent encounters.
“One of the other areas discussed during the course was the extended responsibility of employers and contracting agencies to ensure the training that door supervisors they employ receive is suitable for the risks they might foreseeably face while acting within the course of their duties or does it fall short. Furthermore, the responsibility of the buyer of the security services to ensure that the agency they hire are reputable and their staff are sufficiently trained to avoid being vicariously liable, as with the Hawley versus Luminar case.”
To explain that case law, it dates from the early days of the SIA badging regime; the upshot is that while a door superviser may be supplied to a pub or club by a security company, it’s deemed that the nightclub is the DS’ ‘temporary’ employer for the purposes of vicarious liability.
“The requirement of employer responsibilities regarding suitable training is something that the SIA have made clear for many years, but it was also recognised that few employers and or contacting agencies fulfil this obligation correctly. One of our most experienced DS trainers Allan Price delivered the conflict management module on day one, and I delivered the physical intervention on days two and three. We both concluded it was nice to see that they were just normal people and great that all of them participated and got stuck in with the training.
“I felt that all of the attendees took the content seriously and the training has provided them with a fuller understanding of many of the intricacies involved when judging as to whether excessive force has been used. It was also nice to see that the people who are employed to make these decisions aren’t just picked from the street. They come from varied educated backgrounds and go through rigorous training to support their role.”
What SIA say
Decisions Team Senior Manager Nicholas Banks from the SIA’s Licensing & Service Delivery Department said: “The SIA has set the basic standards of competency for those who wish to apply for a licence. We view this training as public safety critical and so it is valuable for us to be put through our paces and experience albeit, in a controlled environment the challenges security officers face when carrying out their work.
“By the nature of their job – we are asking security officers to put themselves in harm’s way to protect us. There has always been concerns about the levels of day-to-day violence and abuse faced by security operatives, in particular, door supervisors. Often the protectors become the targets of anger fuelled by alcohol or substance abuse. The SIA’s role is to ensure they are equipped with the training to do their job safely. That includes prevention and identification and conflict management.
“This foundation training gives security officers the tools to deal with most of the situations they will face each day. If we are asking them to do this essential training, then its only right that we are put through our paces too.
“The learning from this training will assist the SIA Decisions the team with context when deciding on the status of persons licence. Of course, we know there will be higher risk situations, and we expect employers of security to take responsibility for providing that post licence training and support.”
About the trainers
Rob Knowles owns the Level 3 Physical Intervention programme Shield Physical Intervention. Visit www.shieldpi.co.uk.
