IPSA News Updates
For daily updated security news see www.infologue.com, www.securityoracle.com, www.info4security.com and www.securitypark.co.uk
For the latest news from the SIA see www.the-sia.org.uk/home/about_sia/news/news.htm
17 May 2010
IPSA to provide Quality Assurance for NTIPDU courses
The International Professional Security Association (IPSA) and the National Training Inspectorate for Professional Dog Users (NTIPDU) have formed an alliance to provide Quality Assurance and certification for selected specialist courses designed by the NTIPDU.
NTIPDU, which has been supporting the security dog industry since 2002, has discovered a reluctance from existing awarding bodies to accredit and certify courses which involve assessing the security dog with its handler.
Many roles involving the use of a trained security dog are substantially reliant on the performance of the dog and the understanding of the dog’s reactions to and by the handler, as opposed to purely the knowledge of the handler, so it is important that the assessment of training reflects this.
IPSA has worked closely with the security dog industry on the creation of British Standards and is delighted to be able to support the NTIPDU. The IPSA Chief Executive, Justin Bentley, stated “We are keen to promote professionalism across the whole of the security industry, including providing assistance to specialist groups who wish to demonstrate a quality approach to training in their sector.”
Sandra Timmis, Director of NTIPDU, said “We already know that the training we provide is of the highest standard. This agreement will reassure our members and clients that an independent body is validating our work.”
24 February 2010
IPSA highlights weakness in SIA prosecution policy towards clients employing contracted unlicensed staff
When the Security Industry Authority (SIA) first arrived on the scene, they expressed the view that the cost of licensing would be recouped by security companies, with customers happy to pay for a more professional service.
However security companies soon discovered a reluctance on the part of the majority of customers to pay any increase, even before the current recession started. Rather they hoped that the SIA would continue to promote the industry and encourage customers to meet the cost. Certainly the least that security companies should have been able to expect from the licensing authority was support in ensuring that their clients would at least have to ensure that contract companies they engage would be supplying licensed staff. The recent SIA press release (22 February 2010) shows that the SIA is not in fact supporting that position.
There appears to have been a total turnaround by the SIA on the culpability of the customers or clients. Last year, in response to a question raised at the SIA May 2009 conference, whether the SIA would be willing to investigate the possibility of a specific offence for clients knowingly using unlicensed persons, the SIA stated that criminal liability already existed under present legislation. The spokesperson went on to say “When tackling security contractors providing unlicensed staff, one of our standard approaches is to engage with their customers and where necessary point out the customer’s liability for being a party to an offence of the supply of unlicensed operatives or operating without a licence. We have not yet found it necessary to prosecute a customer but it remains an option.”
The SIA statement following the outcome of the Sabrewatch prosecution declares “The retailers (who had no part in the offences as the staff were hired under contract) were supportive of the case and a number gave evidence against Sabrewatch in court.”
The Authority re-confirm this in the ‘Notes to editors’ stating “A customer hiring security staff under contract is not responsible for ensuring those staff are licensed – rather it is the duty of the contractor to ensure its staff are licensed before they are deployed.”
Was this a quid pro quo offered by the SIA to Sabrewatch clients to secure a prosecution that they might otherwise lose? The cynic in me envisages a deal whereby “we can offer you immunity from prosecution if you help us by giving evidence against the contractor”.
I have not yet seen sufficient details to understand why Sabrewatch was singled out for prosecution, but I feel that security companies’ customers would be taking more care in future when selecting a security company, if Sabrewatch’s customers or clients had also been prosecuted and presumably also found guilty. By focusing only on the contractor, I think this was a missed opportunity for the SIA to demonstrate its declared policy of enforcing the legislation fairly and proportionately against all those involved.
Customers always have the right to shop around for the best price, and to change supplier if they feel that a provider is supplying a poor service or is charging over the odds; this is the principal of open competition. However customers must be seen to be responsible under the law for ensuring that their contractors are meeting legislative requirements. Only then are we likely to see the remaining criminal elements expelled from the industry.
9 December 2009
Security Association members lead the way in Northern Ireland
As compulsory licensing of Security Officers and the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme start to take hold in Northern Ireland, the International Professional Security Association (IPSA) has noted that it is member companies of IPSA and the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the two UK associations for security companies, that have achieved the quality mark of the Security Industry Authority’s voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).
In order to pass the inspection for the ACS, companies have to demonstrate compliance with the relevant industry standards and a quality scheme covering key aspects of the management of the company, its relationship with both employees and clients and also corporate social responsibility.
For many years, and certainly predating the Security Industry Authority, the security associations have been encouraging companies to comply with the relevant British Standards which are guidelines based on industry best practice. The associations have emphasised that their members are better informed and able to keep pace with change, meaning that their clients can expect to receive a consistently good service.
Keith Wray, Managing Director at Property Support Services Ltd, said “We have always embraced standards and quality of service, and see the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme as a welcome addition to our existing standards certificated after inspections by SSAIB and our long term commitment to the industry as members of the International Professional Security Association”
Property Support Services Ltd Managing Director Keith Wray, SIA Chief Executive Bill Butler,
PSS Quality & Training Manager George Adams
The Security Industry Authority Chief Executive, Bill Butler, said: “I am delighted to congratulate Property Support Services on becoming an ACS company. They have shown a commitment to raising standards within the private security industry. Buyers of security services can have peace of mind and confidence knowing that approved companies have reached stringent and wide ranging standards."
Justin Bentley, CEO of IPSA, commented “I congratulate Property Support Services on being awarded this recognition of best practice and commitment to standards. Early adoption of this scheme, following its expansion into Northern Ireland demonstrates this company’s forward planning and wish to ensure the best service delivery to their clients.”
3 August 2009
Patrick Somerville QPM appointed Vice President of IPSA
Last month, at the first meeting of the IPSA International Council following the AGM in June, changes were agreed within the leadership of the Association.
At the AGM Patrick Somerville announced that he felt it was time for some fresh input to the Association as he had been in post for a record period of eight years as International Chairman; previously Chairmen have normally held the post for only a few years.
At the International Council meeting, David Barratt, Business Account Director at Shield Security Services (Yorkshire) Limited in Hull, was unanimously elected as the new International Chairman for a three year term. David speaking shortly after being elected said “Anybody would have a hard time filling the role vacated by Patrick but I am looking forward to representing the interests of members.
Recognising the many occasions that Patrick has represented IPSA and his expressed willingness to continue representing the Association where that was appropriate, it was proposed and agreed that Patrick be appointed a Vice President of the Association.
Accepting the appointment, Patrick said “I have been able with the help of others to bring the Association to a new position of relevance and effectiveness always motivated by the desire to properly look after the interests of our members and their companies. It is now time to hand over the reins and I wish David and the new Council as much and more success in continuing this important work of promoting IPSA’s role in the industry. I am honoured to be a Vice President and to have the opportunity to support IPSA in that new role.”
Dennis Ricketts remains as Deputy International Chairman and Paul Trendall of Carlisle Security Services Limited has been appointed as Honorary Treasurer. Paul Trendall, along with Mike White, James Henderson and HRH Prince Bala-Tonglélé were elected to the International Council earlier this year. Shaun Murphy of Polyguard Security Services (UK) Ltd was elected to the International Council at the AGM , replacing Paul Macarthur who stood down.
27 July 2009
IPSA company wins 'Security team of the year' award
Employees of IPSA member company GBM Support Services Group have won the SECURITY TEAM OF THE YEAR award at the annual SCEPTRE awards run by Shopping Centre magazine.
The award for the team of 53 security staff working at the Harlequin shopping centre in Watford and seven associated car parks recognised in particular their achievement in reducing vehicle crime by 70%.
David Donovan, director of GBM, said "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award. It is great to be recognised for all our hard work and commitment to the safety of everyone in the centre. I am very proud of the whole team, and we will endeavour to continue the fantastic work".
www.shopping-centre.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3063/Security_team_of_the_year.html
10 July 2009
IPSA supports 2010 Counter Terror Expo
IPSA is proud to announce its support of the 2010 Counter Terror Expo, taking place on the 14th and 15th April 2010 at Olympia, London. The Association will be exhibiting at the event.
For more information about the event, see www.counterterrorexpo.com
12 May 2009
IPSA member company triumphs at IFSEC awards
Carlisle Security triumphed at last night's IFSEC 2009 Awards with a clean sweep by winning in both the award categories for security guarding.
The IFSEC Awards ceremony, hosted this year by John Sergeant of Strictly Come Dancing fame, saw Carlisle Security pull off a remarkable "double" in their first year of entering the competition; an achievement also making them the only entrant to win two awards.
The work Carlisle Security does for Merseyrail Electrics was recognised by the first of the two awards: "Guarding Service Delivery to Customer". Recognising as it does the very best practice in service delivery and customer satisfaction this award underlines Carlisle’s commitment to providing it’s customers with top quality services and value for money.
Carlisle Security then took the "Policing Partnership of the Year" award for the provision of the now familiar Travel Safe Officers on London's Docklands Light Railway. This was the first year this award had been made at IFSEC, and recognises the role of private security companies within the wider policing community. In Carlisle’s case it particularly recognised the close working links between the company and police services around the country; and especially those with the British Transport Police.
Martin Woollam, Carlisle's Operations Director, accepted the awards on behalf of Carlisle Security.
This brings to three the number of awards won by Carlisle Security in the last year, having earlier carried off the award for Best Security Partnership at the Security Excellence Awards. A hatrick of trophies which makes Carlisle Security the most recognised security company in the UK in 2008/2009.
Justin Bentley, Chief Executive of IPSA, said "This is a fantastic achievement By Carlisle Security, demonstrating their commitment to quality service provision."
8 May 2009
IPSA Membership: an enhanced service for Trainers & Training Companies
The International Professional Security Association (IPSA) is launching a dedicated section for individuals and companies involved in training. The launch will take place today, Friday 8th May, at the Edexcel BTEC Security Training Forum in London.
Training is a unique part of the security industry which provides and enhances skills and knowledge, although until now it has been an area without an independent voice.
The Association has for some time had a separate fee structure for training companies, but it has not provided targeted support for the sector. Now it is intended to add both focus and support, particularly for the numerous individuals working as trainers, whether self employed or within organisations. To this end a new category of IPSA individual membership of ‘Trainer’ is being introduced, to help identify and differentiate the individuals working in the sector.
It will then be possible to distribute information on training related matters by e-mail specifically to those individual and company members working in the sector.
In addition, regular events will be arranged for trainers to get together, share best practice and also raise issues and concerns which IPSA, as a representative body, will be able to ensure are addressed in the appropriate quarter. A Trainers’ Committee will be put in place to assess demand and, where appropriate, arrange these meetings.
IPSA has always had “promoting professionalism” as a key aim of the Association. We now intend to take this a significant step further by directly involving those professionals who bring skills and knowledge to the whole industry.
Sallyann Baldry, National Business Development Manager at Edexcel, commented “We welcome the introduction of a category of membership for individual trainers, IPSA already provides professional association membership to many existing Edexcel approved training centres, but this will additionally provide for independent trainers to join an association that justifiably prides itself on the services it provides to trainers, in terms of professional development and networking opportunities.”
28 April 2009
SRM joins forces with Guardian Jobs to launch the National Vetting Certificate
New National Vetting Certificate (NVC) will help applicants stand out from the crowd by demonstrating their integrity to potential employers
SRM (www.srm-solutions.com), a leader in information risk management, business continuity, and secure IT service delivery, has today announced that it has teamed up with Guardian Jobs, the dedicated jobsite from the Guardian Media Group, to launch the National Vetting Certificate.
The NVC will help to address the "Catch 22" problem that currently plagues the recruitment process: many job applicants are unable to go through the vetting process without first taking up a position with an employer, but many employers are unable to recruit an applicant unless they have already been vetted. This situation has arisen in part due to the fact employers are facing greater demands for better security, both to reduce internal risk and comply with regulation, and also partly due to the fact they can no longer rely on implied trust i.e. simply believing an applicant is who they claim to be.
Unfortunately, the days of implicit trust have long gone. According to a survey for BERR in 2008 by Price Waterhouse Coopers, in association with Symantec, HP, and The Security Company (International) Ltd, The report, called 2008 Information Security Breaches Survey, states that 39% of security breaches within large businesses were due to "staff misuse of information systems".
Understandably, employers are therefore much more cautious about employing someone who has not been vetted to a recognised and sufficient standard; as a result, applicants are under pressure to prove their identity prior to application.
The NVC meets the BS7858 Code of Practice and solves the vetting Catch 22 by enabling applicants to prove their identity and other details without first needing to be employed. This in turn enables them to apply for positions requiring such proof. On being presented with an NVC an employer can verify it on a secure online national database. Once the NVC has been verified, an employer will then be able to make a more informed decision about the applicant’s suitability. Combined, the NVC and the ability to verify it gives employers an independent and auditable level of security in the recruitment process, helping to reduce the risks they face and to better meet the demands of internal governance and compliance criteria.
"Modern companies have a moral and legal requirement to protect their assets, their staff, and their shareholders when it comes to recruiting new personnel," says Stephen Brown, Chief Executive Officer, SRM. "As a result, it will soon be unthinkable to hire someone who doesn't have a valid, up-to-date NVC listed on their CV alongside details of their other qualifications, work history, and education."
The NVC will allow job applicants to prove their identity, verify their education, and certify their background for employment purposes. Not only does the NVC meet British Standard 7858, it is the only national vetting certificate to carry a UKAS-accredited stamp and is supported and certified by the International Professional Security Association (IPSA) as best-practice for staff vetting.
"The NVC is a great way for any job candidate wanting to make their CV stand out, something which in the current market could be crucial in helping them to get their CV to the top of the pile," says Matthew Chapman, Partnerships Manager, Guardian Jobs. "And for employers, the NVC is a great way of differentiating between candidates – it will allow them to make a quicker, more informed and smarter decision."
The NVC is valid for three years from the date of issue, and includes the following checks:
* Five-year address verification
* Credit Check - County Court Judgement, Insolvency, Bankruptcy search
* ID verification (Passport)
* Written five-year employment history verification
* Two personal references
* Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Basic Disclosure
* Terrorist Files & Sanctions check
The NVC will be especially important for job applicants who are seeking positions that will require them to handle customer data or other sensitive information, as it will provide instant, independent proof of both their identity and integrity.
Applicants interested in ordering an NVC can access the service via a secure online application form available at both the main Guardian Jobs website: www.jobs.guardian.co.uk, as well as www.thenvc.co.uk, a dedicated site launched specifically to support the NVC programme.
18 February 2009
SIA remain unanswerable to the industry
In January Bobby Logue raised an important question, asking for the SIA to release the critical independent delivery review, which had led to the departure of the then SIA CEO Mike Wilson [Infologue article: www.infologue.com/user/strAdvert.asp?idAdv=744]. At a recent IPSA meeting, members brought up the lack of openness of the SIA and requested the International Council to publicise their concerns. The SIA has since released two documents, both written by themselves, a summary of the review [The SIA Delivery Review: Strengthening our Capability to Deliver our Remit www.the-sia.org.uk/home/about_sia/publications/publications_reviews.htm]and the progress made against some of the criticisms [The SIA Delivery Review: Progress Report Against the Review Action Plan www.the-sia.org.uk/home/about_sia/publications/publications_reviews.htm], however what is still lacking is the original document.
What is it that they are refusing to tell us? Why was it decided by the board that the best course of action was to force out the Chief Exec within days of receiving the report? Was he considered by the board to be so ineffective that he was not to be given the chance of rectifying the highlighted problems? Surely many of the issues actually relate to management practices put in place from day one?
Looking through the released documents, some items are of no surprise. There is a number of criticisms about working with stakeholders and enforcement, areas where they had started improvements last year, which have also continued since November.
For a body which has added countless levels of administrative burden to the industry, and an inspection scheme which strays far away from quality of service delivery, it appears that they had been lacking in numerous areas of best practice themselves. Whilst it is nice to hear that some people have now been moved from temporary to permanent contracts and will receive appraisals (once a third party contractor has been appointed for this), what we want to know more about is the failings in service delivery and what will be done about it.
We still have:
- Call centre staff that give out incorrect advice, which in cases could lead to a person unwittingly committing a criminal offence (how difficult is it to grasp that a security dog handler is also a security officer).
- No clear escalation procedure for the more difficult queries through the call centre – if it isn’t on the script, say “I will call you back”, then don’t.
- Application forms being rejected for small reasons that a phone call could clarify – it is easier to post everything back to the applicant, irrespective of the fact this delays them obtaining their licence by a week and possibly preventing them for working during that period. How about some customer service? Even Licence Dispensation Notices (LDNs) do not help here, as the application has not been accepted.
- Applications that for no obvious reason get “stuck in the system”. Mavis going ill or taking a holiday whilst the application is sat on her desk, shouldn’t be a reason to prevent somebody from working.
We have to accept the SIA, we don’t have a choice. They are the sole provider of the licenses required by law for us to work in this industry. As a Government appointed body, they are supposed to be transparent. We want to know that they are aware of problems still in the system and we want to know what they will be doing to improve the processes. Don’t misunderstand me, they have already significantly improved on the initial systems, but there is still room for improvement. The industry (and SIA customer) wishes to be part of the journey, not simply taken for a ride.
29 January 2009
IPSA launch Employer Sponsored Membership (ESM) Scheme
The International Professional Security Association (IPSA) has launched a new initiative to encourage companies to offer their employees membership of a professional body as part of their staff benefits package. The Employer Sponsored Membership (ESM) Scheme creates a framework for companies to foster professionalism amongst staff through association membership, with the company looking after the administration on behalf of staff. The companies have the option of either paying membership fees as an employment benefit or giving staff the choice of membership with the company managing fees on behalf of staff through monthly payments made direct from wages.
To encourage companies to take part in the ESM Scheme, the IPSA website will be listing which companies are participating, with regular updates of related news. The scheme is open to any company which values its employees, irrespective of Association membership. The ESM Scheme also offers beneficial rates, as the administration involved is shared with the companies, taking advantage of technology to reduce the processing required.
Carlisle Security Services Ltd is the first new member of the scheme and has undertaken to pay for a minimum of one hundred employees to become IPSA individual members. Paul Trendall, Operations Director said “We recognise quality is paramount and investing in our people is essential. Working in partnership with IPSA is one of the ways we will ensure that we will stay at the top of our game.”
The Employer Sponsored Membership Scheme was officially launched at Carlisle Security Services Ltd’s “Contract Managers’ Awayday” held on 28 January 2009 in Coventry. Justin Bentley, Chief Executive of IPSA, explained in earlier years many large employers with in-house security teams supported a similar scheme that allowed several thousand employees at all levels to become part of the move towards professionalism at that time. As guarding duties moved from in-house teams to contract guarding companies, the commitment to and investment in their staff has often been lost, especially in recent years as profit margins have been further eroded. The time has now come for companies to recognise the importance of promoting professionalism amongst staff.
Congratulating Carlisle as the first company to join the new scheme for employer sponsored membership of the Association, Justin Bentley, said “Participation in the scheme by Carlisle Security Ltd. is a courageous decision in these difficult times and I thank Richard and the Board for that initiative. I welcome those who will become members of IPSA and hope to see more of you at our events.
By introducing a new scheme to enable employers to demonstrate their commitment to raising the status of employees and rewarding performance, we at IPSA are offering the same range of benefits and advantages to these members as those enjoyed by all our members.”
The Association is currently identifying member companies that would benefit from transferring to this scheme. Knights & Sons Security Limited is one such company, that is encouraging staff to take up individual membership and is likely to benefit from transferring to the new scheme. Companies such as G4S, where directors in the Middle East have been required in recent years to hold association membership, would also benefit.
If you would like to apply for IPSA Individual membership, complete the form below to begin the online application process.
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