Industrial security, commonly known as 'private security', originated in
It was in 1992 that the Government decided to regulate the private security by enacting the Act called Regulations of Private Security Act No. 45 of 1998. The Act made provision for the competent authority to publish a security manual. Those involved in the creation were many respected retired senior officers of the Police and Armed Forces. It was at this stage that I had published the first security manual in Sinhala and English along with a forward from my senior officer Retired Senior Superintendent Late H.B. Disaanayaka when I was the deputy to him at
Despite various regulations arising out of the Regulations for Private Security Act 45 of 1998 still we have illegal security companies not registered with the
The whole purpose of enacting law is lost if they are not enforced as in many cases in this country. The governments in the past also required that the private security companies should wear only a particular colour whilst special treatment was given to a company which was managed by the Government, the excuse being that private security should not resemble the Police and the Armed Services.
It is quite understandable, but why an exception? Surely there are other ways of implementing by advising the companies to avoid imitating the colour and style as all security companies need to market their product being, 'their security staff' in a manner to attract their customers (for e.g. one cannot expect the producers of all aerated water to have one particular bottle and label? Is it practical?)
Attitude of Govt. must change
Attitude of the Government must change if industrial security is to develop and progress. Its attitude must change in terms of:
(1) Standard of Recruitment - At present there are Ex Armed forces personnel who have only passed the fifth standard as they were recruited for a purpose during the war, they can hardly read and write. Those who have studied up to (O) Level should be the minimum with experience of at least 10 years or with GCE (O) Level if we are to expect a better professional standards whilst the supervisory staff should possess the GCE (O) Level with at least 10 years' experience and management A levels or those who have been either an S.
The Government has been of the view that to register a security company the manager operations, etc. should at least be a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces or a senior gazetted officer of the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police and above, whilst Senior Inspectors of Police with over 15 years of service in the police are more qualified in terms of the law and orders court procedures investigations of a criminal nature and command more knowledge in disciplinary matters management, personnel management and even public relations. It is not practical in the sense that even the present competent authority if a non-commissioned officer but is a graduate and academically proficient cannot set up a company unless he is qualified as stated in the Act.
(2) Wage structure must be upgraded. The industrial security personnel must be brought under the
(3) Concept of training is a very important aspect. They must be trained to prevent crime and not to be a fighting force. At present training courses are being conducted to train the lower grade staff in military style which is not the purpose of industrial security. Industrial security training must be created to accommodate various aspects of industrial security as industrial security was not created to combat violence as in such situations the police and armed services are equipped.
Industrial security includes prevention, detection, and investigation. There is no facility to train and specialise staff in these sectors as most persons involved in industrial security believe that they are there to perform the job of gatekeepers, watchers and perhaps as status symbols like creating personnel bodyguards like thugs in uniform! This is the concept accepted even by the private and public industry! If one analyses the important role it can play in the private sector and the public sector then certainly, it is an excellent sign of progress.
Perhaps not many understand that industrial security can play a vital role in assisting the Government and its agencies like the police, intelligence, ports customs, immigration crime as a whole and preventing terrorism of all sorts, computer frauds, cyber security, security audits, forensic audits, etc. But is the Government and the industrial security geared for it? Certainly not!
It is with this in view
It is my fervent hope that the present President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has much experience in terrorism will certainly take appropriate steps to enhance the professional standards of industrial security without further delay. I wish him well, with his brother who had experience in the private sector will I am sure give him the required support with the ISF in achieving these objectives.
(The writer is a Graduate of the
© Pakistan Press International, source