Transaction Search Form: please type in any of the fields below.
Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:12 pm
Time: 9:12 pm
Results for security officers
8 results foundAuthor: Lubbe, Lindy-Lee Title: A Competency Model for Security Officers: A Qualitative Design Summary: Crime is rife in South Africa. Explanations abound for the high crime statistics, including the weakening of the family unit, the political history of South Africa, urbanisation and the fast growing urban neighbourhood, a weak criminal justice system and the abundant availability of firearms. In the quest to prevent crime, the private security industry has become a key performer in helping to deter and prevent crime and criminal activities. Yet there are no set criteria for selecting security officers against the backdrop of the high crime rates and a growing private security sector. Therefore the purpose was to develop a competency model for the selection of security officers for the safekeeping and protection of persons and property in the Thaba Tshwane area. I chose to do qualitative research using an interpretive approach in an attempt to understand the views of the participants concerning the work context and requirements of security officers. A grounded theory approach to the strategy of inquiry was employed as it was best suited to keeping the information that was gathered grounded in the participants' own opinions. The focus of this research was on designing a competency model for security officers for selection purposes. Data were gathered through disciplinary records and open-ended structured interviews where the repertory grid and the behavioural event interview were applied.Eight subject matter experts, who included security officers, managers and a client working in the security industry, were used. The result of the study was a competency model of nine competencies and their definitions, which were grounded in the data and critical in functioning as an efficient security officer. Details: Pretoria: University of South Africa, 2010. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://uir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4608 Year: 2010 Country: South Africa URL: http://uir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4608 Shelf Number: 139831 Keywords: Private PolicePrivate SecuritySecurity Officers |
Author: Bedard, Mathieu Title: Private Reinforcements for Public Police Forces? Summary: Policing costs have been rising for 25 years in Canada, while the number of criminal incidents per officer has fallen. These growing costs can be explained in part by an increase in the number of police officers, which has certainly contributed to a reduction in the crime rate, but also by the fact that those officers perform a growing number of tasks. In order to contain these rising costs while ensuring the same quality and scope of public safety services, the work of police officers should be refocused on their essential duties, and other categories of personnel should be employed wherever possible. Some efforts have already been made in this direction, among other things by entrusting police cadets with certain foot patrol or bicycle duties, and by getting them to help during outdoor events. The next step in controlling costs is to call on private security companies, which can under certain circumstances supply qualified personnel who are less expensive than police officers. Details: Montreal: Montreal Economic Institute , 2015. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Economic Notes: Accessed September 27, 2017 at: http://www.iedm.org/files/note0115_en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.iedm.org/files/note0115_en.pdf Shelf Number: 147478 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticePrivate PolicePrivate SecurityPrivatizationSecurity Officers |
Author: Confederation of European Security Industries (CoESS) Title: Private Security in Belgium; An inspiration for Europe? Summary: Together with CoESS, the BVBO (Beroepsvereniging van Bewakingsondernemingen) is pleased to present this Third White Paper to you. The BVBO has been a highly active member of CoESS for a great many years now. As the national representative professional association for the private security sector in Belgium, we constantly devote major efforts to making our service as professional as possible. In so doing we strive for national legislation and regulations to complement this service in an efficient manner. We therefore invest heavily in good and constructive dialogue with the competent authorities. Belgian regulations on private security can rightly be regarded as among the most detailed within the European Union and the rest of Europe. We accordingly wish to share our experience, expertise and accrued know-how with our sister federations in numerous other countries as an initiative of, and with the support of, CoESS. First of all the BVBO notes a very positive finding. Belgian law was and is often regarded as a source of inspiration, and is used for the development of legislation on private security in other European countries. On the other hand, we must also conclude that this Belgian legislation (introduced twenty years ago this year) today no longer fully corresponds with the social and economic context that has changed in the course of these twenty years. The private security sector has evolved drastically over the last two decades. Security companies have developed from service providers working exclusively in the private domain to organisations working on public security and its supporting tasks, whereby the provision of a high level of quality is and has always been the priority: - Today, it is a fact that private security officers can be found in a huge variety of public places. - The security officer himself or herself has evolved to become a specifically trained, multipurpose and often multilingual service provider. - Customers (in both the public and the private domain) are more demanding regarding security needs and requests, and today expect an integrated, custom-made, flexible and high quality service. - The man in the street also expects - and is entitled to - a professional service. - The security companies themselves have invested heavily and purposively in quality with specific selection and recruitment, additional training, supervision for officers, and by systematically improving pay and working conditions. - The members of the BVBO went another step further and recently launched the BVBO "Secure Quality" quality label. With this far-reaching form of self-regulation, the BVBO and its members also want to raise awareness among customers concerning the absolute necessity of putting quality first when it comes to monitoring and security. An additional aim of the BVBO is to use this label to encourage the competent authority to include similar quality requirements in legislation. Today, however, the BVBO notes that the legislative framework - based on the law of 10 April 1990 regulating private and particular security - has not proportionally evolved as outlined above. The realities of security, the needs of the customer, the role of the private security company, attention to quality and the job of private security officer are totally different from what they were twenty years ago. Details: Paria: Confederation of European Security Services (CoESS), 2010. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: www.coess.org Year: 2010 Country: Belgium URL: www.coess.org Shelf Number: 147495 Keywords: Private Security Security Guards Security Officers |
Author: Montgomery, Ruth Title: The Use of Private Security Services for Policing Summary: Over a decade ago, the Law Reform Commission of Canada (2002) opened a dialogue on the trend in the growth of private policing in Canada. A continued rise in police expenditures, combined with economic downturns, have contributed to pressure being placed on police services around the world to become more effective and efficient. This has resulted in a growing interest in discussing the value of privatizing or civilianizing functions of public police services (Public Safety Canada, 2012). This study examines the intersections between private security and public policing, with an emphasis on those functions that private security are now performing that have traditionally been performed by the public police, as well as cooperative efforts between public police and private security. METHOD The research included a literature review of the roles and responsibilities of private security and public police in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, a review of relevant Canadian legislation, and interviews with key individuals in Canadian government, private security, policing, and police governance organizations. FINDINGS There is the potential for private security to play an important role in community safety and addressing issues of crime and social disorder. Research evidence as to the effectiveness of police-private security initiatives in preventing crime and reducing disorder is mixed. A key factor in the success of these initiatives is management; that is, ensuring there is open communication among the parties, the integrity of the initiative, effective supervision of police and private security officers, and protocols for evaluation. In all of the jurisdictions reviewed, a major challenge is that the core functions of the police have not been defined. This makes it difficult to identify the parameters of the role and responsibilities of the public police, and to determine the niche for private security, working in partnership either with the police, or in an outsourcing or privatization arrangement. There are a number of key factors that are important to the success of police-private security partnerships: 1) a common interest in reducing a specific crime or crime set; 2) effective leadership, with personnel with authority from each partner organization driving participation; 3) mutual respect; 4) information sharing based on high levels of trust in confidentiality; 5) formal meetings of consultation and communication; and, 6) a willingness to experiment and consider all ideas. These processes seem to be in their infancy in Canada. The tiered policing system in Alberta is perhaps the best current example of a system-wide framework for police-private security collaboration. Ideally, police-private security partnerships would be a component of strategic plans that identify areas where collaboration between public police and other groups in the community can be undertaken, monitored, and evaluated. Cost should be one of only several metrics that are used to evaluate the effectiveness of these collaborative partnerships and of outsourcing. Given the unique role of the police in society, other metrics including the legitimacy of the police, the community's view of the various initiatives, and the sustainability of collaborative partnerships must be examined. It is evident that the size and scope of activities of new private security services is expanding. Despite this, there are few, if any, protocols in place to ensure communication and information sharing between these units, many of which are staffed by ex-police and security officers, and the public police. Similarly, there is no information on the size of these units, their budgets, and their activities. At present, these firms seem to inhabit a parallel universe to both public police and traditional private security firms. It is often assumed that privatizing and outsourcing traditional police tasks will result in reductions in the numbers of sworn police officers. Public police-private security collaboration may, on the other hand, result in innovative initiatives that previously did not exist. Little attention has been given to the legal framework within which private security firms operate. There has been little attention given to developing compliance standards and structures for a regulatory regimen. There is also considerable variability across jurisdictions in provisions for enforcement where regulations do exist. Most often, sanctions involve revoking operating licenses. In the absence of a national, provincial or territorial strategic plan for private security, there has also been a failure to develop mechanisms to ensure effective oversight of private security. This has a number of consequences, including an inability to ensure that private security companies are not vulnerable to organized crime, unethical and/or illegal behaviour. The movement to expand the role of private security is occurring in the absence of empirical research studies that would reveal the nature and extent of cost savings, the effectiveness, and the sustainability of policeprivate sector partnerships, outsourcing, and privatization. Cost savings are most often assumed rather than demonstrated. Within the larger context of the economics of policing, there is no published data on the relative cost-effectiveness of private versus public police. The absence of evaluation research on private policing in Canada precludes an informed discussion on proposals for expanding the activities of private policing companies. As well, it is difficult to assess the proposals that are made by private security companies to assume responsibilities currently managed by public police, or to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies that are being proposed by private security firms. There is a need to know more about what private security personnel are doing, the rationale for their activities, and whether these rationales are supported by empirical data. There is no information on the ethics of private security, the values of private security officers, and the private security subculture - all key facets in the study of public police. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2015. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2015-R041: Accessed October 17, 2017 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-R041/2015-R041-en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-R041/2015-R041-en.pdf Shelf Number: 147706 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticePartnershipsPolicingPrivate PolicingPrivate SecurityPrivatizationSecurity Officers |
Author: Sarre, Rick Title: Private Security and Public Interest: Exploring Private Security Trends and Directions for Reform in the New Era of Plural Policing Summary: The overall aim of this project (2007-2010), funded by the Australian Research Council (LP0669518) with additional funding and in-kind support from the Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL), was to provide the first ever comprehensive study of the legal and regulatory issues, together with policy implications, of the development and growth of the private security industry in Australia over the past three decades. We determined that the security industry is growing at a faster rate than both the increasing growth in police numbers and the Australian population, and available figures indicate the industry is now larger in numbers than conventional police personnel (indeed, perhaps twice the size). Indeed, citizens are far more likely to encounter security personnel (and their security devices) than police officers in their day to day activities. Citizen dependence upon private services for their safety is thus increasing. Australian parliaments and police managers, too, are recognising the enormous potential benefits of private security and public-private partnerships. They understand, however, that these partnerships need to be underwritten by basic levels of prescribed competency and integrity. Surveys of security providers and industry associations show that the industry itself aspires to a more professional standing too. The picture, however, is not entirely rosy. There have been, over the last decade especially, a number of scandals around private security officer conduct. Major adverse events that drew widespread media attention were the death of cricketer David Hookes following an altercation with a crowd controller, the shooting death of a robber by a security guard, the infiltration of nightclub security by organised crime figures trading in illicit drugs, widespread problems with serious assaults by crowd controllers, and misrepresentation in mobile patrol contracts by Australia's (then) largest security firm which found itself in legal proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The research shows, nevertheless, that there is a high degree of regulation of the security industry throughout Australia, and that this regulatory legislation has evolved greatly over the past 15 years, and in some jurisdictions has embraced the key industry associations themselves. Notwithstanding this evolution, regulation of the industry continues to be inconsistent between jurisdictions and is, according to some, still open to exploitative activities and unscrupulous behaviours. This is an unsatisfactory state of affairs. In order for the public and police alike to maintain (or gain) confidence in the private security industry, the industry itself must redouble its efforts to present itself as groups of professionals consisting of highly trained and skilled personnel exercising high levels of integrity. The industry also clearly expects closer monitoring and better enforcement of regulations by the regulators. Details: Australian Research Council, 2011. 149p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://www.asial.com.au/documents/item/12 Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: https://www.asial.com.au/documents/item/12 Shelf Number: 147973 Keywords: Plural Policing Private Security Security Industry Security Officers |
Author: Gill, Martin Title: Towards 'A Strategy for Change' for the Security Sector Summary: This report aims to provide a foundation for thinking about and ultimately developing a 'Strategy for Change' for the security sector. It seeks to provide a rationale for why private security is important and suggests ideas (for wider debate) about how its potential might be realised. The document is based on three overarching aims: The Government must be encouraged to develop a strategy for harnessing the enormous contribution of the private security sector to preventing crime. The private security sector must commit to developing an ability to talk with a more united and coordinated voice. The private security sector must commit to highlighting the enormous benefits it generates including for the public good, and commit to ways of enhancing these. Much of what it currently does is unheralded and under acknowledged. Details: Tunbridge Wells, UK: Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International (PRCI) Ltd., 2017. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2017 at: https://perpetuityresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017-09-Towards-a-Strategy-for-Change.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://perpetuityresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017-09-Towards-a-Strategy-for-Change.pdf Shelf Number: 147989 Keywords: Crime PreventionPrivate SecuritySecurity OfficersSecurity Personnel |
Author: Howell, Charlotte Title: Police Views on Private Security Summary: - This report discusses findings from responses provided by 1361 serving police officers in an on-line survey on attitudes towards the private security sector (private security suppliers and corporate security departments) - The study was undertaken to inform strategies for better engaging private security, and as part of the development of a sister document, Towards 'A Strategy for Change' for the Security Sector" The current position - Close to 6 in 10 believed private security plays a minor role in protecting the public - Close to 7 in 10 believed security officers do not act as the eyes and ears of the police, although more than 4 in 10 thought they should - The police generally favoured private security supporting private events, although for some this was because they saw the role as administrative (e.g. checking tickets on entry) rather than policing - Corporate security departments were seen as important in helping the police in their work by 62%, security officers much less so, 36% - Well over 8 in 10 stated that business needed to be primarily responsible for protecting itself against fraud and cyber crime. Indeed, only a half of the sample believed that the police has a responsibility to investigate all frauds and all cyber crimes Future possibilities - Close to 8 in 10 were against security officers working on behalf of the police as first responders to incidents - More than half disagreed with the suggestion that collaborative working between the police and private security is essential given the current limitations of police funding - Respondents were critical of businesses, with approaching 9 in 10 indicating that they need to be more committed to sharing information with the police - A much smaller majority - but over a half - admitted that the police also need to improve here, in terms of being more committed to sharing information with businesses - Police officers responding were not typically supportive of private security seconding officers, nor in conferring additional powers on private officers. Even the idea of businesses injecting money into the force to enable a response to certain crime types was not overwhelmingly viewed as positive General perceptions - A majority of respondents believed that both the police and the public had a generally negative view of private security - Very few believed that police officers viewed private security as essential partners (4%). About 3 in 10 felt private security was tolerated albeit more than half felt they were sometimes of assistance. - Well over a half felt that private security officers are not sufficiently well trained to be useful - Over three quarters felt that private security does not enhance the UK policing brand - More than 6 in 10 felt that private security did not enhance the reputation of the police - That said close to 3 in 10 agreed with the suggestion that some specialist private security services operate with more expertise than the comparative services offered by the police - More agreed than disagreed that there are individuals in the private sector that they respect for their excellent work (43% compared to 17%) The level of trust - Well over a half felt that the private security sector cannot be trusted - Over two thirds of respondents did not consider private security trustworthy to charge a fair price - Nearly four fifths of respondents did not agree that private security could be trusted to be impartial - Approaching 8 in 10 police officers admitted to being suspicious of the profit motive of private security - Similarly over three quarters of officers noted that the lack of accountability of the private security sector undermines police confidence Key opportunities - Nearly three fifths of respondents felt that there is a lack of leadership in the police service about how best to work with private security - Generally speaking the police do not profess to be extensively knowledgeable about private security or highly experienced in working with them - There is some evidence that much of what the police know about private security comes directly from interaction with private security rather than for example internal training - Over a half felt that if the police were responsible for accrediting private security, it would increase police trust in the work of the private security sector. A majority also agreed that police trust in private security would increase if the police were involved in training them - The role of private security (and especially suppliers) in helping to prevent crime is not enough to persuade police officers of its worth. They need to be more informed about the work that it does, not least in supporting the public good, and making a distinction between using private security to replace police on the front line (this is as close as you can get to an unqualified bad thing in police eyes) with supporting public protection in its myriad of current roles. There needs to be meaningful engagement and better leadership on both sides. Details: Tunbridge Wells, UK: Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International (PRCI) Ltd., 2017. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2017 at: https://perpetuityresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017-09-Police-Views-on-Private-Security.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://perpetuityresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017-09-Police-Views-on-Private-Security.pdf Shelf Number: 147990 Keywords: Crime PreventionPrivate SecuritySecurity OfficersSecurity Personnel |
Author: Foster, John Robert Wilfred Title: Development a Relevant Business Model for the South African Informal Car Guarding Sector Summary: Car guarding, a uniquely South African activity, has become a common form of informal employment. The perception of many is that car guarding is a last resort of financial survival and pursued by those entrapped in a life of drug/alcohol addiction or poor life choices. This study had five objectives: firstly to determine if car guarding and the income made solely from tips is an economically viable mean of survival; secondly to determine the socio-cultural challenges (such as the perception towards car guards) and the physical challenges (such as weather conditions faced) while performing their duties; thirdly to discover general and specific skills car guards possess, either from past employment, or obtained while car guarding; fourthly to reveal the factors which influenced individuals to become car guards; and lastly to better evaluate the current car guarding business models, in order to provide suggestions to improve these. An exploratory research design with convenience sampling of 30 car guards at six different public domains was used. The study was limited to Durban because a degree of rapport had been built through previous informal discussions with car guards. Data was collected from car guards by means of one on one detailed open-ended qualitative questioning in order to ascertain reasons and opinions. Quantitative aspects were not explored. The data obtained was recorded and analyzed by thematic analysis. The study revealed the dismal situation of car guards. For example, at most venues they are charged a "bay fee" to guard a designated area, and have no choice but to survive on the limited amount of donations they are able to obtain, after paying the fee. Besides being harassed and often intimidated by both motorists; security officers and the management of parking premises, they have to brave the elements and work long hours with no physical protection and hardly any employer-support. Recommendations include implementation of a more effective business model to allow for formalization of car guard employment and at the very least good work standards, training and skill development. Organizations need to rise to the challenge to support car guards and local Community Policing Forums (CPF) need to be more involved in assisting car guards. Details: University of Kwazulu-Natal, College of Law and Management Studies, 2015. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 12, 2018 at: http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/14748/Foster_John_Robert_Wilfred_2015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2015 Country: South Africa URL: http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/14748/Foster_John_Robert_Wilfred_2015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 153390 Keywords: Automobile TheftCar GuardsCar TheftCrime PreventionInformal EconomySecurity Officers |