Company calls for security industry to be regulated

A leading security company is calling for the local security industry to be regulated in the interests of the businesses in general, their clients and the people working as security guards in all sectors.

Regulating the industry has become necessary because of a rising number of incidents of violent and disorderly behaviour involving bouncers. The status of these door supervisors has risen lately following concern on health and safety issues involving young people frequenting establishments subject to public entertainment licensing, and an associated need to increase awareness on the drug scourge.

Signal 8 Security director Josef Cuschieri and manager Joseph John (Jovan) Grech believe that unless the industry sets itself higher standards as far as training and qualification requirements are concerned and is better protected by the law, local security companies and businesses are leaving themselves open to all sorts of liability risks.

Mr Cuschieri is an Employment and Training Corporation lecturer to private guards; Mr Grech is a former police officer with several years' experience in the security industry. Their company, Signal 8 Security, is exclusively affiliated with the International Bodyguard Association (IBA). As a corporate member of the IBA, Signal 8 Security is authorised to organise courses and training in all aspects of security.

The problem, they say, lies in the fact that a significant number of the personnel provided by local security companies in Malta have little or no formal training in various aspects of security.

"Under the Private Guard and Local Warden Act, security officers are officially required to be in possession of a private guard's warrant and licence, while the training personnel receive to obtain the licence is good grounding for security officers, it is not specific enough. There is a difference between the role of a security officer guarding a factory or a store, and a door supervisor handling patrons in a noisy environment who could be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Many do not seem to realise that a security officer is also a safety officer.

"Our company has organised many courses, for example in defence and restraint techniques, to train security officers to be more professional in their approach when dealing with difficult situations rather than resorting to thuggish behaviour."

Mr Cuschieri and Mr Grech broached the issue of regulation with government officials some months ago, but are still waiting for some form of reply.

Signal 8 Security has also drawn up a proposed curriculum for door supervisor training, covering such aspects as role and responsibilities, communication skills and conflict management, and a code of behaviour.

The company provides gym facilities for training and one of its directors, Alfred Galea, is an 8th Dan in martial arts.

"Local businesses which contract security agencies to provide personnel often seem to view security as a luxury, not a necessity," Mr Cuschieri and Mr Grech point out. "When business is slow, security personnel is drastically reduced. This is a mistaken view of security.

"The Security Industry Authority (SIA) of the UK is a government agency that provides mandatory risk assessment and gives recommendations on the numbers of security personnel an event or an establishment require according to law. We would like to see a similar authority set up in Malta."

Signal 8 Security also plans to set up a security personnel training academy so that people aspiring to work within the sector are able to obtain internationally recognised qualifications and be armed with the necessary know-how to avoid the pitfalls that could land them, their employers and their clients in trouble.

"Better standard training and qualifications is a must and it is the only way security agencies and their clients will be able to choose the best people for the job," they explained. "We would like to see an environment where patrons of establishments feel that the security officer or door supervisor is there for their protection. Security members must learn how to be proficient in their job and this can only be achieved by proper training."

Meanwhile, as part of its ongoing training programme, Signal 8 Security invited IBA director-general Baron James Shortt of Castleshort to lead a course on basic bodyguarding skills for some 35 participants, most of whom were police and armed forces personnel earlier this month.

Internationally regarded as a bodyguarding guru, Jim Shortt has acted as bodyguard or close protection officer to such celebrities as Oasis and Primal Scream band members, Patrick Swayze, Bryan Ferry, Ricky Martin, Rod Stewart, Ronan Keating, Sarah Duchess of York, and Ringo Starr.

He came to Malta after leading bodyguarding training in the Ukraine. He was highly impressed with the participants' feedback, saying they were motivated to learn more about the profession and improve their skills.

He says people who require bodyguards are often prone to "idiotic" behaviour so it is important for bodyguards and close protection officers to have a sense of humour.

He says people who need a bodyguard should never engage one for prestige. "A bodyguard is not an accessory. Bodyguarding is a serious, legal profession. It is what you don't know that is most dangerous. That is why training is important."

Signal 8 Security said course participants have expressed interest in further training in this area.