More than 200 security staff, CCTV operatives and door supervisors were inspected during a large-scale operation across West Yorkshire earlier this month.
Operation Regent was conducted by Security Industry Authority investigators and saw teams deployed to 107 security sites in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Halifax, Pontefract and Castleford.
The aim of the operation was to test compliance amongst those working in the private security industry.
During daytime checks, investigators visited shopping centres, hospitals, museums, industrial parks, art galleries, supermarkets, construction sites, and bus and train stations. During the evening, they checked licensed premises, late-opening shopping centres and industrial parks.
In total, 219 operatives were inspected and 214 held a valid SIA licence. Five unlicensed men were found to be working illegally, and two of these fled from investigators. Breaches of licence conditions were also found.
The unlicensed operatives are now subject to further investigation and investigators will be speaking to the security companies that deployed them.
During the operation, investigators found the following offences:
• An unlicensed CCTV operative was found working at a college in Huddersfield.
• An unlicensed security guard was found working on an industrial estate in
• Bradford.
• An unlicensed door supervisor was found working with someone else’s licence at a bar in Bradford.
• An unlicensed door supervisor was found working with someone else’s licence at a winter event in Huddersfield.
• An unlicensed door supervisor was found working with someone else’s found at a bar in Halifax.
• 25 licensed operatives were issued with warnings for breaching licence conditions – 9 for failing to display their licence whilst on duty, 15 for failing to notify the SIA of a change of address, and 1 for defacing a licence.
Dave Humphries, SIA Director of Compliance, Intelligence and Communication, said: “It is important for us to test compliance levels to ensure that we are using our resources effectively.
“It is encouraging that there the majority of those inspected were adhering to the law. Unfortunately, there are still those who think it is acceptable to deploy staff or work without SIA licences, or break licence conditions – this puts them at risk of prosecution.
“We will continue our activities to ensure that security staff are properly trained and licensed to promote a safe environment for the public.”
For further information about the Security Industry Authority or to sign up for email updates visit: www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk. The SIA is also on Facebook (Security Industry Authority) and Twitter (SIAuk).
