Private Security Firms Urged to Comply with Industry Regulations

The Ministry of National Security is cautioning that service providers within the private security industry found to be in breach of the provisions under the Private Security Regulation Act (PSRA) will be made to face the full brunt of the law.
Making the statement, Parliamentary Secretary in the Security Ministry, Senator Kern Spencer said the rapid growth in the private security industry had put greater pressure on the Private Security Regulation Authority to ensure the integrity and non-contamination of the individuals and organizations operating within the industry.
Senator Spencer said while the Ministry welcomed the growth in the industry, as it further aided the security forces in offering greater levels of protection of life and property, it had been alerted to the reality that there were elements operating within the private security industry that were not in compliance with the Act.
As such he said, the Ministry would be moving to strengthen the Authority to enable added vigilance in “ensuring that there is full compliance within the industry and bring to the book those who are in breach”. He informed that steps would also be taken to have the Act amended.
This Senator Spencer said was to ensure that the Authority was better able to regulate and monitor the growing private security industry as increasingly intelligence reports were suggesting a nexus between persons involved in criminal activities such as the illegal trafficking of drugs, arms and ammunition and some individuals and companies who have applied for licenses to operate within the industry.
Senator Spencer was speaking at the official opening of Hawkeye Electronic Security Limited’s newly refurbished 24-hour monitoring centre on Belmont Road in Kingston yesterday (May 13). He congratulated the company on the step made, noting that the initiative would add greater value to the services provided to its growing client base. Senator Spencer said the Ministry looked forward to the continued partnership in providing levels of security for the country.
Mr. Spencer said given the recent brutal slayings of police officers and a member of the private security industry, it was evident that criminals viewed the public and private security apparatus as one and the same.
“We must therefore work even closer to rid ourselves from this scourge of crime, the truth is both entities are required to be protectors and defenders of the law,” he urged.
Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Crime, Mark Shields speaking on behalf of Commissioner of Police, Lucius Thomas said the importance of the partnership between the police, security companies and the community could not be overemphasized since they were all working to reduce the incidents of homicides and crime. “I think part of that is the crucial partnership between the JCF and security companies such as Hawkeye, it’s absolutely critical to our success,” he said.
Noting the emphasis on the use of technology Deputy Commissioner Shields said for a country in which it was difficult to find witnesses to crimes such as murder the need for technology was greater than ever and its use should extend to the constabulary force.
He said in addition to the use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), there were many other ways that technology would be used in the future to capture the best evidence to put away persons convicted of murders and other serious crimes.
Deputy Commissioner Shields said while he believed the fight against crime could be won there were still difficult times ahead but the ideal could be achieved through collaboration between the police service, other law enforcement agencies locally and internationally, security companies and the community.
Managing Director of Hawkeye, Derrick Mahfood in giving an overview of the entity’s progress said the advances made over the years had been in pursuit of its aim to provide customers with the best in electronic security. Mr. Mahfood said the new 24-hour monitoring centre stood to be the most technologically advanced of its kind in the region.
Hawkeye Electronic Security Limited was formed in 1987 is the leading supplier of electronic security systems locally representing top Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) manufacturers such as Pelco, GE Interlogix, Panasonic and Sensormatic. The 24-hour monitoring centre enables round the clock security monitoring across the island with 10 established bases.