Vertical Markets

Liz France at ST19 Heathrow

by Mark Rowe

There’s no reason why the Security Industry Authority cannot say that drones are a form of CCTV surveillance, the SIA chair Liz France told the Security TWENTY conference at the Park Inn Heathrow on Thursday, November 7.

Speaking ahead of the SIA’s annual conference at the Oval in south London tomorrow, she hinted that the UK private security regulator might or ought to regulate users of drones. She described it as an example of changing technology, and legislation (in the SIA’s case, the Private Security Industry Act 2001) not changing. She recalled as UK Information Commissioner talking about three speeds of change: in the middle of the ‘wheel’, going fastest, is technology. The next ring out is adoption of that tech and understanding of it by the public, and business customers. And the outer ring, slowest moving, is the statutory framework, which is ‘very difficult to change’, she said. She used drones as an example of tech that was not dreamed of at the time of the Act that brought the SIA into being. However well-intentioned at the time, that law does not cover such things.

She said: “That’s just an example of where we have to apply the principles and the intention of regulation to new technology wherever we can, because as the end of the day our purpose remains unchanged, our focus is on improving standards and it’s about making sure we are protecting the public. We can only do that together, but we need to work flexibly within the statutory framework we have got.”

On the ACT online counter-terrorism training, Liz France said that she had taken the course, in about 45 minutes; and praised its realistic approach. “It really has been helpful to people and very well received.”

In a wide-ranging talk, she mentioned that the self-assessment workbook for the streamlined approved contractor scheme status (ACS) will go online in January. She reminded SIA badge-holders that a licensing condition is that you understand standards of behaviour for security operatives. “You may not have looked at it since you first got your licence.” She said that the regulator is looking at whether it can enforce the standards of behaviour with a code of conduct. Due to the general election, the SIA would not be able to begin any consultation on such a code until after the December 12 poll. Subject to views of the incoming Government, the SIA would consult, for instance on whether it ought to take action against licence-holders who fail to follow standards (while she did not mention any particulars, high-profile cases online of door staff filmed being violent may be what the SIA has most in mind).

She said: “As a modern transparent regulator, perhaps we should set out more clearly in plain English what we think we mean by the sort of behaviour that could lead to us taking action.”

More in the December 2019 print issue of Professional Security magazine. Pictured; the Umbo stand at the ST19 exhibition next door to the conference.

The next ST event is ST20 Birmingham, on Thursday, February 20, at the Hilton Metropole NEC.

Related News

Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay on top of security news and events.

© 2024 Professional Security Magazine. All rights reserved.

Website by MSEC Marketing