HAPPY wrote:
SINGAPORE : Private security officers will soon be licensed
individually.
Currently, such officers are given approval through the companies
they work for.
The government is reviewing existing regulatory controls to enhance
the professionalism of the security industry.
Under the new licensing scheme, officers will not be tied to the
firm they work for.
The qualifications for the new licence will be similar to the
current training requirements.
Securing key infrastructures like the airport is no longer just the
job for the police or Singapore Armed Forces.
The work of private security officers is becoming increasingly
important.
Private security officers in Singapore outnumber the Singapore
Police Force by three times.
With 36,000 private security officers, the industry is also fast
becoming a key strategic partner in ensuring national
security.
Several major infrastructures are also protected by private
security forces.
Speaking at a security conference on Monday, Senior Minister of
State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee said governments are
realising they alone cannot deliver a country's every security
need.
To keep up with the changing security environment, the Singapore
government is also looking at revising the regulatory
framework.
Associate Professor Ho said, "The focus of the new legislation will
now extend beyond just ensuring that undesirable persons do not
enter the industry, to building a more professional, well-trained
and disciplined private security industry.
"Another move to improve the professionalism of the industry is the
introduction of a grading system to provide an objective and
authoritative assessment of security agencies. The comprehensive
set of grading criteria was drawn up in consultation with the
industry, and will serve to motivate existing security agencies to
raise their security and service standards."
Khoo Boon Hui, Commissioner of Police, said, "For the future, as we
look ahead to the construction of the two Integrated Resorts which
will have casinos and a third airport terminal, there will be
tremendous opportunities for the private security industry. The
demand for more sophisticated security services is expected to rise
significantly."
Since 2005, the industry has grown by about 25 percent.
With the expected continuing demand, a career advancement framework
will also be introduced in the middle of this year. - CNA/ms
So, more jobs will be created for the local. Cheers!!!
What is the big deal about upgrading security guards?
It seems to me that any training so provided is a mere
hog-wash.
Look at the quality of security guards after passing the training -
any different from their previous level of competency?
It is just a grand public relation again to tell the world that we
are top-class without any practical tangible results.
I still see the same security guards day in and day out without the
needed alertness level to apprehend any potential criminal or
terrorists.
The reverse seems to be happening now as I see it. Because the
training course is aimed at literacy, guards who are less literate
in English seem to be weeded out of the professions and many
security firms are now experiencing great manpower shortage due to
disappearance of the non-English literate guards.
So costs of hiring security guards have gone up and many security
firms are not pricing the fees upwards or foregoing tenders or
terminating contracts.
Does the minister know all these negatives being created by his so
call accreditation scheme which is creating labour shortage or
downgrading of profession instead with the gradual disappearing of
more alert but non-English literate guards.