Security Industry Authority CEO Alan Clamp targets buyers of cut-price security services.

CEO of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), has launched a new initiative designed to promote both the responsible buying of security and the SIA’s own Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS). Clamp and the SIA want to persuade purchasers to buy security on quality, not just on price. With this in mind, a new SIA leaflet entitled ‘Do You Buy Security?: The Regulator’s Guide to Buying Private Security’ has been produced in support of the initiative.

Clamp explained to Risk UK: “Buying cut-price security can be appealing, but it’s a false economy. I would say to buyers of security that the safety of the public, and the reputation of your business, are too important to trust to the lowest bidder without any other safeguards. Very cheap security can come at the expense of lower standards and a higher risk of harm to both people and property.”

The leaflet is particularly intended for use by SIA Approved Contractors when tendering for work, and duly explains the benefits of the scheme.

Clamp continued: “One way that buyers – including those in the public sector – can support and recognise good quality security provision is to use businesses that have the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme accreditation. Buyers can be confident that these businesses have been quality assured to ensure the services they provide are compliant.”

The ACS, which is voluntary, measures private security suppliers against a set of independently assessed criteria. The ACS currently covers more than 840 businesses throughout the UK. Approved Contractors range in size from multi-national companies to local small enterprises. All of them comply with the ACS standards.

Clamp has noted recent successful prosecutions of criminal and non-compliant security businesses through work conducted by the SIA’s regional investigation teams. He believes the SIA’s enforcement activity is a “crucial element” of the Regulator’s strong commitment to achieving and maintaining high standards within the security business sector.

In essence, employing the services of an Approved Contractor reduces the risk to buyers that their brand may be associated with non-compliant businesses.

*The new leaflet can be downloaded from the SIA’s website