Industrial security, commonly known as PRIVATE SECURITY which originated in Srilanka in 1957 with the setting up of MIS security by two respected gentlemen namely Messers Newton Dassanayaka and Uduman,who attempted to join the CEYLON POLICE as Probationary Sub-Inspectors when they were eliminated by the Director Training at the Time, Late Mr. Sydney Soysa due to not sending their applications by post, but opted to personally hand them over with a letter from their mentor former Superintendent of Police the late Mr. Seneviratne.
Despite various regulations arising out of the Regulations for Private Security Act 45 of 1998 we have illegal Security companies not registered with the Defence Ministry
It was in 1992 the Government decided to regulate the Private Security by enacting The Act called REGULATIONS OF PRIVATE SECURITY ACT No. 45 OF 1998.The Act made provision for the Competent authority to publish a SECURITY MANUAL Those involved in the creation were many respected retired senior officers of the Police and Armed Forces It was at this stage that I had published the first security manual in Sinhala and English along with a foreword from my senior officer retired senior superintendent the late H.B. Disaanayaka when I was the deputy to him at Ceylon Cold stores the Officers included Senior DIG the late A.C. Lawrence who requested a copy of my publication to help them understand the basics in Industrial Security as they were not aware of the procedures and systems concerning Private security and now known as INDUSTRIAL SECURITY
Despite various regulations arising out of the Regulations for Private Security Act of 1998 still we have illegal Security companies not registered with the Defense Ministry and they are about 350 companies or may be more working to satisfy many clients at the cheapest rates contravening the Act of 1998. Several squads were I am aware instituted to detect them, but it was of no avail. Perhaps the government must be more positive in their approach by enacting laws to compel a jail sentence to those clients and the illegal companies for operating in this manner ignoring government regulations. The whole purpose of enacting the law is lost if they are not enforced as in many cases in this country. The governments in the past also required that the Private security companies should wear only a particular colour while special treatment was given to a company which was managed by the government the excuse being that private security should not resemble the Police and the Armed Services. It is quite understandable, but why an exception? But surely there are other ways of implementing by advising the companies to avoid imitating the colour and style as all security companies NEED TO MARKET THEIR PRODUCT -- THEIR SECURITY STAFF IN A MANNER TO ATTRACT THEIR CUSTOMERS (for eg one cannot expect the producers of ALL aerated water to have one particular bottle and label? Is it practical?
ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT must change if Industrial security is to develop and progress. Their attitude must change in terms of (1) Standard of Recruitment -- At present there are ex-Armed forces personnel who have only passed the fifth standard as they were recruited for a purpose during the war, they can hardly read and write.Those who have studied up to O/level should be the minimum if we are to expect a better professional standards while the Supervisary staff should possess the GCE O/L and management A levels or those who have been either an S.I Police or Sub Lieut in the Armed services. The government has been of the view that to register a security company the manager operations, etc., should at least be a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces or a senior Gazetted officer of the rank of an Assistant Suptd of Police and above, while Senior Inspectors of Police with over fifteen years of service in the police are more qualified in terms of the law and orders court procedures investigations of a criminal nature and command more knowledge in disciplinary matters management, personnel management and even public relations It is not practical in the sense that even the present competent authority if a non commissioned officer but is a Graduate and academically proficient cannot set up a company unless he is qualified as stated in the Act
(2)WAGE STRUCTURE must be upgraded.The Industrial security personnel must be brought under Defence Ministry as it is particularly an integral part of defence These personnel should be entitled to a pension and brought in commensurate with the police where payments are concerned As in the case of Singapore Security even at the port are brought under the police wit powers of arrest eg SINGAPORE AIRPORT TERMINAL SECURITY SYSTEMS –SATS) They should not work for more than nine hours at most
The whole purpose of enacting the law is lost if they are not enforced as in many cases in this country
(3) CONCEPT Of Training is a VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT. They must be trained to prevent crime and nor to be a fighting force. At present training courses are being conducted to train the lower grade staff in military style which is not the purpose of Industrial security Industrial security training must be created to accommodate various aspects of Industrial security as Industrial security was not created to combat violence as in such situations the police and armed services are equipped INDUSTRIAL SECURITY includes PREVENTION, DETECTION, and INVESTIGATION. There is no facility to train and specialize staff in these sectors as most persons involved in Industrial Security believe that they are there to perform the job of gate keepers, watchers and perhaps as a status symbols like creating personnel body guards like thugs in uniform! This is the concept accepted even by the Private and public Industry! If one analyzes the important role it can play in the private sector and the public sector then certainly, it is an excellent sign of progress. Perhaps not many understand that INDUSTRIAL SECURITY CAN PLAY A VITAL ROLE in assisting the government and its agencies like the police, Intelligence, ports customs ,immigration crime as a whole and preventing terrorism of all sorts, computer frauds ,Cyber Security.Security audits, Forensic Audits etc But is the government and the INDUSTRIAL SECURITY GEARED FOR IT? CERTAINLY NOT! It is with this in view INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FOUNDATION (ISF) WAS FORMED IN 1992 and Incorporated by Act number 51 of 1999 with the help of our present State Minister my schoolmate and police colleague Chamal Rajapaksa)
(Graduate of the institute of industrial security UK) FISF, Associate member of the Institute of Personnel Management and former president of the ISF
