What is an SIA Licence?   by John Love

in Business / Security    (submitted 2011-08-10)

SIA is short for Security Industry Agency. The SIA is a non-departmental, private sector organisation that was founded in 2003 and functions under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 under the law. Its region of mandate is the United Kingdom.

Functions of the SIA

As a governing body focused regulating private security industry efficiently, it plays an important role in the licensing of those within the security industry and also the management of contractors, measuring the merits and procedures of the security firms that equip security guards, train security personnel, offer goods and services to security agencies and individual business, and also, to those firms that provide security staff to different events, businesses, organizations and private citizens.

Put simply, the SIA is the overseeing bureau that makes certain there are standards for education, training and practices in the UK security industry. The agency has an existing framework for approval of all security services. Also, it's a body that makes sure and recognises requirement for quality service in providing security in a bid to reduce criminality in the UK.

It's for this reason that legally any private security firms have to be subjected to SIA standards and must meet those requirements so as to be fully operational. SIA evaluates licenses, validates and trains the personnel of such firms.

SIA certification helps to ensure that the persons working in security firms, as well as security specialists, have been through training prior to issuing of a security license. The range of activities licensable includes; vehicle tracking, restriction, movement and immobilization and manned guarding.
Training routines also have particular certification in door supervision, use of CCTV cameras, close protection, and guarding of valuables and cash on transit.

Qualifications of Licensure

The main objective for the need to meet qualification requirements is to guarantee that the individuals are capable of performing their duties in a way that won't cause harm to themselves and the public. For armed security guards the qualifications are usually more stringent, as there is need to acquire firearms licensure as well as the SIA licence.

Candidates must also complete a criminal records check and a drug test.
Therefore before applying for the licence, you must have undergone some type of training program which will award a security guard certificate from a certified training institution. Examples of SIA accredited training centres include: the British Institute of Innkeeping Awarding Body (BIIAB), Buckinghamshire New University, and the City & Guilds.

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If you would like to learn more about security guard training or how to obtain an sia licence