Training private security guards

Even top cops are highlighting the need for formalised training for private security guards after a recent spate of criminal use of force by these guards has caused several innocent people to suffer. While private security companies seem welcoming of the proposal for a new training centre for guards, the companies regularly offer enthusiastic statements of agreement about training their guards better whenever their misdeeds make headlines. The fact of the matter is that this is not something that should need legislation or government intervention. Any good business should aspire to sell quality products and services.

Unfortunately, many security companies are more interested in making a quick buck and save on costs by offering little to no training to guards. While some agencies prioritise the hiring of ex-military men to show that their guards are ‘qualified’, the training for a soldier and a security guard should have very little in common, just as the training for police and wildlife officials — both of whom also carry and use guns — are designed for each profession’s unique circumstances.

A dedicated training centre for private security guards will ideally ensure that guards are actually familiar with international best practices for their profession, especially regarding their weapons. Training facilities will also create a platform for collaboration between private security firms and law enforcement agencies to complement each other.

It must also be noted that the main reason private security guards have become so ubiquitous is the police’s failure to police. In most countries, only the ultra-elite arrange private security, and even then, several low-profile billionaires still avoid security. In high-crime countries, even people who can barely afford guards end up sharing them because of the lack of faith in the police. Yes, guards do need better training, but the police should also focus on improving their own service delivery and making private security unnecessary, rather than absolving themselves of responsibility.