SECURITY OFFICERS

SECURITY OFFICERS

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(Profile and manpower requirement): **

1.

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs with regard to the private security industry (a) whether any changes have been noted in the demographic profile of security officers (eg, age, prior educational qualifications) since the mandatory training and licensing requirements were imposed; and (b) whether there is a shortage of security manpower and, if so, how this is being or will be addressed.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: The private security industry plays a key role in our national security framework, in areas such as protecting commercial premises and assisting with large scale events. Over the past three years, there has been a high demand for security officers. The industry has grown significantly to meet this demand. Security guard agencies currently employ about 28,000 guards compared to about 18,000 at the beginning of 2005, an increase of more than 50%. These numbers do not include auxiliary police officers from CERTIS CISCO and AETOS.

The Security Industry Regulatory Department (SIRD) of the Singapore Police Force adopts a multi-pronged strategy to enhance the attractiveness of the sector. The strategy involves enhancing professionalism within the industry, promoting security awareness amongst buyers and encouraging compliance with regulatory requirements and employment laws. I will elaborate on each of these elements in turn.

To enhance the professionalism of security officers, a set of formal competencies and skill standards was made mandatory for security officers in June 2005. Today, all security officers are required to undergo and pass two mandatory training modules under the Security Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system, which was introduced in 2007. The number of participants in the Security WSQ in the first nine months of 2008 was 7,621, exceeding the 7,378 who signed up in the whole of 2007.

SIRD has also introduced an annual grading system to promote security awareness amongst buyers. The grading system provides an open and objective assessment of security guard agencies, causing buyers to be more discerning and motivating security guard agencies to improve their professional standards.

To improve employment conditions and regulatory compliance, SIRD works closely with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Union of Security Employees. Briefing sessions and forums have been conducted to educate both security guard agencies and their officers on our employment laws and regulatory requirements, and to share best practices. Coupled with proactive enforcement, working conditions in the industry have improved over time.

The various efforts outlined above have borne fruit. Since the introduction of mandatory training in 2005, there has been an improvement in the education profile of security officers. The proportion of security officers with at least GCE 'O''N' levels has increased from about 37% to 43%. There has also been an increase in the proportion of

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younger persons in the industry. The proportion of security officers below the age of 39 has increased from 29% to 33%.

In the span of a few years, the private security industry has made significant strides in raising its professional standards and attracting better qualified officers.