Security industry 'cleaning up its act' after revelations

Revelations that unlicensed security guards have worked at Wellington police station have prompted a clampdown on the industry.

The Government promised "appropriate action" would be taken after New Zealand First law and order spokesman Ron Mark revealed in June that two guards - one with rape and serious assault convictions and the other with dishonesty convictions - were working at the station.

At the time Mr Mark said more than half of the security company employees listed on the Ministry of Justice website had not applied to renew their licences, and industry sources had told him there were thousands of unlicensed guards working in the industry.

The latest figures from the ministry indicate a major effort by security firms to get their houses in order. At the start of this month there were 8685 licensed security personnel, up from 4714 in June.

Mr Mark said there had obviously been a major blitz on unlicensed guards, and now just 10 per cent of security staff had their licence renewals pending.

"There seems to have been a hell of a clean-up since I first raised the issue. I was told by the minister that they were getting into it, were going to sort it out, and that people were hugely embarrassed. There obviously has been some effect there."

A report on the Wellington police station case has been completed, but is yet to be made public.

Associate Justice Minister Clayton Cosgrove said the Government had challenged the security industry to tidy up its act and "stop hiring thugs". He was pleased that security companies had taken heed.

"Rather than the Government taking responsibility for their responsibilities ... at the end of the day it will be incumbent upon these security businesses to make damn sure their people are appropriate."

Legislation revising rules governing the security industry was likely to be prepared next year, Mr Cosgrove said.

But Mr Mark was concerned unlicensed guards were still operating, and feared people who unwittingly used unlicensed security guards or companies might risk invalidating their insurance policies.

The insurance industry feels it is unlikely a company would decline a claim if a person or firm unwittingly used an unqualified guard, but says Mr Mark has raised a point and regulations governing security guards need to be strictly enforced.

Insurance Council chief executive Chris Ryan said raising the standards of security guards generally would reduce the risk faced by members of the public.

"It isn't something the insurance industry has probably paid enough attention to. What we've tended to do is look at it on a case by case basis and say is there any liability here or is there any negligence in the role of any professionals involved in, say, the protection of people's assets.

"I don't think that as a rule of thumb that security guards that are not qualified or do not meet the standards of their licence would automatically mean that you had a cancellation of insurance."

Security Officers Association media liaison officer Darryn Loveridge said the industry had taken the message about licensing officers to heart, and had been vigilant in improving its image.

Legislation governing the sector was outdated, and the industry would welcome new rules which recognised the major changes in the security business in the past 30 years, he said.

The association had warned its members they could be liable if they had hired unlicensed guards.