Training for Security Personnel: Emerging Needs
Capt. SB Tyagi, Chief Councillor of ICISSM Security duties are often compared with defence duties – former guard the nation and later guard the society! This is unfair and far from truth. Even when most of the security personnel are from armed or police forces, they are nowhere near the level of comparison with soldiers. However, it is appropriate that security guard should imbibe qualities of a soldier because his role is to prevent or reduce losses to people, property and proprietary information. Satendra Kumar, CPO, CPO (I), an independent security consultant of high acclaim says, “There is a vast difference in both. Civilian undergoes 9 months of rigorous training before becoming a soldier. Security Guard (SG) undergoes 30 min to 160 hours of training in India before becoming a SG. Soldier is governed by military law, SG has no such fear. Indiscipline is considered as an offence and severely dealt with. There are no such provisions for the SG. Soldiering is a respected profession and soldier gets good salary and is covered under various social security schemes. SG gets only minimum/ living wages and is not suitably covered under compensatory benefits in case of injury or death. Soldier is highly motivated and is prepared to sacrifice his life for the country. Very few security guards will be willing to sacrifice their life or withstand adverse situation for a sustained period.” Training – The Inevitable Factor For the reasons highlighted above, there needs to be a developed methodology to the training of any security forces. There needs to be equal emphasis on all levels, from the lowest guard to supervisors. There is a need to develop tailored plans to not only train, but develop mentoring programs for guards and supervisors etc. We need to set up training and progressive advanced methods. If there is no upward mobility in an organization, then it becomes stagnant and there is no incentive to work harder and improve. If training is linked to incentives such as increased pay and responsibility etc. then there is more reason to work harder, in turn a much better product can be put into place, thus training becoming driving force behind providing the best. Gurinder Rana, Director/ Senior Consultant at Freelance Business Consultancy Services, Gurgaon very succinctly states, “security training and development is necessary; however, the manner in which security is employed makes the difference. Most institutes training on security provide basics and are surface-scratching in order to artificially project a trained force. Security is a process and, not just guarding or electronics.” Extensive interactions with the leading lights of industrial security management have brought out interesting facts as mentioned above. These emerging needs are driven by various factors such as: Manan Batra, Founding Member and Head – Intelligence and Corporate Finance, Founding Member and Head – Intelligence and Corporate Finance of Tango Six O Clock LLP has recently written an article which is based on primary research (a survey of PSAs’ end clients) conducted by the International Council For Industrial Security, Safety & Management (ICISSM), and here is what he feels the end clients are thinking and some of this is from looking beyond the numbers. So for a Private Security Agency (PSA), this is important for you: Based on above indicators few key areas for training needs are identified. The International Council for Security, Safety & Management has made interpretations of obtained data and resultantly the emerging needs for training of security personnel include: Security personnel and security service providers must adapt to these changing needs to effectively perform their duties and ensure public safety. To serve the growing demand of quality training, numerous overseas overtures are being made. Obviously in India the current training philosophy, delivery mechanism and the syllabus is faulty, system is broken; otherwise overseas training agencies could not think of setting business in India. No doubt indigenous instructors with experience and skills are available; perhaps we just need a new methodology. “You are looking for a reason to not change the system, or unwilling to shift the positions. I submit this is a fundamental difference in my company’s way of doing business. We will find a way and then provide such a quality product others will attempt to follow. Note, if I build a training program in addition to all required Indian training, then market that ‘product’ based off proven results, many will follow” Michael Stehn President / CEO Achilles Consulting Group Partnerships are being formed between local providers and those located in Israel, Europe, and the United States. This is one positive development. APS Group of India, for example, recently formed a joint venture with ARES Group of Israel; the Israeli firm will provide advanced security training and consultancy services to its local partner. OSSIM has accreditation with London Metropolitan University. Capt. Pawanjit S Ahluwalia, Chairman & Managing Director of ‘Premiershield Risk Management Enterprise’ has informed that they have highly proficient training academy and have accreditation with ‘Industry Qualifications,’ UK. His organisation is also member of ‘Ligue Internationale des Societes de Surveillance,’ Switzerland. Similar collaboration is established by Lancer Consulting with Perpetuity Academy/ ARC Training, UK. They now offer range of online and offline trainings in the field of technical surveillance counter measures for security managers, managing security risks in oil and gas sector etc. Similarly, American consulting companies like AFI International are responding to the changed environment by offering to provide training to the third-party private security forces of its clients. AFI starts by conducting an audit. It then works with the company to address areas of weakness in terms of officer training and protocols. However one drawback is observed about overseas training agencies is that these multinational companies try to maintain the culture of the area they originally belong, but that hasn’t worked in “areas that have a very lax or untrained security force or view of security like in India.” A case in point here is that ASIS has been conducting CPP training in India since long but…
