Raising a Professional “Army”!
Chris Hertig,CPP,CPOI
Advisory Board Member, International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)
There are millions of people employed within the security industry. No one know how many, but a good estimate is 3 or 4 security officers for every police officer. And this ratio is growing with decreased police recruitment, resignations, etc.
?It would be prudent to harness this “army” of personnel so that they can aid in both ensuring public safety and Homeland Security. Government can take the lead as outlined below:
State Level:
Licensing security officers. This creates a data base and means of connecting with and surveying them.
It provides an added layer of vetting.
Licensing places the state/province in a position whereby they can quickly enact regulatory requirements should the need arise.
Generates revenue, particularly if in-house personnel are included in the legislation as they should be!
Ensures adequate insurance coverage for security service firms by stipulating this in the licensing requirements.
Assists in preparing for disasters. Security personnel played a pivotal role during the COVID pandemic, Hurricane Katrina, etc. They will undoubtedly be essential, indeed, vital, in future disasters.
?Set minimum wage laws for security personnel at $15 per hour in states that are at the current federal minimum wage level.
?Federal Level:
?Enact legislation which would make it a federal offense to make a material misrepresentation on an employment application within those verticals within critical infrastructure.
?Require employers to place a notice of the law on their applications.
There should also be requirements for employers to report known violations to the FBI and a ‘reporter-friendly’ method for doing so.
This would deter some persons from applying for security jobs. It would aid in terrorism investigation, giving law enforcement a means of arresting suspects or persons of interest in serious crimes. ?It would also provide a means to prosecute terrorists, cargo thieves and others who threaten the nation’s supply chain.
?Best of all, it places no significant burden or cost onto employers of the FBI.
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Chris Hertig is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Certified Protection Officer Instructor (CPOI) who has made significant contributions to the security industry over the course of four decades.?
Advisory Board Member, International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO)
2 年What 'baby steps' can we take on this?
Executive Protection Risk Management Specialist | EPRM Framework Author | Chair, ASIS International Global Executive Protection Community | Global Board Member, IFPO | Manager, HELPS Latam Expert ??
2 年Standardization of security officers will benefit the industry, government and society in general.
I think there would need to be some Federal structure to the licensing - in the sense that all states recognize every other states' drivers licenses. While some of the requirements will differ from state-to-state, there should be some core level of knowledge / qualifications / hiring requirements that are consistent across all states.