National Security Minister Wayne Caines issued a public reminder to local security companies and guards that the licensing deadline is March 31, 2018.
Speaking at a news conference this after, he said: “The Ministry of National Security is keen to ensure that Bermuda’s security companies and security guards are properly licensed as required by the Private Investigators and Security Guard Act 1974 before the March 31st deadline.”
He noted that Section 4A of the Act, “sets out the legal requirements for licensing and the general means by which this is achieved”.
National Security Minister Wayne Caines“In the wake of some confusion as it relates to the training requirements and options to be trained, I would like to once again clearly highlight what is necessary for a company or an individual to be in compliance with the Act,” he said.
“Stakeholders are reminded that only security guards that are trained through an approved programme which must be gazetted as such by the Commissioner of Police, can be licensed.”
The two options specified to meet the training requirement before the March 31st deadline are:
- Presently, the Bermuda College offers a programme approved by the Commissioner of Police. The programme equips successful participants to train others and should serve as a guide of the minimal standards to which training for security guards should be provided. It should be noted that the Bermuda College course is an option provided to mitigate costs of providing training in other circumstances.
- Alternatively, where security companies have a training programme for their own, details of those programmes should be provided for the review of the Commissioner. Providing the program meets the minimum standard of required training, it will be approved as having met the requirements of the ‘Bermuda Security Standard’.
In closing, Mr Caines said: “Once again, the licensing of private investigators and security guards is required by law. If you are not licensed then you are unable to work in this field after March 31st.”
