Should Director/ Managers of CP companies need to have a front line CP licence?

[littlewoman]

As it stands at the moment, if you are not in a front line security role (ie. dealing with the public) you only need a non-front line SIA licence. This requires £245 and a clear CRB check, no training.
As most CPO's are self-employed and freelance for various companies, this effectively means that anyone can set-up a CP company and hire the people they need to do the front line work. Some of the companies that previously did security guard or doorsupervision type work are now also saying they do CP but the managers/ directors don't have CP licenses so there is no evidence of them being trained.
I doubt that someone who has had no training or experience would know what they were looking for in order to put a good team together. It wouldn't be a problem to the big companies who are used to using CP and know the reputable companies but for someone like a local businessman who is getting threats from the local organized crime types due to taking over a club they wanted, they could easily find themselves with a CP team who either don't have the required experience or don't have the variety of experience needed for the job.
I think anyone who is responsible for managing or recruiting security personnel should have to have done some form of training.

What are other peoples thoughts?

[Hippo]

Littlewoman

Agreed and it is needed across the board in all sectors not just CP as your arguements hold up in all areas of security.

Hippo

[hippy]

Just to play devils advocate... Why should they? Dont they need business sense?

[protectivesecurity]

very interesting point and one that gripes me daily. I have my own company and though my business partner is somewhat older, fatter and uglier than me...we are both licenced CP operatives. I believe postmen should only deliver mail and milkman deliver milk.
When these misfits are in meetings they will inevitably be caught out when they are asked a probing question. As a potential employee or customer of a company, individuals should ask to see their credentials. Its not rude, but interviews are two way things and you want to ensure you would feel comfortable representing your boss and he has the knowledge and experience to know what to do.

I have experience of DS companies running CP ops, goes back to my postman analogy, you should only deliver the service you are qualified to. This will all come out in the wash later.

[hippy]

Playing devils advocate, Im enjoying this, an Ops managershould have specific job knowledge yes, but a director??

Take my guvnor... He runs a Group.. Group Chairman. The group has several companies in it.. Not all the same industry... There is an import company, 3 seperate retail chains, a hotel chain and a letting company...

Do you expect him to know everything about all these different industries? He employs people to be experts... He is an expert at knowing people and making money.... Not, for example running a hotel..

[littlewoman]

I think directors are a different thing if they don't deal with the day to day operations. In the same way that at the moment a marketing manager doesn't need a licence if all they do is marketing (no management of operational staff) then a director who deals with the business side of things should only need a non-front line licence.

[Taff]

Great point Hippy,

I have a cp licence, i run my own company and have worked all over the world in all sectors.

I have been aproached by a gentleman with no security experience whatsoever who would like to invest a lot of money and business knowledge in my company in exchange for a management role.

should i then turn this (gift horse) away due to his lack of "security knowledge" i dont think so!!!!

[hippy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taff Great point Hippy, I have a cp licence, i run my own company and have worked all over the world in all sectors. I have been aproached by a gentleman with no security experience whatsoever who would like to invest a lot of money and business knowledge in my company in exchange for a management role. should i then turn this (gift horse) away due to his lack of "security knowledge" i dont think so!!!!

No, of course you shouldn't.... I know many good operators who have no business acumen.. And we must remember, the private sector is a business.. So, why should people, who are not operational, in which I include Op's managers, be excluded from this industry just because they dont have a licence?