Private Investigators License

Overview of the UK SIA / Home Office Private Investigators licence
 
Private Investigator

In the UK Private Security Industry various sectors have already been licenced such as: Manned guards, Door supervisors, Close protection operatives, Public space surveillance (CCTV) operators, Security guards, Key holders and Vehicle immobilisers by the SIA. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the organisation responsible for this regulation and reports to the home secretary (The Right Honourable Theresa May) .

 The SIA has a series of objectives which cover these professions and the soon to be licenced (?) Private Investigator sector, such as: "Providing services and standards to their customers", "Delivering regulatory activities effectively and efficiently", "Delivering a development programme that continues effective regulation of the private security industry" and "To be recognised internally and externally as a model of good practice and meeting objectives whilst achieving revenue projections and operating within budget".

If licensing is to become compulsory in the UK for the private investigator sector then the following indices can be drawn from existing literature:

 To obtain your licence in the above-mentioned sectors and possibly in the forthcoming Private Investigator sector a prospective student is checked on: Identity using personal documents such as a passport or driving licence.

A check on the applicants' competency for the role against a national register of approved qualifications populated by awarding bodies.

A criminality check by the Criminal Records Bureau "CRB Check".

A check on the applicant's mental health and the students, "Right to work and remain in the United Kingdom", is also made.

In preparing the Licence for Private Investigators the SIA explains that, "The specification does not represent all the training that would be required to produce a job-ready investigator, but it does cover the knowledge necessary to prevent harm to the public" - to complete any licence training that HM Government might authorise after: 2012, you need to be free from criminal records, are who you say you are, have a right to work in the UK and are mentally fit to do so.

Please note that in Northern Ireland some of the criteria for assessing convictions are: "Conflict related". All applications are actually assessed on an individual basis and the decision is specific to each licence type. The "Criminality Check" is just a guide. The licensing system decision is open to appeal.

With your licence you can begin your journey as an investigator, but, only experience, continual training and a good deal of luck will ensure your can make a successful profitable, career in the PI industry!