Private security guards not chowkidars, says ex-DGP Swaranjit Sen

Retired Director General of Police Swaranjit Sen on Sunday said there was an urgent need to put an end to viewing private security guards as ‘chowkidars’ and mooted introduction of a degree course in security.

Stating that it was a highly specialised field, he told a regional conference of Andhra Pradesh Private Security Association (APPSA) here that steps should be taken to make them efficient and professional to supplement the effort of the police and paramilitary forces. On his proposal to introduce degree course in security, he said for those selected for recruitment in police department need not go for a time-taking training programme if they could obtain such a qualification before their induction. Mr. Sen, who is the chief advisor to APPSA, said he had already spoken to the Home Secretary and he had promised to amend the Andhra Pradesh Private Securities (Regulation) Rules, 2008. The country had 75 lakh employees engaged in private security and hence they deserved much better treatment. He said due to changing scenario, the security arena had emerged as highly challenging. APPSA president C. Bhaskar Reddy said the association was trying to sensitise the promoters of security agencies to give decent wages and statutory benefits like provident fund and ESI and recruit freshers after training them properly.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/private-security-guards-not-chowkidars-says-exdgp-swaranjit-sen/article4966088.ece