Embracing officer authorization

May 1, 1998 12:00 PM, GAIL M. SIMONTON

Since it was first introduced in September 1992, the Private Security Officers Quality Assurance Act has had the endorsement of the National Association of Security Companies (NASCO). In that time, the bill has evolved to reflect changes in Congress from a Democratic majority to Republican control.

Even so, the current version of the Barr-Martinez/DeWine bill retains at its core the authorization of private security officers. In the authorization process, fingerprints are routed from an employer to a clearinghouse, and then to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a criminal records check. Upon completion of the check, the FBI sends results directly to the regulatory agency for the state that is requesting licensing or registration.

The process is modeled after similar routing systems authorized for the banking and pari-mutuel racing industries, where processing time for background checks has been reduced to a matter of a few weeks, rather than the months that checks sometimes take for private security officers. The time differential comes from reducing the number of stops the prints make en route to the FBI and back.

NASCO supports the legislation because our members are committed to enhancing the professionalism of the private security industry. We know that in today's mobile society, a check of state criminal records may miss important out-of-state information about an applicant for a security officer position. We recognize that passage of this bill is a public safety issue.

The need for the Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act was apparent from the unanimous vote of approval in the House of Representatives last summer. Action in the Senate, however, has been slowed by objections from the Fraternal Order of Police. We are working with the bill's sponsors to identify the concerns of the order. NASCO is hopeful the issues can be resolved satisfactorily and that the bill will pass before Congress adjourns in the fall.

Unanticipated bonuses While our goal remains the enactment of the Private Security Officer Quality Assurance Act, we have realized some unanticipated benefits from our efforts.

For NASCO, federal legislative awareness and involvement have blossomed immeasurably. Our members have gained experience in making grassroots contacts with elected representatives in Congress by telephone and letters, and in face-to-face presentations. Many find participating in the law making exciting, and more than one veteran Hill lobbyist has noted the heightened sense of civic responsibility and pride from personal involvement in the process - a particularly moving experience when a Senator or Congressman concludes a visit with a commitment to co-sponsor the bill.

Beyond our "seasoning" as legislative spokespersons for our industry, our efforts have helped make lawmakers more aware of the growing role of private security in our society. Our outreach and cooperative efforts with law enforcement and our clients have also helped legislators become more aware of NASCO's commitment to improving our industry, while heightening awareness of how private security services complement those of law enforcement.

Proposed law spurs formation of NASIR One of the most important outgrowths of this legislation has been the birth of the National Association of Security and Investigative Regulators (NASIR). The association was founded in 1993 in response to the need to share information among those charged by their state governments to regulate the private security industry. The issues raised in the 1993 bill, and its impact on the regulatory community, were primary reasons for the convening of the initial group of 15 licensing regulators.

NASIR has grown and matured dramatically since that time. The group, whose membership now includes representatives from more than 30 of the 40 states that regulate private security, holds general meetings twice annually, publishes a newsletter and maintains a web page (www.nasir.org). They have adopted model legislation for the private security officer and alarm industries and are developing a similar model for private investigator regulation. Through their legislation committee, they review federal bills that could impact their members and adopt formal positions on those of particular interest.

NASIR is a knowledgeable and professional organization. It has brought an important perspective, heretofore missing, to those whose direct concern is the quality and integrity of the private security services community.

Finally, although it has not always been so, the Barr-Martinez/DeWine bill has become a point around which the major associations in the divergent security services industry have coalesced. In a group as highly competitive, diverse and fragmented as ours, we welcome the opportunity to join forces with our security colleagues to present a more unified front to lawmakers and the public. We believe that the broad agreement among these groups on the need for this bill signals both the importance of its adoption and the potential for continued cooperation on other matters of mutual concern.

Focusing on integrating security equipment and technology with the human element - private security officers - to maximize security system effectiveness, the column draws on the expertise of members of the National Association of Security Companies (NASCO). The column features different writers addressing aspects of the roles security officers play in today's systems.The author of this month's column, Gail Simonton, is executive director and general counsel for NASCO.

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