Professionalisation Because of the Need

Professionalisation

Because of the need for standards of conduct and practice, as well as a verifiable level of competence in a given occupation, the trend of professionalisation has emerged, which basically is the process of attaining a given level of skill and competence in an occupation (Australian Intelligence Centre, 2005). In this paper, the process of professionalisation in the Australian private security industry will be discussed both from the viewpoint of what professionalisation means in this occupation, as well as how this occupation has attained professional status through the process.

The Meaning of Professionalisation in Australian Private Security

In order to understand fully what professionalisation means for the Australian private security industry, the need for professionalisation in this occupation needs to be established. There are several events in modern history that are universally agreed to have increased the need for professionalisation in this occupation; first, the development of information technology has made it commonplace for businesses to amass huge amounts of private data, such as customer listings, product information, and the like. Specifically in the case of Australia, the economy itself has made a sharp turn away from the traditional avenues of manufacturing and related businesses to service corporations which, among other products, create information products such as databases that are full of data which would be valuable to other parties than the rightful owners, leading to dishonesty in the industry itself. The value of this data has led to a great deal of crime associated with the stealing of the data by internal and external individuals, leading to a need for firms to acquire their own security forces to police their operations. The rampant nature of illegal drug abuse in Australia, like so many other parts of the world, has increased criminal activity, as individuals turn to burglary, theft and other acts as a means of financing addictive drug habits (Wilson, 1989). Also, the rash of international terrorism and organized crime in every developed nation over the past several years has led to a need for security that is simply beyond the capabilities of the public police agencies to effectively deliver, so private security has been sought as a safeguard against sabotage and violence (Australian Intelligence Centre, 2005).

Because of the demand for private security services in Australia, the supply of private security services has increased. Unfortunately, there are occasions within this supply when the services delivered by a private security firm are not of a high quality, making it necessary for standards to exist that ensure that the firms are delivering services that achieve what the paying clients are in need of- in this case, security of valuables. In response, standards of professionalisation for the security occupation have come about.

How Private Security has Attained Professional Status Through Professionalisation

Depending upon the state that is administering the standards for professionalisation, there have been a variety of ways that Australian private security personnel have attained professional status; in all cases, however, the process of professionalisation gives every indication of benefiting the customer and the public good through the provision of security services that protect and serve the general public as well as private firms (Mahony, 2003).

Most commonly, private security is given professionalisation through a process of licensing, certification and monitoring by state or local police departments (Australasian Centre for Policing Research, 2006). This makes adherence to regulations and standards, as well as public confidence possible, giving the security worker a professional status through recognition and certification.

On a national basis, the professionalism of private security workers has been aided by legislation. In 1990, the Private Agents Amendment Act was one of the first pieces of Australian law that held the private security business to a higher standard, lending professional status to the occupation at the same time (Wilson, 1989). National legislation also compels the police to actively monitor the private security industry to make sure that the national law is not being broken. The net effect is a professional system of checks and balances for the occupation, holding those within the occupation to levels of professionalism.