printer friendly version

Policing the guarding industry: automated criminal record checks for security officers

In an effort to increase integrity in the private security industry, a Business Against Crime initiative is encouraging security companies to run automated criminal record checks on their security officers.

The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) requires that an application for registration as a security officer must include a report on the applicant's criminal record. Traditionally, the checks were performed manually by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and it was necessary to visit a police station where fingerprints were taken with ink on paper. This record was then sent to the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria for manual comparison with the files.

The time-consuming, paper-based process takes from a few weeks to a few months. At best it is frustrating and inconvenient for security companies and their officers. At worst, it creates a bureaucratic barrier for people wanting to move into the world of guarding: some employers would rather hire PSIRA-registered jobseekers than wait for up to eight weeks for a criminal record check on new entrants.

South Africa has some 1 million PSIRA registered guards, of which about 350 000 are currently working as security officers. Currently, unless PSIRA withdraws a security officer's registration certificate for any legal reason, the person remains registered indefinitely. There is no legal obligation for officers to update their registration or to have their criminal records routinely checked.

A faster, more effective solution

Business Against Crime (BAC) sees a way to accelerate the record-checking process by using the AFISwitch service that was launched in 2006 by SAPS and the Ideco Group. AFISwitch also presents a practicable opportunity to perform regular checks, perhaps on a voluntary basis as a best-practice initiative within the industry.

Automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) have been around for decades and are used by police services across the world. One of the players in the global AFIS market is the French company Sagem, which recently announced that it will supply Interpol and its 186 member states with the latest version of its automated fingerprint identification system, MetaMorpho.

According to Jean Michel Louboutin, executive director of police services at Interpol, "Fingerprint identification is the process most widely used by police forces around the world. Interpol must ensure that these forces are using the latest technologies to identify terrorists and criminals."

Locally, Sagem technology is the foundation for South Africa's key fingerprint-based systems, including SAPS' own AFIS.

AFISwitch: automated criminal record checks

In October 2006, a contract was awarded by SAPS to Ideco Group for an automated service that would dramatically cut the time taken to conduct criminal record searches.

Pine Pienaar, group manager at AFISwitch, explains that "The process starts with electronic capture of each fingerprint using Sagem MorphoSmart fingerprint scanners, interfaced with AFISwitch laptop workstations.

"The person's details are then associated with their fingerprints and the entire file is sent by secure Internet connection to the AFISwitch server. From here, the file is transmitted directly to the SAPS AFIS which runs an automated matching search, returning either a No-Hit or Hit result to AFISwitch."

In the case of a No-Hit result, AFISwitch returns a report indicating 'No Illicit Activity Identified': end of process. For Hit results, AFISwitch sends a 'Possible Illicit Activity Identified' report and asks if the applicant wants more information. If this is required, SAPS processes an AFISwitch hardcopy report for return to the applicant.

Share this article:

Further reading: