Course Overview
An SIA licence is required if you undertake the licensable activities of a close protection operative and your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer.
Unless your employer or company has been given an exemption under Section 4(4) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, it is a criminal offence to undertake the licensable activities of a close protection operative without an SIA licence. An exemption is applicable only where the company in question has been granted approved contractor status by the SIA and the other conditions of Section 4(4) have also been met.
Every condition must be met for this section to be applied.
- Skills & Teamwork in Close Protection
- Legislation, Communication & Conflict Management Skills in CP
- Risk assessment, operational planning and safe route selection
- Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Incidents & Dilemmas
- Techniques for Close Protection Operatives
- Anti-Ambush Training
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of the close protection operative
- Know surveillance techniques Understand venue security operations
- Know the importance of threat assessment and risk management
Every condition must be met for this section to be applied.
Cost of a Licence
The licence application fee is £220 for a three year licence. The fee is to cover the cost of processing your application and is not refundable.
If you pay your own licence fee you will be able to claim tax relief against your taxable income – for example, if you pay the basic rate of tax the relief is currently worth £44. Please visit the HMRC website for more information. If you are an employer paying the licence fee on behalf of an employee there will be no tax or National Insurance liability.
50% discount: Some people may need more than one licence; in such cases the second licence will be discounted by 50%.
Who Needs a Close Protection Licence?
A Close Protection licence is required when guarding one or more individuals against assault or against injuries that might be suffered in consequence of the unlawful conduct of others. This applies if your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer.
There are two types of SIA licence:
A front line licence is required if undertaking licensable activity, other than key holding activities (this also covers undertaking non-front line activity). A front line licence is in the form of a credit card-sized plastic card that must be worn, subject to the licence conditions.
A non-front line licence is required for those who manage, supervise and/or employ individuals who engage in licensable activity, as long as front line activity is not carried out – this includes directors** or partners. A non-front line licence is issued in the form of a letter that also covers key holding activities.
*For the purposes of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, “director” means executive and non-executive directors, shadow directors, parent company directors and corporate entities holding a directorship.
If you have a non-front line licence you do not need to get another one if you are involved in another area of non-front line licensable activity (for example: if you are a director of a firm supplying close protection operatives but you also supply security guards, you will not need to get two licences).
Course Content
- Understand the legislation that is relevant to people working in the close protection industry
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of the close protection operative
- Know the importance of threat assessment and risk management
- Know surveillance techniques Understand venue security operations
- Know how to design and demonstrate operational planning
- Know the importance of interpersonal skills
- Know the importance of teamwork
- Know the importance of reconnaissance
- Know how to conduct close protection foot drills
- Know the importance of planning and selecting routes
- Know vehicle movement tactics and operations
- Know the search techniques and procedures for close protection operations
- Know how to apply conflict management techniques while providing close protection
