SIA Badge

Once you have completed your course and passed your exams, you will become a qualified Security professional. This entitles you to a certificate demonstrating your right to work in the industry, as well as the SIA's licence stating you are a qualified professional. You also become an SIA badge holder, which shows everyone that you are a qualified, SIA-accredited, security worker. The SIA security badge is all-important and as a SIA badge holder it is important that you have it on you at all times when working in a security setting. This matters because should a spot check be carried out and you are not wearing or carrying your SIA badge, you will be in contravention of SIA regulations.

In most elements of your job as a security professional, the SIA security badge should be worn in a prominent position on your clothing. This will demonstrate that you are a qualified security professional, which may be important if an individual member of the public is looking to report suspicious or criminal activity to someone in authority. Professionals working in the Close Protection sector are exempted from this requirement due to the frequently confidential nature of their work and the need to have a degree of anonymity. The same applies to store detectives, whose role is often a plain-clothes one which necessitates being close to members of the public without attracting undue attention that may alert a potential lawbreaker.

Once you have received your SIA badge it is essential that you follow best practice as it relates to SIA badge holders. Aside from the aforementioned exceptions, all operatives who are on duty must wear the SIA security badge where it can be seen. The only other exceptions are where you have reported the SIA badge lost or stolen (in which case you will normally be able to request a replacement free of charge, so long as it is not a regular occurrence), or if it has been returned to the SIA for updating or replacement. If your SIA badge has been lost or stolen it is essential that you tell the police and the SIA as soon as you can – this enables them to be on the lookout for anyone posing as an SIA Licence holder using your SIA badge, a circumstance which without your prompt action could result in trouble for you.

Should you be convicted of a crime, or cautioned by the police about your actions, it is equally vital that you tell the SIA. A simple police matter may not be too damaging to your right to hold an SIA security badge, but if you fail to report it you run the very real risk of losing your SIA badge for disciplinary reasons. It's not worth ignoring this requirement in the long run, particularly as many convictions or cautions arise from non-violent, non-threatening activity. Getting it out in the open will allow the SIA to process it and you to move on.

As with all other forms of photographic ID, it is not acceptable to deface or change your licence. Even if this is done innocently, it opens up the possibility of your licence having been tampered with for very non-innocent reasons including fraud, and therefore invalidates it, rendering any licensed activity that you take part in illegal. Should your licence become damaged, the procedure you should follow is the same as for lost and stolen licences – advise the SIA and request a replacement, returning your current SIA badge if asked to do so.

As you can never be aware when a spot check is to occur, it is simply common sense to always wear your SIA badge whenever you are engaged in licensed activity. There are penalties for working without displaying your licence (or for failing to carry it in the case of covert security staff), so it is not worth being lackadaisical when it comes to carrying it. Spot checks are designed to catch people illegally working without a licence, and bringing yourself under suspicion on this front is extremely unwise, particularly when you are actually a licence holder.

The circumstances in which your SIA security badge will be revoked are:

If you are not the person to whom the licence should have been issued – if someone has posed as you or vice versa

You do not have the qualifications that you claimed when applying

You are convicted, cautioned or warned for a relevant offence – particularly violent offences, drugs offences or similar

You become ineligible, or never were eligible, to work in the UK.

IShould your licence be revoked, you will be informed in writing beforehand, with a letter outlining why it has been revoked and inviting your response. If you feel that the decision is unjust you can respond within 21 days detailing inaccuracies and any possible mitigating information. After the decision is finalised you have another 21 days to appeal it, providing evidence to support your appeal

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