We have a range of sanctions available to us that fall short of criminal proceedings but can be highly effective in securing compliance quickly whilst avoiding costly formal proceedings. These include the issuing of written warnings and improvement notices for non-compliance, and the revocation or suspension of licences.
The following table is updated every month and may not correctly reflect the current position. Information presented is current as of 31 March 2013.
This Financial Year (2012-2013)
| Written Warnings Issued |
373 |
| Improvement Notices Issued |
43 |
| Licence Revocations |
6,000 |
Previous Financial Year (2011-2012)
| Written Warnings Issued |
379 |
| Improvement Notices Issued |
47 |
| Licence Revocations |
4,605 |
Definitions:
- Written Warnings - Issued to an individual where an offence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 has been detected. A written warning may be taken into account in future enforcement decisions or as non-conviction information in a licence decision.
- Improvement Notices - An informal procedure applied to a company that is found in breach of offences under the Private Security Industry Act. It sets out the improvements required and is discharged when we are satisfied the improvements have been made.
- Licence Revocations - Revocation is a permanent response applied when a licence holder is found not to meet, or no longer meets, the criteria for the grant of a licence. A licence may be revoked for a number of reasons - for example, the licence holder has received a conviction, caution or warning for a relevant offence, or our ongoing checks have determined that they no longer have the right to work in the UK. Numbers shown relate to licences that have finally been revoked and do not include those currently going through the revocation process.
ACS Quality Assurance
The credibility of the Approved Contractor Scheme and its associated accreditation mark is assured by our active programme of approved contractor monitoring. Any improvement needs, complaints or allegations are assessed and action is taken where appropriate.
More information on quality assurance of the ACS
Using The Information We Receive
Our approach to enforcement is intelligence-led: any information we receive is analysed so that we can spot trends and do a better job of prioritising and targeting our enforcement activity. We provide a monthly update on the actions we have taken as a result of the intelligence we have received.
View last month's details