Understanding Your Organisation: Security Company

Objective

The two-part article discusses how business continuity management, or BCM, can be implemented and integrated into Security Companies based in Singapore. While a security company's roles and functions may vary depending on region and country, its core mission remains relatively unchanged.

The key is to comply with section "C5: BC Plan" as part of the compliance with the Security Agencies Competencies Assessment (SACE) and, most importantly, to be aligned to the certifiable ISO 22301 BC management system.

Any BCM implementation based on the ISO 22301 BCMS standard starts with "Understanding Your Organisation." This is where we provide an understanding of the "Security Company" in Singapore and the functionality within each Security Company.

What is a Security Company?

A security company in Singapore is an organization that specializes in providing a wide range of security services to clients, including individuals, businesses, government agencies, and various institutions.

These services safeguard people, property, assets, and information from potential threats, risks, or unlawful activities. The security services offered by these companies are designed to maintain a secure and safe environment for their clients.

Some security companies operating in Singapore are Certis Group, AETOS Security Management, SATS Security Services, and many others.

What is a Business Function?

These "business functions" or "products and services" can be broadly described as protecting personnel and assets. Other security services such as:

• Security services
  • Roving patrol, bodyguard, and guard dog services
• Guard and patrol services
• Guarding Service
  • ATM Escorts
  • Security Consultants Service
  • Monitoring Services
  • Reception and Concierge
  • 24 Hours Operations
  • Security Audit
  • Onsite Security Surveillance
• Security for commercial and industrial
  • Condominium
  • Industrial sites
  • Shopping Malls
  • Construction sites
  • Vessel
  • Banks
  • Clubs
• Industrial Security
  •  Factories
  • Warehouses
  • Exhibitions
• Commercial Security
  • Shopping Complexes
  • Commercial Buildings
• Residential Security
  • Apartments
  • Car Parks
  • Condominium
  • Hotels
  • Serviced Apartments
• Government Security
  • Government Establishments
  • Statutory Boards
• Investigations, Security and Motor survey
• Private investigations
  • Pilfering
  • Petty thefts
  • Frequent loss of stores
  • Suspected sabotage
  • Vandalism; or
  • Staff who need to be closely monitored for suspicious activities
• Security control equipment and systems
• Security Solutions
  • the administration and implementation of technology to supplement and surpass the effectiveness of managing security services
  • Visitor Management System(VMS)
  • Real-time Clocking System
  • Attendance Monitoring
  • Remote CCTV monitoring
• Security Risk assessment
  • Site Show-Rounds, Security Audits, Security Surveys, and Threat Vulnerability Risk Assessments
• Event Security
  • provide international quality security for events in Singapore. Events security requires skilled coordination between different stakeholders and often involves customized security solutions to meet different event needs
• Monitoring Services
  • provide alarm systems and CCTV surveillance monitoring services to protect the critical assets of our client's businesses or homes.
  • 24x7 remote live monitoring from the command centre

Wikipedia describes this function as a "private security company", while the Singapore Police Force, in their licence agreement, described this business as "Singapore Licensed Security Agency" or "Security Agency".  Henceforth, to ensure consistency to the reader, these terms are standardised as "Security Company".

What Do We Name the Entity as "Security Company"?

In Singapore, for a Security Company to operate, it must be authorised by the Singapore Police Force via issuing a Security Agency license.  Look at this for more information https://www.police.gov.sg/e-Services/Police-Licences/Security-Agency-Licence

A Security Agency's licence is required if your company is involved in any of the following:

• Engage in the business of supplying, for reward, the services of Security Officers to other persons;
• Advertise or in any way hold out that the person supplies the services of security officers for reward or is willing to supply them for reward.

There is an association representing the interests of Security Companies, and it is the Security Association Singapore (SAS). More information can be found https://www.sas.org.sg/

Organisation Structure of Security Company

Generally, a Security Company can be divided into several levels.  The rationale for displaying a typical Security Company's organisation chart is to allow the setup of a BCM project team (if you are starting this project) or BCM program management team (if you already have a BC plan implemented).

An illustration of an organisational structure is shown below:

1. Operations
   1. Private Investigation
   2. Security Guards
   3. Corporates Intelligence
   4. Damage Control
2. Administration
3. Finance
4. Marketing
5. Quality Services

The diagram above shows a typical Security Company's organisation. Reading "Business Continuity Management: What is My Role?" may help you understand the BCM roles within the Security Company. It starts with appointing an Organisation's BCM Coordinator, sometimes called the BCM Manager.

Crises in Security Company

• Cyber attacks;
• Terrorist attack;
• Loss of data;
• Economic loss, and
• Reputation loss.

Disasters in Security Company

Like crises, disasters can hinder an organization. However, in such events, access to facilities and infrastructure is denied.

Disasters relating to Security Companies can include:

• Fires;
• Floods or another type of severe weather-related conditions;
• Terrorist attacks;
• Loss of information technology services;
• Pandemic Diseases, and
• Denial of access or damage to facilities.
• Poor weather conditions
  • from heavy snow to high winds, flooding and heatwaves
• Traffic
  • from heavy traffic to accidents and road closures
• Equipment failure
  • such as company vehicle breakdowns
• Illness & Absence
  • team member sickness, injury and other unexpected absences
• Annual leave
  • team member holidays and other authorised absences
• Team changes
  • team members leaving

Note:  Refer to "E.4 : Business Continuity Plan" of the "Operational Processes Category: Competency Outcome.  Under the Security Agencies Competency Evaluation (SACE) Checklist dated 1 July 2024" for the list of plans to be developed.

If you find crisis and disaster confusing, this article, "What is Crisis Management Vs Business Continuity Management? Often Confused", may help you understand the concept better.

BCM Planning Methodology

The following blog will provide the "Planning Steps for Implementing BCM for Security Agency". 

You will have a good overview of the steps to be taken and, lastly, what competency you should have with funding from the Singapore government.

References