Police propose common uniform for private security guards across State

Over 1,000 agencies with 4.50 lakh staff operate in Karnataka

As part of its measures to ensure better monitoring of the increasing private security agencies in the State, the Police department is planning to introduce a common uniform for private security guards across the State.

Private security agencies have agreed to the dress code decided by the Police department.

Inspector General of Police (Internal Security) Bhaskar Rao told Deccan Herald that the move is to bring uniformity among all security agencies functioning across the state.

“The guards will have wear grey shirt and black trousers, a pea cap and black Oxford shoes. The private agencies can display their logos either on the belt or a on a corner of the shirt of a security guard for specific identification,” he said.

Rao further explained that the move to bring uniformity was not limited to dress code. “The number of private security agencies are increasing every year and as per the recent statistics there are at least 1,000 agencies operating in the State, with 4.5 lakh security personnel attached to them.

Better monitoring needed

In Bangalore alone, over 500 agencies are in operation and three lakh personnel are employed here. Increasing dependence on private agencies calls for a better monitoring and streamlining.

So, as per the provisions of Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 and Karnataka Private Security Agencies Rules, 2008, we have initiated certain steps in this regard,” he said.

Another official with the Internal Security wing of the Police department said they are also developing a common database software to maintain and monitor details of personnel in all the private security agencies.

“Grading and classification of these agencies for better monitoring is also being done. In order to give necessary training to security guards, the Police department is developing a comprehensive training module too,” he added. More than 55 per cent of the private security guards  are from outside Karnataka and, they mainly hail from Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkand and some north eastern states.

Licence is compulsory

Sources in the Police department said that even though obtaining licence is compulsory as per the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005, there was no implementation mechanism in place all these years. As a result of awareness created through workshop and media advertisement, there has been a momentum, of late.

Of the 1,000-odd private security agencies, 932 had applied for licence in the last six months. The police have given licence to 757 agencies so far, after necessary verification. While some agencies have been denied licence, a few others are under verification, he said.

More agencies are coming forward for registration as persons running private agency without licence, are liable for jail term extending up to an year or Rs 25,000 penalty or both, as per the Section 20 of the The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005.