The 21st IISSM Annual conference organized by International Institute of Security & Safety Management successfully concluded in Goa. The two day conference has drawn participation from global leaders, think tanks and security professionals from around the world. This year the theme being “User expectations from multi faceted private security industry”, has most appropriately addressed the current scenario in the private security industry. This year the participants have come from as far as USA, UK, Israel, Singapore, South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh and Mauritius besides from all over India.

Addressing the delegates at the Inaugural Session, Mr R C Sharma, Chairman, IISSM thanked the participants for having so overwhelmingly joining the two day seminar. Mr R K Sinha, Executive Chairman, IISSM and Chairman & Managing Director - SIS India said that the IISSM in its endeavor to service the industry, has planned to conduct many short term courses meeting the specific needs of the industry. In 2012 IISSM has planned 46 short term focused programs at various locations.

Addressing the delegates in the Inaugural Session as the Keynote Speaker, Lt Gen SK Sinha, PVSM, Retd. Former Vice Chief of Army, Ambassador to Nepal and Former Governor of Assam and Jammu & Kashmir recalled his long association with Goa. He said the weapons of mass destruction is the order of the day. With explosives readily available, criminals can inflict great damage. There is also the threat of security from the Maoist and Jehadi’s and suicide bombers. This has to be viewed in a conflict environment. He further said that protection against external aggression influence the democratic policies of a country. He called for more Public private participation in critical areas of security. He also said that Private Security Agencies cannot be the police. This is because the private security agency does not enjoy the legal powers. More than self Defence we need specialization in the police forces and the Private security agencies. He further said that the security requirement varies for each sector like the bank, industry or educational institution. He hoped that the private security agency must be self supporting if not profit earning. It must provide for customer satisfaction. Special efforts for satisfaction of the customer should be the aim of the security industry.

Mr Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary – Police Modernisation, Ministry of Home Affairs, expressed that the private security industry in India has reached a stage of maturity as we have regulation and some form of licensing under the PSAR Act 2005. He also said that we are at crossroads now and there is a need to take stock and review the situation as to whether any further changes in the legislation and enforcement mechanism are necessary. He was hopeful that the seminar will address critical issues like regulation, an effective regulatory body reviewing and evaluating and adopting a code of conduct for private security personnel. The other areas that needs to be addressed are :

• Establishing minimum standards of operations for private security professionals.
• Ensuring appropriate working conditions conducive to maximize the effectiveness of private security personnel.
• Establishing minimum standards for the recruitment and selection criteria for private security personnel.

The following presentations were made during the seminar.

• Expectations of Aviation Industry from security service providers.
• Customer expectations from security providers in Aviation and ports.
• Port security in India – Case study of Dhamra Port.
• Security of high profile events : User expectations from security providers.
• User expectation from security providers of IT/ BPO sector.
• Protecting and securing strategic & sensitive Installation from intelligence and physical point - user expectations.
• Securing of shopping malls : Expectations from PSA.
• Expectations from security agencies and public in in terrorist attack situations.
• Human behavior & its relevance in security industry.
• Security of Academic Institutions : User Expectations from Security Providers for campus security .
• Security of Mines: User expectations from security providers from Mining industry Security.
• Security of Banks ATMs, and Cash in Transit : Expectations from Line Managers of Banks and Security service providers.
• Peculiarities of Hospital Security : Expectations from the private security Providers.
• Security of Cement Factories - User expectations from private security providers.
• Executive Protection : Changing threats and ways to meet user expectations.
• Security of Residential Complexes ; User expectations from security providers.
• Graduating from Man Guarding to Total Loss Prevention; Customer expectations regarding Multi Skilling of private security providers.
• Crisis situations and stress management for security and Fire safety Workers.
• Peculiarities of Hotel security : Expectations from security service providers.

On the occasion four newly published books were released titled:

• Security Awareness & Importance of Training.
• Industrial Security Management.
• Security of Bank & Cash in Transit.
• Total Loss Prevention Management.

IISSM Annual Awards Committee in recognization of Excellence in various aspects of Security presented the Excellence Awards.

• Emerging Security Professional of the Year to Mr Vipin Goyal , 24 Secure, New Delhi.
• Disaster Management Professional of the year to Ms Monica Amarnath, Black Berrets, Mumbai.
• Security Professional of the year to Mr Rajiv Grover , American Express, Gurgaon.
• Private Investigator of the year to Mr I W Fernandes, Goa.
• Security Practitioner of the year to Capt N DeSouza, Goa.
• Consultant of the year Mr T Mogan, Singapore.

In addition to the above, IISSM conferred the Padmashri K N Prasad IISSM Veteran Award to Dr M Jeyaraj of Singapore and to Dr Norman Spain of USA.

Gracing the Valedictory Session as the Chief Guest Dr Aditya Arya, DIG Police, Goa said that the Police was performing the watch and ward duty of the State. He said the private security industry has come up very handy in reducing the work load of the Police. He also said that the third party is a welcome move on the way forward. The theme of the seminar is more appropriate and will come a long way for the Government of India and state governments on what has been deliberated and concluded. The Private Security Agency can now supplement the government security agency in an effective and useful way.

Mr Rajiv Mathur, President Designate, IISSM proposed the Vote of Thanks. The seminar concluded on a 3 hours cruise and gala dinner and fun at “The Coral Queen” hosted by the IISSM Goa chapter Chairman Mr G De Souza.

IISSM, New Delhi 17 October 2011