SIA suspends over 200 licences due to alleged training malpractice...Tristar axed from being an accredited centre!

Written by Editorial Team | 27 August 2010

The Security Industry Authority last week suspended more than 200 licences due to alleged malpractice at a London-based training centre, Tristar.

Vigilance authoritatively gathered that the licence holders all had Door Supervision qualifications from Leyton-based centre Tristar. It is a cardinal requirement that a specified qualification must be passed before the SIA licence can be applied for.

As a consequence of the alleged malpractice, the awarding body, Edexcel has withdrawn the ‘Level 2 BTEC Award in Door Supervision’ certificates issued by Tristar, and removed it as an accredited centre.

Their qualifications having been withdrawn, 211 licence holders no longer meet SIA licensing criteria, which states that a specified qualification must be passed. The SIA has therefore suspended these licences.

However, the suspensions will be reviewed in 90 days and if the individuals do not have a valid qualification by this time their licence will be revoked.  Any person found to have been complicit in malpractice will have their licence revoked.

Director of Strategy and Corporate Services Hazel Russell said:

“We take allegations of training malpractice very seriously, and in this case have taken prompt action to suspend licences after receiving information from Edexcel.”

Russell added: “The training is an essential part of the licensing process, ensuring that all those working in the security industry are properly equipped to carry out their role. Reassuringly, we have relatively few reports of misconduct, and we work closely with the awarding bodies to ascertain that licence-linked qualifications meet the necessary standards.”

An Edexcel spokesperson was vehement in condemning the shameful act:

“Edexcel takes any abuse of our qualifications very seriously. We received allegations of malpractice within Tristar and carried out a thorough investigation, including forensic analysis of test papers. We found substantiated evidence of malpractice and consequently we withdrew over 200 Level 2 BTEC Awards in Door Supervision and removed the centre’s accreditation.

BTECs are rigorous qualifications and we will always take action, where necessary, to protect their value.”