The Effect of Specialist Training for Cash-in-Transit Personnel on Increasing Their Safety at Work and the Quality of Service Provision

For the successful operation of any company, whether manufacturing or service-based, it is important that its employees are professionally trained. In the field of private security, this is all the more important, as ** security personnel, through their work and procedures, interfere with the personal rights and freedoms of other people**.

Problem

For the successful operation of any company, whether manufacturing or service-based, it is important that its employees are professionally trained.

Solution and Method

In the field of private security, this is all the more important, as security personnel, through their work and procedures, interfere with the personal rights and freedoms of other people. Some private security companies had already organised certain additional training courses for their employees before the introduction of mandatory annual internal training, whilst others reimbursed their employees for the costs of training in fitness centres or martial arts clubs. However, due to the general economic crisis, this is becoming increasingly rare.

In practice, it is increasingly common that security personnel who are sent by the company to some training course do not receive compensation for this assignment, nor are the hours recognised, and in some cases they even had to cover the costs themselves for certain training courses that are in the interest of the company and whose costs should therefore be covered by the company according to the law. Training and professional qualification for the specific type of work performed by security personnel was ** prescribed already under the previous law**.

In ZZasV-1, training for cash-in-transit personnel and intervention officers was added. In Slovenia, as of 26 November 2014, there were 146 private security companies with at least one licence. 39 private security companies hold a licence for the transport and protection of cash and other valuable consignments, namely 38 for class 1 transport, 35 for class 2 transport, 20 for class 3 transport, 18 for class 4 transport, 10 for class 5 transport and 8 for class 6 transport. Since the private security activity is, by its nature, a regulated economic activity, which also means legally prescribed conditions for carrying out the activity, it has happened in the past that ** smaller security services, in order to reduce costs** and thereby increase their competitiveness on the market, did not always comply with legal provisions, particularly in the area of vehicle equipment, as well as the equipment of the security personnel themselves.

Based on the survey conducted, I establish that the situation has improved considerably, at least in the field of cash transport. However, the security personnel themselves find that they lack certain knowledge and skills. Since the work is carried out in the field with vehicles, the security personnel are armed and constantly in contact with other people, they particularly miss training in communication and psychology, training in safe and tactical driving, training in tactical shooting, and most of all training in martial arts, as the law also permits them to use physical force if there is no other way.

I would add here additional training in first aid provision. For training in the practical procedure of using physical force, which includes professional grips, strikes and throws, it would be good at the level of the ** Chamber for the Development of Slovenian Private Security to connect with the Ju-Jitsu Federation of Slovenia**, whose trainers are professionally qualified and licensed by the Olympic Committee of Slovenia. The international ju-jitsu federation (JJIF) also already has a section that brings together security bodies of member countries, and a system of competitions for security bodies with a demonstration of the practical procedure for controlling an attacker has also been organised.

Annually, there are thus one or two competitions, namely at the European Police and Firefighters Games (Police & Firefighters Games). Likewise, for training in safe and tactical driving and in tactical shooting, it would be good to ** connect with the Ministry of the Interior, specifically with the Police Academy**, whose instructors have the most knowledge in this field. From all of the above, I establish that the system itself in the field of education, training and professional development of security personnel is extensive, which is also understandable given the number of security personnel in the Republic of Slovenia.

We must be aware that only through quality implementation of all training and professional development programmes will they achieve the desired level of professional competence and thereby prevent possible violations in the field of protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and thus ensure the desired public interest. However, it must be recognised that without encouragement, upgrading and appropriate placement of education in the private security system, they will not achieve the desired goal. Educational programmes namely ensure in-depth knowledge, a high level of professionalism and commitment, which we often miss in security personnel today, and it will certainly be necessary to eliminate the shortcomings and weaknesses that were identified during the implementation of education in the currently adopted programmes.

If we summarise only the analysis of the survey as to whether the effect of specialist training for cash-in-transit personnel on increasing their safety at work and the quality of service provision is noticeable, the answer based on the questionnaire is affirmative. The programme is assessed as appropriate and current, participants believe that the materials are adequately prepared, and the topics covered are also actually tested in the knowledge assessment. Participants acquired the most new knowledge and skills in the field of cash transport in the area of knowledge of the new law and the use of measures based on the law, as well as control and cooperation with the police and the Ministry of the Interior.

They will use the newly acquired knowledge beneficially in their work. This confirms the assumption that security personnel who carry out the transport and protection of cash are appropriately trained and that the competence of security personnel can only be of benefit to the private security company.