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Miguel Ángel Díaz, head of the union of private security companies, talks about the economic difficulties in the sector due to the pandemic, calls for a reform of the Supervisory Law enacted in 2018 and stresses the need for coordination with the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office to prevent and fight crime.
What is the current situation in the private security sector, taking into account the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic?
We have been hit hard by this pandemic. Many client companies have closed facilities or reduced their operations, which has proportionally affected the companies providing security in all its modes, but what has affected the most is the increase in the portfolio, as customers, to a large extent between the cases due to the crisis have no cash to pay, an impact that falls heavily on the surveillance companies, which have no way to meet their payroll.
The crisis is then evident in the portfolio …
So it is. The sector, despite having generated about 23 thousand new formal COVID jobs at this time and being an engine of development, with the premise that “without security there is no development”, has been impacted by decapitalization and the excessive increase from wallet. The national government should offer relief and additional measures to support the commitment of the security sector, which is an unconditional ally of the state bodies fighting for the prevention and control of crime.
The union asked the government for a special credit line to bail out the security companies, where was it? Does the Bancóldex line enter it for 1.8 billion dollars?
No, they are different things and this is one of the union’s achievements during the III International Security Congress, recently held by Confevip. A working capital credit facility of up to $ 1.8 billion per company has been established with Bancóldex, which is in its early stage of implementation. These resources will be used for portfolio recovery, economic development and digital transformation. This line includes two options: the first, a credit backed by invoices from public bodies, the signature as guarantee of the company and the transfer of the economic rights of current and / or expired invoices, with a maximum date of 90 days. And the second, called factoring or discounting of invoices or credits, issued to a recognized debtor (public or private company), with resources from the seller of the title, who responds to the non-payment by his client. The doors remain open for business management.
Has the 2018 Supervisory Law been applied and applied? The truth is, there are still complaints about abuse at work …
Companies have complied with this law, despite presenting shortcomings and requiring urgent reform, as this regulation is obsolete in many of its sections and inconsistent with the national government guidelines on economic recovery, which includes promotion and support for businesses. that generate formal employment in the country, such as those of private security. These are changes that are already in the projects of many senators of the Republic in the short term. Security companies have significantly hired personnel with some kind of disability, purchased insurance for the guards, and complied with all established work regulations, such as shifts and fair pay. Specific cases of non-compliance, which are not the general rule, must be sanctioned.
In context: Santos enacts the “Vigilante Law”, which improves working conditions in the sector
What did you do to improve the filters when hiring new guards?
The implementation of the staffing processes was rigorous, in compliance with the law and inclusive. Through objective and traceable safety studies, it has been ensured that the personnel who work providing safety and well-being to citizens, infrastructures and companies are optimal, committed and reliable. This has manifested itself in actions, in some cases heroic, which have generated trust in institutions and a safer environment in the hostility of the pandemic due to the economic needs it has produced in society.
Proposals have been made such that the guards are informers for the state, through a network of collaboration with the police. There are those who see risks, speak of the “privatization” of security and also of the rebirth of Convivir. What do you think?
In the recent 2020 International Security Congress, international and local experts defined that articulating efforts between companies providing private security services and public institutions, including the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office, is the best option to prevent and fight against crime. The guards – or rather called security men and women – must be in permanent contact with the police and share the information that allows the capture and prosecution of criminals, with all the evidence and evidence that the law requires, which aspect they are in. failing in many cases due to lack of information, shortcomings in the timing of supply and coordination among the actors involved in prevention and control. Security must be a citizen’s right and the fact that the private component has a very high proportion indicates that the resources of the state are not sufficient to provide them to society independently. It is a successful program in all nations of the world, and in Colombia, good state regulation and control of lawlessness in security companies is required, which is where the real problem lies.
Another proposal is that surveillance companies are hired for prison security, do you see that feasible?
It is the best alternative and it is viable. In many countries of the world, such as Brazil, the United States and Spain, this model has been successfully implemented. There the security companies build, manage and provide security to the prisons. This scheme has allowed the reduction of the recidivism in crimes and a more effective resocialization of prisoners; Likewise, there is a reduction in costs for states and a very positive social and human impact, with the generation of more advantageous conditions for prisoners, in terms of eliminating overcrowding and improving living conditions, eliminating rape. . human rights and the violation of a number of fundamental rights of prisoners, such as dignity, health, personal integrity or rights to family and work.
Also read: By law they seek private surveillance to be recognized as high-risk work
What does the agreement to be signed with the Prosecutor consist of?
It arises from a lifelong interest of businessmen who provide private security and surveillance services to establish strong links with state authorities and bodies, and support their management to help improve citizen safety and maintain public trust. Seeks to unify efforts and provide mutual collaboration to strengthen the Prosecutor’s Office’s capacity in its constitutional mission to carry out criminal actions, investigate crimes and reduce impunity, within the framework of constitutional guarantees and powers. All human, operational, logistical and technological capacity will be made available to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, providing cameras, radios, mobile phones and communication equipment in general, to contribute efficiently to the performance of its functions and the achievement of its objectives, in in this way that the personnel linked to security and private security services become, within the regulatory framework defined for this purpose, an indispensable ally in the investigations carried out by the body and in the collection of evidence.
Cyber security experts from Colombia and other countries stipulate that to protect businesses from cybercrime, a minimum of 3,500 professionals and technologists must be hired in the short, medium and long term. How is the agreement signed with the Sergio Arboleda University for the training of trade union personnel?
The social transformation with the virtualization and digitalization of the world has generated the need to develop new skills in the personnel who provide security in nations. The skills that public and private security sector employees need to develop are defined in two dimensions, one as face-to-face support as first responders to any event or novelty and the second in remote work. Under the first dimension, the ability to manage new situations in the sensitive environment of the pandemic must be developed. Physical contact with users must evolve towards improving client treatment and optimizing the ability to act as first responders in the event of any security event. Under the second dimension, which is the one that has changed the most in this new reality, it is clear that the majority of security men are not digital natives, which means that the transformation takes place progressively. Consequently, digital skills must develop several skills, including: the ability to manage remote work teams; knowledge and ability to manage technological security tools, such as monitoring equipment, office automation management, knowledge and management of social networks and apps. The consolidation of an alliance with the Sergio Arboleda University was also born as part of the III International Security Congress and, in a first phase, a training program was launched for leaders in Colombia and Latin America in the strategic management of security to implement all training measures in new skills required by security men and women at company level. In a second phase, with the support of this institution and the support of the National Government, specific technical training modules will be developed in new technological and virtual skills that will have to be developed by all those working in the security sector and who will be available to all.
Read also: The penalties of guards and domestic workers
There will also be an agreement with the High Council for Women’s Equity, what is the purpose?
This precious agreement has already been signed, also consolidated in the context of the III International Congress on Security held by CONFEVIP on 11, 12 and 13 November. Its purpose is that the private security and surveillance union support the institutional management of the Ministry and contribute to strengthening its inclusion policies, developing positive actions in favor of women, through the implementation of gender equity in the activities that develop the sector. 125,000 women will benefit from training and will also support initiatives in collaboration with the Ministry, which will allow the promotion and execution of productive projects for the wives of the guards, which will generate resources in over 125,000 potential families in Colombia.
Any special requests to President Duque’s government or are you satisfied with the way you have been treated?
We support the president’s management and, based on this precept, we improve and optimize the processes that give security to the country. Supporting the inclusion of the security union in regional and local citizen security committees would be a high impact action to be part of the solutions, taking into account the importance of this sector in the country’s economy, its competences in crime prevention and in the amount of human resources, which exceeds the police force in Colombia by at least one in three. Likewise, support for strategies that will give better results in crime prevention, such as the approval of public-private alliances for the administration and management of prisons, the safety of public events and sports facilities.
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