PRIVATE SECURITY companies (PSCs) have been left unregulated by the government which has failed to implement a law regulating the issue passed in 2005, said Chairman of the House Legal Affairs Committee Ionas Nicolaou yesterday.
The DISY deputy accused the government of “oversight” and “inertia” for not implementing the law regulating PSCs following public assertions by one company that it helps police catch criminals and protect citizens while offering “counselling” services to young victims of crime.
The issue first came to light after it transpired that the Larnaca police chief had sent an internal police memo warning officers not to refer members of the public to a private Larnaca security company to settle their problems. Justice Minister Loucas Louca said the memo was sent as a precaution based on “vague rumours”, adding that subsequent investigations failed to shed any light on the rumours. The minister clarified that the police force was the only responsible organ allowed to enforce law and order.
The document, which caused quite a stir following the publication of its alleged contents on Wednesday, apparently named ‘A-Team Security Services’ as the private firm. It also linked the company to a local businessman with alleged underworld dealings.
The A-Team’s general manager Avraam Marangos wrote in on Thursday appearing to contradict the minister’s claim of a monopoly on law and order, and highlighting the company’s pride in helping to “make Larnaca the safest town on the island”.
“We have assisted the police on many occasions and are proud of this fact. We have apprehended and have handed over to the police drug dealers, thieves, fraudsters and all types of criminal elements who prey on our society,” said Marangos.
The company’s activities also included placing people under its protection “without monetary gain or profit”, he said, referring to the case of a single mother who has been terrorised by drug dealers for the debts of her drug-dependent son.
“We have assisted many youths who have been the victims of crime in our town by providing counselling and support and have helped them regain their pride and self-esteem,” said Marangos.
Nicolaou highlighted that if the law on PSCs had been implemented after being passed in 2005, the authorities would now have much more control over private companies offering security services.
“I regret to note that all that is happening with regard to private security companies is the result of oversight and inertia,” he said.
As a result, PSCs continue to operate as they always have done, without even a three-month permit provided by the law as a temporary measure until the company can apply for a proper licence, said the DISY deputy.
The importance of the law was that it gave the police chief and law enforcement agencies in general the ability to exercise control on PSC employees and more specifically their activities, he added.
“To arrest and deliver people to the police or engage in all these activities written in the announcement goes beyond the law. The law does not give any PSC any right to investigate or monitor any criminal element, and even deliver them to police.”
Nicolaou said the authorities have known about the activities referred to in the ‘A-Team’ letter for some time. “That is why we should move fast to implement the law,” he said.
Chairman of the House Crime Committee, Yiannakis Thoma, said there appeared to be a very good basis for questioning such companies who gave them the right to dabble in the job of keeping law and order.
“The operations and practices need to be put under the microscope and all measures taken to ensure companies are working for the purposes as prescribed by the law,” said Thoma.
The AKEL deputy said his committee would examine the legality of PSCs operations in September when it reconvenes after the summer recess. “Certainly it’s not out of the blue,” he said, referring to recent allegations made by Larnaca deputies and citizens against the activities of private security companies.
