The World Association of Professional Investigators with a membership of 500 private detectives and over 1000 subscribers to their on-line group are to ask the government to consider regulating the private detective sector by using the long established County Court Certification as used for bailiffs, now enforcement agents.
WAPI will be approaching MP’s and Delegates to garner support for PI Regulation.
Given the recent high profile publicity surrounding the Media and their use of “Private Detectives” to allegedly “hack” into voicemail and to “blag” personal data” and taking into consideration the Information Commissioner’s Report “What Price Privacy” is it now time for a positive and indeed re-assuring step to be taken by the Government?
WAPI wish the Government to consider the transfer from the Private Security Industry Act 2000 the planned regulation of Private Investigators (now suspended as the SIA is to become defunct) to the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 thereby putting the regulation of private Investigators under the same criteria as that of Enforcement Officers.
This would enable the Public to be re-assured that Certificated Investigators were regulated, were competent and accountable, and as any infringement of controlling and other legislation may cause their Certification to be suspended or cancelled, an immediate ethical and legally compliant Profession would evolve to the benefit of Society.
WAPI seek to urge all MP’s, most of whom have been as shocked as the Public at the horrifying disclosures from the Murdoch News Corporation to support the World Association of Professional Investigators and the vast majority of genuine practicing professional Private Investigators to urgently introduce a simple and well tried system of regulation though the Certification system.
Self financing from Application and Certification Certificate Fees and Renewal Fees
Until the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 those wishing to become a Bailiff could apply to a County Court to become “Certificated” to do so they would need to satisfy the Judge that they were of good and suitable character, had undergone appropriate training and/or had proven experience to be deemed as competent.
There is a Certificated Bailiff Register which allows both Public and Police to find out which county court issued a certificated bailiff’s latest certificate.
Since the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
2007 c. 15 – Part 3 – Chapter 1- Section 64
The position appears to be as follows – Note: Bailiffs are now referred to as Enforcement Agents:
S 64 Certificates to act as an enforcement agent
(1) A certificate may be issued under this section—
(a) by a judge assigned to a county court district;
(b) in prescribed circumstances, by a district judge.
(2) The Lord Chancellor must make regulations about certificates under this section.
(3) The regulations may in particular include provision—
(a) for fees to be charged for applications;
(b) for certificates to be issued subject to conditions, including the giving of security;
(c) for certificates to be limited to purposes specified by or under the regulations;
(d) about complaints against holders of certificates;
(e) about suspension and cancellation of certificates;
(f) to modify or supplement Schedule 12 for cases where a certificate is suspended or cancelled or expires;
(g) requiring courts to make information available relating to certificates.
A relatively simple change to the applicable statutes (Security Industry Act 2000 and Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007) could enable UK Private Investigators to become “Certificated” through the County Court System (and equivalent in Scotland).
Self Financing = Cost to the Public Purse – Negligible – Re-assurance to the Public = Priceless
Complying with EU Directives and requirements to professionalise specified occupations for cross-border recognition of skills and the promotion of cross-border recognition of qualifications towards the EU wide immigration policy.
