SIA action after a complaint about a security company
Published 11 May 2023
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1. Request
I, [redacted], am writing in relation to the above matter to request a subject access request/freedom of information FOI in regard to my complaint I made on 8 June 2021 against [redacted].
I recently received a threat from [redacted] when I made a subject access request in relation to the employment period between 2016 to 2020. The security company refused to provide the SAR which I am entitled to request under GDPR/DPA 2018.
Unfortunately, SIA has been failing to protect the SIA front line staff who faced the continuous act of harassment, threats and abuse from the employers BUT practically SIA is supporting the modern slavery and cultivating the culture of tax evasion.
[Redfacted] and companies like them are the prime example in this regard. Therefore I am writing to request the SIA to provide me the details of its response and actions in relation to the complaint I made on 8 June 2021 against [redacted] under the FOI & DPA 2018 (SAR).
2. Response
The SIA does not run a formal complaints scheme in relation to the conduct of businesses or individuals operating in the private security industry. Nor does it operate a complaints scheme in relation to licensed premises.
When the SIA receives a report of a crime or concern in relation to a security company, we will treat that information as intelligence. It will be assessed by our intelligence team.
The SIA does not typically release intelligence or provide an update regarding any action taken in relation to intelligence. This policy was developed in line with the Freedom of Information Act, which provides public authorities with an exemption from disclosing information relating to investigations and proceedings an authority conducts (section 30) and from disclosing any information that would prejudice the authorities ability to exercise its statutory functions (section 31). Subsection (3) of both of these sections provides the SIA with an exemption from confirming or denying whether any intelligence is held.
The SIA acknowledges there is a public interest in the public being made aware of whether and what action is taken by the SIA in relation to intelligence it holds because it allows for public scrutiny of its effectiveness as a regulator and contributes to public confidence regarding standards within the security industry. However, the SIA considers there is a more significant public interest in ensuring that the disclosure of intelligence should not prejudice its ability to conduct is investigations and exercise its regulatory functions, for example by protecting the integrity of ongoing and/or future investigations.
I note that you are aggrieved that your employer is not complying with the Data Protection Act 2018, in that they failed to respond to a data subject access request that you submitted to them. If you are concerned about how your employer has handled a data subject access request, you can report this to the Information Commissioner’s Office. You can call them or speak to them via their live chat line. Please follow this link to the Information Commissioner’s website for further instructions: Make a complaint.
[Reference: FOI 0408]