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02/13/2006: "UK P.I. Licensing"

HI,

There's been talk this week amoungst UK P.Is of the up and coming investigation licensing system that is going to be implimented in 2006/2007. Apparently the Security Industry Authority (SIA) want to add in mental heath checks, and that to be a Private Investigator in the UK you'd also need to be a UK citizen.

This has sparked critcism from investigators who point out that to access UK public records at the moment you don't need to be a UK citizen and since the P.I. Licence isn't giving them access to any new databases why should P.Is have to be UK citizens? Then again, in the USA you'd need to be a U.S. citizen to access their public records, so why not have that in the UK?

After updating their website the SIA have posted the following criteria to make you eleigable for a license:-

1) Be over 18.

2) Pass an identity check.

3) Pass a criminal record check.

4) You must have the right to remain and work in the UK.

5) Possibly a mental health declaration might need to be provided.

6) Those applicants deemed to be in a front line activity may also need to prove that they are trained to the appropriate (SIA approved) standard.

So far the SIA have prodiced, in my opinion, a "wishy-washy" list of things you must know to get a license and it's going to be revised before the end of the preperation for licensing process.

This has been going on since 2003!!!! Every year it is "next year P.I.s will be licensed"....