The first group of security guards — 21 in all — have been presented with their level two door supervisor certification.

The presentation took place last week with Minister of Home Affairs Patricia Gordon-Pamplin and the Minister of National Security, Senator Jeff Baron, handing out the certificates.

Ms Gordon-Pamplin said: “Previously the route to being licensed as a security guard and private investigator was to submit references and pay a fee to the Bermuda Police. This year, in accordance with the Private Investigators and Security Guard Act 1974, the gap has closed and it is now a mandatory requirement for security guards to obtain certification.

“As such, the Department of Workforce Development with the support of our community partners the Ministry of National Security and the Bermuda Police Service agreed on a minimum standard for training of persons working within the Security and Private Investigator industry.

“With Level 2 Door Supervisor training now established, we have set the stage for persons to enter the workforce with the required certification and acceptable professional standards for private investigator and security guards.”

The minister added: “Training was provided by a UK vendor who is licensed to provide training aligned with the minimum ISA standard.

This vendor has also trained local companies to facilitate the courses and provide external verification support to make certain the standard of training is consistent and at a high level.”

Mr Baron said: “We are pleased to have been part of the team that implement this training programme. Bermuda now has an internationally recognised training and certification in place for these men and women who provide a specialised service in our community.

“We are proud of all of those who passed and we hope that in the coming days every one of the graduates will be working in the field.”

Subjects covered in the standard training and certification: Common Security Industry Knowledge; Awareness of the Law in the Private Security Industry; Health and Safety for the Private Security Operative; Fire Safety Awareness; Emergency Procedures; the Private Security Industry; Communication Skills and Customer Care; Door Supervisor Specialist Module; Behavioural Standards; Civil and Criminal Law; Searching; Drugs Awareness; Recording Incidents and Crime Preservation; Licensing Law; Emergency Procedures; Dealing with Vulnerable Individuals and Dealing with Queues and Crowds and Conflict Management Module. Avoiding Conflict and Reducing Personal Risk; Defusing Conflict; Resolving and Learning from Conflict; Application of Communication Skills and Conflict Management for Door Supervisors; Physical Intervention Skills Module; Introduction to Physical Skills; Disengagement Techniques and Escorting Techniques.

The 21 who passed the course: Jennifer Lambert, DeShun Richardson, Trenton Brangman, Myeesha Sabir, Cheyenne McCallan, Touriqco Hassell, William Basden, Pushkin Douglas, Tanya Bean, Carl Neblett, Kyle Clarke, Shane Simmons Sr, Madami Ebbin, Shannon Rayner, Sylvia Fox, Michael Hansey, Janine Richardson, William Simmons, Damon Watson, Marilyn Steede, Leyoni Junos.