Raising the Bar

“Currently Tremark are one of the very few accredited British Standard – BS 102000:2013 holders who have raised the bar in connection with quality private investigation services…and, under the expected new rules, I’m also now an accredited investigator” so says Mark Hodgson, Managing Director, Tremark.

Why is this important?

Following a number of high profile cases, mainly linked to actions of private investigators working within the media industry and subsequently subject to the Leveson Enquiry, in 2012 the House of Commons Select Committee published a report – The Regulation of Private Investigators.

From this the Home Office intention was to instigate the regulation of professionals working in the private investigations industry during 2014. While this timescale is ‘flexible’, steps have already been introduced to start the process, namely:

–   The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulating body under The Home Office, to issue individual licences and,

–   All Private Investigation companies, would be required to meet new British Standard – BS102000 in order to practice.

These are, we believe, important legislative steps to ensure that due diligence, competence and the conduct of private investigators is not only raised but that there is clear regulation regarding the quality and accountability of the industry.

We have always been at the forefront of supplying quality, professional investigation services to our clients and we welcomed these nationwide improvements which will impact on the industry as a whole.

To operate under this new code required us to review, in great detail and with the input of an independent British Standard Trainer and Adjudicator the conduct, management, staffing and operational accountability of our investigative services. (We will be adding the detail and scope of the code to our website shortly)

In the meantime we are delighted to have secured BS 102000 accreditation and that eight of Tremark’s in house Investigators will shortly be taking the examination to follow Mark Hodgson’s lead to secure ‘accredited investigator’ status.