ARTICLE
The Private Security Officer Employment Authorization Act

Don W. Walker, chairman of Securitas Security Services USA, Inc., the largest employer of private security guards in the nation, testified before federal law makers Tuesday urging the quick adoption of S. 1743, the "Private Security Officer Employment Authorization Act of 2003." Jeanine Pirro, Westchester County District Attorney, and Lewis Maltby, president of the National Workrights Institute joined Walker in support of the bill.

This bill would permit private security companies to request a criminal background check on all prospective employees nationwide including an FBI fingerprint check. Currently, the private security industry employs nearly 2 million security officers worldwide, but only 40 states have laws regulating security officers, and a small fraction of those require a fingerprint check.

"We badly need this legislation to ensure that persons who are convicted of serious crimes are identified before they are deployed to protect our citizens and their property," Walker explained to the members of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

The bill passed the U.S. Senate last November by unanimous consent and now needs House approval to become law.

"This is a common-sense bill aimed at solving a major security problem," Walker said. "It is focused, it has bipartisan support; it has passed the Senate, and the House can now make it law. It would have been a good idea ten years ago," he added, "and today's threat of terrorism makes the case even more urgent and compelling."

The complete bill is available for review at http://www.theorator.com/bills108/s1743.html.

(Source: http://www.asisonline.org)