As you may be aware there has been some coverage in the media regarding patched gang members being issued a COA security licence.

Whilst we are strongly opposed to gang membership within the security industry there were mitigating circumstances in the case of the two security guards mentioned in the article which the media did not report on.

After consulting with Trish McConnell, Registrar of the PSPLA, we advise that the media did not contact them prior to the article being published. The only source of information the media had was the decisions published on the PSPLA website. Unfortunately they did not mention the other conditions attached to the orders or any of the other decisions where COA’s have been cancelled because of gang membership.

We would also encourage members to contact the NZSA and seek our support with any PSPLA complaints or queries.

To read the article please visit here.

To read about the two PSPLA decisions mentioned in the article please read 2022_NZPSPLA_004 and 2022_NZPSPLA_008.

The NZSA team.

The PSPLA process improvement project is about to go live with a number of changes to the PSPLA application, printing and distribution processes. This communications notice is to inform NZSA members of these changes.

What: Starting Wednesday 13 April:

1. The physical paper licences and certificates will be replaced with digital PDF documents. These will be emailed to the customer supplied address in the application. Note: there are no changes to badges. Badges will remain a physical card.
2. Informative text will be added to the online application form, and outdated information removed. e.g. There is now text informing customers that licences and certificates will be sent via email to the email address provided.
3. Badge packs will no longer contain additional content, such as card covers, clips and lanyards. Badges will be attached to a carrier letter and sent in a DLE envelope (a standard size envelope). This is will be mailed directly to the customer provided postal address.
4. The online PSPLA application form will be unavailable between 9pm and 11pm on Tuesday 12 April. This is so updates can be implemented.

Action: Take note in the change of service.

Coming later: There will be one more major release in the PSPLA process improvement project. You will receive a communication notice regarding these changes closer to the time.

Questions: Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions regarding these changes.

The NZSA team.

The panel of independent experts from across the New Zealand security industry has concluded its judging – which means it’s time to reveal the finalists of the first-ever New Zealand Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs).

The 2022 New Zealand OSPAs has attracted an excellent number of quality submissions in its first year and the judging panel faced a challenging task narrowing down the entries to select only the very best.

The OSPA’s are supported in New Zealand by the NZSA and ASIS and it’s great to see NZSA members well represented.

Commenting on the awards, founder of the OSPAs Professor Martin Gill said: “We are delighted by the response we have received.  And all those that have made it to the finalists list should be very proud, as only those that reach a score threshold go forward to the next phase of the competition.”

The 2022 finalists are:

Outstanding In-House Security Manager/Director
Rehan du Toit – Auckland University of Technology
Dean Kidd – Auckland Unlimited
Brent Mirfin – Evotek Technologies

Outstanding Contract Security Manager/Director
Gareth Bacon – First Security Guarding Services
Nathan Cray – Global Security Solutions
Stu Leith – Platform 4 Group
Pete Mason – Optic Security Group
Dion Neill – Protective Services (acquired by Platform 4 Group)
James Ngatai-Blyth – First Contact

Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding)
First Contact
First Security Guarding Services
Platform 4 Group
SLS Security

Outstanding Security Consultant
Lee Ashton – Optic Security Group
Nick Gibbs – First Security Guarding Services
Jo Lloyd – Straif Security Specialists
Dion Neill
Lincoln Potter
Ashley Quensell – Platform 4 Group

Outstanding New Security Product
WelfareFirst™ – First Security Guarding Services
My Vaccine Pass integration – Gallagher

Outstanding Security Partnership
Evotek Technologies and Visual Networks
Focus Digital Security Solutions & NZ Police
The Precinct Security Model created by Alan Young

Outstanding Security Officer
Jodi Lomax – Bank of New Zealand
Sione Tusini – Rex – Platform 4 Group

Outstanding Female Security Professional
Tracey Gattsche – Optic Security Group
Zoe Grant – First Contact
Jill Priest – First Security Guarding Services
Ravina Ram – Matrix Security Group
Sherilyn Tasker – Gallagher
Trish Thompson – Gallagher
Karen Timpson – Bank of New Zealand
Jennie Vickers – ZeopardLaw and Consultant to Fortinet

Outstanding Young Security Professional
Stella Donachie – Red Badge Group
Pascale Howell – Gallagher
Soul Lauvi-Johnson – Optic Security Group
Kyle Nu’uali’itia – Evotek Technologies Ltd

Lifetime Achievement
To be announced on the day

Winners will be announced on Friday 27 May 2022 at a gala dinner taking place at the Aotea Centre in Auckland.

Visit the OSPA website for further information

 

The NZSA team.