Insight into Regulation of Private Security Industry in Dubai
H.E. Khalifa Ibrahim Al Saleis, CEO & Executive Director of SIRA, describes the laws and the security landscape of Dubai that are both moving forward at great speed
The Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) is a Dubai government organization responsible for the regulation and supervision of the private security industry in Dubai. Its main aim is the continued protection of the public and private sectors, property, and assets through the implementation of laws, standards, and international best practices.
To achieve this and to ensure Dubai maintains the title of one of the safest cities in the world, we initially created Law 13-2005 under the umbrella of the Department of Protective Systems (DPS). This was followed by Law 13 which has been updated to Law 24-2008 to accommodate new changes in crime trends as more protective methods and tools were required at the time.
In 2016, due to the fast-moving technical landscape and the need to cope with other developing crime trends, DPS has been abolished and we have seen the birth of SIRA and the new security Law 12-2016. This allowed us to adapt and modify quickly, making these regulations some of the most comprehensive and up-to-date ones in the world since they encompass electronic, cyber, as well as physical security and manpower.
At Intersec 2022, SIRA made a number of announcements, including changes to Law 12-2016 of February 2022. After numerous consultations with industry experts and key government stakeholders with regard to the effectiveness of new security technology, it was necessary to implement these changes to simplify the Law and ultimately save end users money without compromising or having a negative impact on the security of Dubai.
SIRA prides itself on learning and adopting new technology within the regulations and Intersec was a great opportunity to see new and innovative security products that will have a positive impact on Dubai’s future security landscape.
The new technology that is most commonly talked about is automation and AI which will ultimately make the systems more intelligent at identifying people, objects, and anomalies that require the security officer’s attention
The new technology that is most commonly talked about and could be the future of security systems and management is Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). If used correctly, this technology will ultimately help the security teams and SIRA, making the systems more intelligent at identifying people, objects, and anomalies that require the security officer’s attention.
Our engineering and compliance department will be reviewing the technology, performance, benefits, return on investment, and the impact of the wider security landscape to meet the exacting standards of quality, efficiency, and transparency required in Dubai.
Our vision is to reduce external and internal security risks while preparing future security landscapes. At the same time, we will develop strategic and institutional plans and programs for industrial and investment projects.
The execution of our mission will be carried out within a leading-edge framework by the government and theframework itself will be professionally managed and audited. In this way, we will not only reduce current external and internal risks but will prepare the security community to deal with future threats and challenges.
Finally, our aim is that SIRA will develop further as a local agency with global capabilities, energy, and influence. Backed by our Government, Dubai society and business have the ability to use their knowledge and creative power to lead the world by example in security practices. Over the next few articles, we will explain in depth the changes and how these affect the integration companies as well as end users.
