Trish McConnell: Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority Update In a recent NZSA and ASIS NZ Chapter webinar, the PSPLA Chair talked security licensing, COVID, omicron, how the PSPLA has been responding to the challenges of now - and looking to the challenges of the future.
In the 21 February webinar, PSPLA Chair Trish McConnell discussed the work of the Authority, the issues that have arisen during COVID lock downs and what is being done to address them. It was also an opportunity to gain tips and advice on navigating the PSPLA application, objection and emergency appointment processes.
Trish McConnell heads the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority and the Licensing Authority of Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers. She was previously chair of the Weathertight Homes Tribunal and the Tenancy Tribunal. Trish has also worked as a Barrister specialising in alternative disputes resolution and as a Lawyer, both in private legal practice and with Community Law Centres. 42
NZSM
Trish is an Australasian specialist, speaker and author on a wide range of tribunal issues. She is also the chair of the Licensing Authority of Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers and has previously chaired the Weathertight Homes Tribunal and the Tenancy Tribunal. The following is an abridged transcript of the first half of her talk. The second half will be covered in the June issue of NZSM: Effectively, the PSPLA is both a registration board and a disciplinary body. We are given the authority to do what we do by the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act and the supporting regulations made under that Act, and it somewhat conscribes what we can do as well. So we’re restricted in somethings we can do and in making some changes, but there are other things it gives us the power to do.
Under the Act, our stated purpose is to ensure people offering security and investigation services for hire are suitably qualified to carry out their work, and to not behave in ways that are contrary to the public interest. Most of the work of the PSPLA is around processing and making decisions on applications for Certificates of Approval (CoAs) and licences, and that includes the objections that the Police make, and dealing with applications for temporary certificate, dealing with emergency appointments, and more recently issuing exemptions in certain circumstances. We also deal with complaints against licence and certificate holders, we maintain the registers of licence and certificate holders, and we have a role in liaising with people from the security industry and stakeholders (and an educational role, such as this webinar), and with the Police. As all of you working in the security industry know, the onset of COVID, lockdowns, levels and traffic light settings has significantly increased and complicated your work and in turn our work. With the initial lockdown, things were relatively quiet, but since then things have been very busy. In terms of applications for CoAs, licences and renewals, the 2020 year was our busiest year on record apart from the first year that the PSPLA was April/May 2022
