Skip to playerSkip to main content
CCNTV6
  • 1 year ago
The National Maintenance Training and Security Company (MTS), has a new offering to clients.


It comes with the launching of the Special Elite Security, for which they hope will be able to function in a way that frees up police officers to focus more on crime and other serious policing issues.


Alicia Boucher tells us more.
Transcript
00:00As MTS marks 45 years in successful operations, boasting over 6,000 employees and a revenue
00:07of $575 million in 2023, the company is spreading its wings further.
00:20It now has for hire special elite security, as displayed by way of a simulation in getting
00:26a high-profile client out of an assassination attempt.
00:30Chief Executive Officer of MTS Lennox Rattansingh says security workers, which account for just
00:36over 3,600 MTS employees, were invited to try out for the opportunity, for which he
00:43indicates comprehensive training was done.
00:45Followed by an assessment in the use of force continuum, advanced site surveys, organization
00:51of the protection security detail, pistol operational techniques, surveillance countermeasures,
00:57protective security protocols, emergency medical care, bomb search techniques, concentric rings
01:03of security, protective security formations, motorcade counteractions, criminal gang operations,
01:09etc., etc., etc.
01:11We are launching the service with an initial cadre of 32 officers and three trainers who
01:17will continue to train further officers as the service grows.
01:20Chairman of MTS Jacqueline Lazarus adds that rigorous screening was done and only candidates
01:26who attained the required performance standard were accepted, but it didn't end there.
01:32Candidates still faced a deep dive psychological assessment and had to undergo a polygraph
01:37test.
01:38Given the potential clientele, these were done to ensure that we had officers who could
01:44react and act under any circumstances and would exercise the highest standards of integrity,
01:51confidentiality and trustworthiness.
01:54The Special Elite Security Service caters to high-profile clients in the country who
01:59require close body protection.
02:02Executive Security Escort, securing highly sensitive areas of a facility and specialized
02:08on-site security for VIPs or executives.
02:13Minister in the Ministry of National Security responsible for policing Keith Scotland believes
02:18such a service creates room for collaboration with the police service, including information
02:23sharing, training opportunities and police officer relief.
02:28Scotland says at present, police perform duties that are not crime prevention, crime fighting
02:33or investigation related, such as the guarding of government buildings.
02:38Could those services not be delegated to vetted and trained security companies in order to
02:48put police more on the ground where they can make a greater impact?
02:54But Scotland's vision extends past that into a realm which will require legislative change.
03:01Officers who may have warrants to be served on them are those things that are employing
03:08the police in a meaningful and effective way.
03:12We see that the training of some private security personnel should ideally include topics such
03:20as policing functions, arrests and procedure, directives concerning the rights of citizens
03:28regarding search and seizure and constitutional rights.
03:33Scotland states that it will be a buffer to the national security of the country.
03:37Finance Minister Coleman Burt is not against the idea of delegating some policing functions
03:42to MTS.
03:43Perhaps, Madam Commissioner, that will allow police officers to show up in court.
03:49I'm not trying to dig at you, Madam Commissioner, but when I read that story about the case
03:57being thrown out because nobody showed up or they didn't present a proper defence or
04:02proper prosecution, I was quite shocked.
04:05And Burt says it is crucial that the police service is freed up to allow officers to deal
04:09with crime and legal matters.
04:12There's no point in people being arrested and charged and then the case falls apart
04:17because the prosecution isn't ready or the witnesses didn't show up.
04:22There's no point.
04:23I've seen this in my 33 years in public life.
04:25I've seen this so many times.
04:27The achievements by MTS so far have been attained without government subventions and
04:32Burt notes that the government is owing MTS.
04:36Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
Be the first to comment
Add your comment