MORE private security companies have improved their operations, leadership and manpower quality, according to the results of an annual grading exercise released on Tuesday.

The number of firms graded A - for excellent - rose to 27 from 19 last year. They included security giants like Aetos and Certis Cisco, which went up a notch to snag an A grade this year.

Outfits that scored consecutive As included G4S Security Services, Reachfield Security & Safety Management and Aetos.

Those scoring As and Bs - for Good - accounted for six in 10 of the participating agencies this time. This figure was 52 per cent last year.

Superintendent Gwee Aik Chiong, an assistant director of the police’s Security Industry Regulatory Department (SIRD), said the results was 'an encouraging sign that standards are rising in this industry.'

However, less than half - or 120 - of the 262 private security firms did not take part in the voluntary audit held by the SIRD.

Mr Anthony Lee, the honourary chairman of security practitioners' society ASIS Singapore, said the independent audit provided useful information for customers to make informed decisions when they engage security services.

Detailed results can be viewed at http://www.spf.gov.sg/licence/frameset_PI.html  

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