The Security Professionals Association (SPA) for the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA), a security professional association aimed at connecting people within the security industry has launched in the Middle East.
The organisation will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange and development for the more than 50,000 security professionals in the country.
The initial launch has welcomed more than 600 security professionals of all levels and invites everyone in the security industry to become a member in order to receive the benefits of a locally based professional security association.
“It is with great pride that we announce the launch of the first security professional association in the region that will offer excellent ways to stay current on the best security practices. SPA for SIRA will open strong networking opportunities between security professionals and organisations and will offer an environment where learning is given the utmost importance to motivate professionals to continue to pursue their goals,” said Eng. Khalid Al Hammadi, chairman, SPA.
Eng. Khalid Al Hammadi, an extremely experienced security professional who has worked within the UAE’s security industry for over 24 years, established SPA for SIRA to bridge the gap between security professionals and the regulators in the industry.
“We have seen many different organisations establishing their presence in the UAE with an aim to establish close liaison with their industry peers, share and exchange expertise, information, intelligence and ideas, and help each other in times of need. Our goal is for SPA for SIRA to be an organisation that embodies professional standards that far exceed international benchmarks,” adds Eng. Khalid Al Hammadi, who is also the Head of Security Systems Compliance Centre (SSCC) in Dubai, in charge of enhancing the security systems standards and regulations of the security industry in accordance with Dubai Law 12-2016.
“SPA for SIRA will create a sense of belonging and pride to its members. As a membership-centred organisation, we are poised to be the leading voice of the security industry in the UAE and the region through our technological innovation and operational excellence,” said Adil Abdel-Hadi, deputy chairman of SPA.
Abdel-Hadi is a highly experienced security professional with extensive managerial, physical security, personal security, risk management, client liaison, investigation and training expertise. He will act as the voice of the region’s security professionals by providing security training and awareness programmes that will promote and elevate good practices in the industry.
SPA will collaborate with top security professionals across the globe to discover cutting-edge solutions, share insights with industry experts and equip the members with the right tools to properly carry out their duties and tasks in the rapidly evolving security world. Members will enjoy information services, knowledge and professional development, excellence and innovation and discounts and promotions.
Security professionals who are interested in becoming a member must meet certain requirements and be 21 years of age and above. The membership fee is AED 500 and is valid for one year.
