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Essay on The ASIS Code of Ethics
In today's security industry a uniform code of ethics that offers behavioral guidelines does not exist. In New Jersey, for example, a 1936 law specifies the types of activities in which private detectives must not engage. Yet the private security field has changed so drastically in the past 65 years that the law has very little application in the profession today. As recently as 10 years ago a security director most likely reported to the company's maintenance manager.
Today, security staff members are often top executive with their organizations, boasting vice-presidential titles in many cases. Security positions are no longer automatically filled by elderly retired people who meet no minimum education requirements. But the development of a code of professional ethics has not kept pace with other changes in the security industry. Legislation pending in New York aims to enhance the quality of service to the public but contains no ethics component. California, Florida, Nevada, and many other states require licenses for individual security officers but do not offer a code of ethics to be observed after a license is conferred. ASIS mandates the observance of a six-part code of ethics as a binding condition of membership.
However, ASIS members must have obtained a certain managerial level in the field to join, a qualification that prevents most officers from joining. (Security Management (2002) Moreover, cases involving ethics complaints are scarce--ASIS receives fewer than a dozen complaints annually for review by its Standing Committee on Ethical Standards.....
