On February 3rd the Fourteenth Forum of Security and Safety Technologies opened in the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Center in the traditional business-like manner. The Forum is the largest exhibition and congress event of its kind in Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe. It is also the largest Russian specialized exhibition of security and safety technical devices and services with an extensive business schedule, media projects and promotion of the Russian safety technologies into foreign markets.

The Berkut Association of Guard and Legal Companies annually participates in the Forum business program, attends conferences, exhibitions, seminars and meetings dedicated to the current issues of security, safety and antiterrorism protection.

The Eighth All-Russian Conference “Safety Industry in Russia – Prospects, Tendencies and Challenges” was held in the framework of the International Forum of Security and Safety Technologies on February 2nd, 2009 at the Security Committee in the Congress Center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

The conference united about 400 professionals specializing in legislative regulation, organization and management of safety processes including the Berkut Association of Guard and Legal Companies. Eight foreign representatives participated in the Conference as observers. Over 50 reporters attended the conference.

The Presidium of the conference consisted of its Chairman Mr. E.M.Primakov, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and Co-Chairmen Mr. S.M. Mironov, Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Mr. V.A. Vasiliev, Chairman of the Security Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and Mr. G.V.Gudkov, Vice-Chairman of the Security Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The standing Organizing Committee of the conference includes Mr. N.I. Getman, Director of the Economic Security Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Mr. G.N. Zaytsev, Hero of the Soviet Union and other members.

The main topics on the agenda of the Conference were the condition of the specialized legal framework; the effect of crisis on security services and products; the role of chambers of commerce and industry in supporting private security agencies; the role of the private security agencies in the state system for prevention of crimes and terrorist attacks; the system of professional and advanced training for staff of private agencies providing security services and products. These issues were discussed in the reports made by Mr. G.V. Gudkov, Chairman of the Security Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Committee at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation for Security of Entrepreneurs and Corruption Prevention, Mr. V.P.Strashko, Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Mr. S.V. Shevchenko, a leading expert of the Security Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Mr. L.V. Vedenov, Deputy Head of the Department for Public Order Protection of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia, Mr. I.K. Filonenko, Executive Director of the International Forum of Security and Safety Technologies and Mr. V.N. Yadrikhinsky, Deputy Head of the Committee at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Security of Entrepreneurs, President of the League of Entrepreneurs and Heads of Security Companies, Regional Nonprofit Organization.

On February 3rd, 2009 the managers of the Berkut Association of Guard and Legal Companies participated in the meeting of the Coordination Committee of the heads of private detective and guard companies held within the framework of the International Forum of Security and Safety Technologies 2009.

Among the participants of the meeting were Mr. O.V. Klimochkin, Deputy Head of the Licensing Division, Department for Public Order Protection, Ministry of the Interior of Russia, Mr. I.A. Goloshchapov, Chairman of the Board of the Coordination Center and other representatives of public authorities and members of the Coordination Committee. Mr. Klimochkin told the present about the activities of the Coordination Center and the goals of the Coordination Committee as its part, explained certain aspects of the new Federal Law, issue of security guard certificates and weapon circulation. Mr. Goloshchapov described the current situation in the security business and reported about the activities of the Coordination Center Board. The participants of the meeting also discussed the action plan for 2009 and certain events for establishing a consolidated position at the Presidium of the Coordination Committee, Department for Public Order Protection, Ministry of the Interior of Russia.

On February 4th the Ministry of the Interior hosted a meeting of the Coordination Committee at the Department for Public Order Protection dedicated to the results of its activities and realizing the provisions of the Federal Law dated December 22nd, 2008 #272-FL On Amending Certain Legal Acts of the Russian Federation due to Improvement of the State Control in Guard and Detective Activities. The meeting was attended by Police Major-General L.V. Vedenov, Head of the Coordination Committee, Deputy Head of the Department for Public Order Protection, members of the Presidium, representatives from the standing commissions of the Coordination Committee for cooperation with private guard and detective companies. Mr.P.V. Kovalev, a member of the Presidium, Coordinator in the Privolzhsky Federal District of the Coordination Center at the Department for Public Order Protection, General Director of the Berkut Association of Guard and Legal Companies, participated in the meeting. The meeting was also attended by Mr.G.V.Gudkov, Vice-Chairman of the Security Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Mr. N.I. Getman, Director of the Economic Security Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and Mr. S.V. Shevchenko, a leading expert of the State Duma.

The meeting was opened with discussion of the importance of private detective and guard agencies in the comprehensive system for public order protection. The potential of private security agencies is constantly used by law enforcement agencies for public order protection including during mass and political events as well as for crime prevention.

The number of private guard and security agencies has increased but unfortunately the quality of their work has decreased. In addition there are more and more agencies which are not actually providing guarding services. They are used as “reserves” in case of prosecution against a guard agency or only for certain clients.

To eliminate negative tendencies in development of the private sector of safety services Federal Law #272-FZ was passed on December 22nd, 2008 On Amending Certain Legal Acts of the Russian Federation due to Improvement of the State Control in Guard and Detective Activities.

The primary goal is to establish the legal regulatory base and to plan measures for compliance with such Federal Law which brought significant changes to regulating the activities of private guard companies and control over players in the market of guard services.

The Federal Law has 23 provisions referring the regulation of certain requirements and administrative procedures to the legal acts by the Government of the Russian Federation and 5 provisions – to the regulatory acts by the Ministry of the Interior of Russia.

Particular attention should be paid to regulation of the following issues:

• transfer of duty weapons to government property (operations department of law enforcement agencies);

• qualifying examinations for obtaining private guard certificates;

• exclusion of security services of legal entities from private guard and detective agencies.

These activities will be held with active participation of coordination committees of law enforcement agencies for cooperation with guard and detective companies which can take part in discussion and preparation of suggestions for practical realization of legislative changes regulating their activities.

One of priority tasks of the Coordination Committee is to improve the quality of security services provided by private guard companies to social infrastructure, schools, kindergartens, colleges and other vital infrastructure and public objects.

On February 5th the managers of the Berkut Association attended the seminar for Legal Practical Questions of Private Guard Activities. The seminar was arranged by the Coordination Center at the Department for Public Order Protection, Ministry of the Interior of Russia, the Coordination Committee of the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Moscow and Nonprofit Partnership Coordination Committee of Managers of Guard and Detective Agencies. Mr.I.A. Goloshchapov, Chairman of the Board of the Nonprofit Partnership, delivered a report on the current situation in guard and detective activities. Professor Shestakov, an expert of the Security Committee of the State Duma, talked about the major legislative changes concerning detective and guard activities and Mr.Klimochkin, Deputy Head of the Licensing Division, Department for Public Order Protection, Ministry of the Interior of Russia, told the present about the planned amendments to the subordinate legislation concerning private guard and detective activities.

In addition to participating in the meetings and seminars of the Forum, the representatives of the Berkut Association of Guard and Legal Companies attended the exhibition of innovations in safety and security industry which displayed numerous approaches to satisfying even the most demanding clients in the security industry.