Guards Training School (Bahrain)

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The Guards Training School (GTS) in the Kingdom of Bahrain is a formation of the Ministry of the Interior., General Directorate of Guards

On 11 July 2006 His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa promulgated Law #24/2006 "On security & private security firms" which authorised the Ministry of Interior to regulate the security industry.

On 10 June 2007 His Excellency Minister of Interior, Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa directed, by Article 1 of Ministerial Decree 35, that the requirements of the new law should be implemented by the General Directorate of Guards, a Police formation under the command of Colonel (later Brigadier) Abdulla bin Saif Al-Noami reporting to the Chief of Public Security, Major General Abdullatif Al-Zayani (Later Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council [GCC] and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain).

In accordance with the requirements of the new law the Guards Training School (GTS) was established in July 2007 to provide training, licensing and regulation of the private security industry. The regulatory function also included the investigation and prosecution of persons and organisations carrying out unlicensed security activities

At its inception in 2007 GTS was commanded by Colonel (later Brigadier) Abdulla bin Saif Al-Noami who was then the Director General of Guards and British expatriate Police advisor Andrew Stephenson<ref</ref> who was appointed Director of Training.

The administration and investigation teams were created from serving Police personnel drawn from other units whilst the training instructor team, under the command of Stephenson, was composed of trainers from the Police, retired members of the Bahrain Defence Force, National Security Agency and other Government ministries.

Between July and late October 2007 the formative unit;

• Underwent advanced training in its new role.
• Prepared a 'BG' (Basic Guard) syllabus based on the UK's SIA (Security Industry Authority)training program.
• Moved into temporary accommodation in old Police barracks on the Hidd peninsula to the East of Bahrain.
• Obtained a wide range of training and operational resources.
• Delivered a media awareness campaign and a series of briefings for security organisations.
• Designed and rolled out a licensing system covering all individuals and companies in the private secuirty industry.
• Obtained full accreditation as a security training establishment from the City & Guilds of London Institute.
• Gained approvals from the Ministry of Health & Ministry of Education for recruit medical standards and certification of instructors.

In late October 2007, at the temporary Hidd site, GTS launched its first Basic guard training course (BG1/07) with 24 recruit guards who underwent a 30 day course. All successfully graduated with City & Guilds qualifications and security licenses.

The syllabus of the first 30 day BG course, which appears to remain essentially unchanged as at October 2021, consisted of;

• Drill & ceremonial
• Physical fitness
• Introduction to the security industry / roles, responsibilities and powers of security.
• Customer Care
• Equality & Diversity
• Patrolling
• Access control
• Searching
• Security & Emergency Systems
• Theory of fire & fire safety
• Practical fire fighting & use of extinguishers.
• Health & Safety
• 1st Aid (Inc. CPR)
• Emergency procedures
• Communication and reporting (Use of radio, written reports, statements and duty logs).

Subsequent developments

In spring of 2008 the unit moved from its temporary location at Hidd to the former British Royal Air Force station at RAF Busaiteen, close to Bahrain International Airport, where it remained mid 2010, before returning to a newly built state of the art modern training facility on the original site at HIdd.

In early 2012 GTS was on the move again when the newly built Hidd site was re-allocated for use as a base by the Special Security Force Command (SSFC). GTS was relocated to a re-purposed Police station in the Sitrah industrial area adjacent to Sitrah Power station. The unit remains at Sitrah at the time of writing (October 2021) where it is expected to remain until new purpose built training facilities are completed on Muharaq island in 2022.

Training achievements

Between October 2007 and October 2021 GTS had graduated approximately 14,000 successful students with City & Guilds awards and Ministry of Interior security licences.

In later years the unit also introduced a range of additional training courses for external security organisations and internal Police formations including;

• Security supervisory leadership.
• CVIT (Cash & Valuables in Transit).
• 1st responder fire extinguishing & First Aid for other Police formations.
• Tactical search for Police recruits.
• Crime scene 1st responder training for other Police formations.
• Crime Prevention Offices initial course.

GTS Commanding officers

2007 / 2008 - Colonel (later Brigadier) Abdulla Saif Al-Noami.

2008 / 2010 - Major Jaber Al-Jawaid.

2010 / 2014 - Captain Saqer A-Noami.

2014 - 2021 (Time of writing) Colonel Abdulla Nasser Al-Noami / Captain Saud.

References

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