Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has amended Executive Regulations of the Law of Private Security Services under which service of private security guards is limited to eight activities during work hours. Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif has approved amendment of article two of the regulations in this regard. The amendments also stipulate that 24-hour service of security guards are available for 15 vital commercial activities.

According to the amended article, facilities that are required to provide private civilian security service during work hours include private and international educational and training facilities; wedding and event halls; private clinics, medical centers, and complexes; and facilities licensed by Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority or the General Entertainment Authority during the duration of the event.

These facilities also include restaurants with an area exceeding 1,000 square meters according to the commercial activity license; women's gyms; hypermarkets and grocery stores with an area exceeding 2,000 square meters according to the commercial activity license, and camps and sites designated to accommodate pilgrims in the holy sites during the period from Dhul Hijjah 1 to Dhul Hijjah 15 of each year.

The amended article 15 requires 24-hour private civil security guards for certain types of commercial establishments. These include hotels, banks, exchanges and money transfer shops, hospitals, and gold and jewelry stores, and similar establishments located outside the facilities required to provide private civil security guards; markets, malls, and closed and open commercial centers containing 30 or more stores, or with a commercial area exceeding 3,000 square meters according to the building license.

Establishments obligated to provide 24-hour security also include human resources company employee shelters, car and heavy equipment sales centers affiliated with agencies, maintenance centers affiliated with car and heavy equipment dealerships with an area exceeding 2,000 square meters according to the building permit, car showrooms with an area exceeding 2,000 square meters according to the commercial activity license, and buildings and towers with more than 50 units intended for residential or commercial rent.

The list of these establishments also includes gated residential complexes with more than 10 villas or more than 50 residential units, amusement parks and tourist facilities with an area exceeding 3,000 square meters according to the commercial activity license, private libraries with an area exceeding 2,000 square meters, and entities obligated to provide private civilian security guards in accordance with other regulations and laws. Factories and warehouses are also required 24-hour service as per the directive of the regional police director, after the facility submits a feasibility study from a licensed security consulting firm. The study must be submitted within two months of notification.

It is noteworthy that the Law of Private Security Services is a set of legal rules that regulate the work of civilian guards for private sector establishments. The law regulates the operations of establishments that recruit civilian security guards and prepares them to protect private or public establishments.