RICHMOND, Va. — They're the people who keep us safe at work, church, entertainment venues, and so forth: private security officers. To do the job, security guards must be trained, qualified, and licensed through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, their regulatory agency.
But some in the industry are reporting months-long frustrations and difficulties remaining properly certified due to the state's transition to a new credentialing system called Lotus in December 2024.
“The rollout has created serious challenges. So, in my opinion, the new Lotus system was launched back in December without any testing, which has contributed significantly to the issues constituents are now experiencing," said Hicham Sbihi, the owner of an electronic security company and school.
He's also a member of the Private Security Services Advisory Board, a body that advises DCJS on matters that impact private security businesses. The board discussed the Lotus transition during a meeting on March 5.
Sbihi said he's faced system errors with Lotus himself and has heard from others who can't renew their licenses or reach anyone from the department to get help.
“These problems, they prevented qualified professionals from working and staying in compliance," Sbihi said.
CBS 6 talked with several representatives from security companies, who did not want to be identified due to fears of offending their regulators. They all agreed the inefficient Lotus system is a huge problem affecting the industry.
One representative said credentialing delays are causing staffing conundrums, and another said it's hindering their ability to hire because they can't verify someone's license through the new system. One representative said the company has taken officers off the schedule because potentially outdated licenses created liability concerns.
People have also left online reviews under DCJS' page, calling the situation "completely unprofessional," "absolutely ridiculous," and a "joke." One commenter claimed an officer was "taken off site" over a license payment issue.
During a March board meeting where Lotus concerns were discussed, two people from the company GardaWorld spoke on the topic, saying it took DCJS an average of 30 days to respond to emails and that completed training requirements were not showing up in Lotus, according to meeting minutes. However, a spokesperson for GardaWorld said that DCJS is now being "responsive and committed to improving Lotus" with "solutions being fast-tracked."
“Recently, they've been good on answering their emails and getting the job done. So again, you have to understand you have an agency that — they don't have enough staff, and that receives almost a thousand calls per day," Sbihi said.
According to March meeting minutes, DCJS was receiving 600 calls and 150 emails per day but has brought in staff from other areas of the agency to keep up with the influx in inquiries.
In written statements, DCJS Director of Finance and Administration John Colligan Jr. said "poor quality data" from its previous system caused "migration issues which have impacted transaction types" such as renewal transactions.
In an effort to ensure security employees can keep working despite Lotus challenges, the agency has extended the validity of credentials that were set to expire between December and April. According to board meeting minutes, the extensions were communicated to affected constituents through email with an 80% open rate.
When asked when the issues will be fully resolved, Colligan did not provide a specific timeline but said "as soon as possible." The agency previously said during the March board meeting that they'd be fixed by March 14.
"We understand the disruption this transition has caused our constituents, and we apologize for any frustration this has caused. DCJS is doing everything we can to make the new system work as intended and while doing so be as flexible as possible with constituents, such as extending existing credentials to allow people to continue to work," Colligan said.
Until then, Sbihi said he'll continue to push for solutions.
“My goal as a board member who represents the electronic security in speaking out today is to advocate for better support, clearer communication, and faster resolutions. The professionals I know affected by this system deserve a functional process, and the citizens of Virginia deserve a security industry that is properly supported," Sbihi said.
The next advisory board meeting is scheduled for April 30.
If you've been impacted by this issue, we want to hear from you. Click here to send an email to CBS 6 investigative reporter Tyler Layne.
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