China plans to introduce new regulations governing the training and supervision of security guards in order to prevent embezzlement.

Ma Weiya, an official with the Ministry of Public Security,

said that since China launched its first security guard company in south China's boomtown Shenzhen in 1984, China has had 2,258 security guard service companies and 1.03 million authorized security guards.

The country currently has another three million people waiting to be approved as security guards "The security guard sector is developing rapidly but problems still exist, such as some security guards stealing what is entrusted to their care," said Ma.

The regulations now stipulate how to train and supervise security guards, as well as how to punish security guards who are involved in embezzlement, he said.

Ma said security guards play an important role in maintaining social stability. Last year alone, security guards provided 96,000 clues in connection with criminal cases to police authorities.

Based on the clues, more than 117,000 criminal suspects were arrested and 1.89 billion yuan of public and individual assets were recovered.

From 2001 to 2005, 153 security guards sacrifice their lives when performing their duties.

The regulations will also include provisions on protecting a security guard's legitimate rights, Ma said.

Source: Xinhua