ABOUT THE COMPANY (History continue)
HAWA Security Systems Inc. is a full service contractor that has demonstrated its reputation as a proven leader in providing physical security. Founded by Charles E. King, President/CEO and based in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, HAWA Security Systems Inc. is a Liberian owned security and management contractor providing services to the commercial sectors since its inception in 1974.
HAWA's management team is comprised of veterans and other highly seasoned technical and business professionals with hundreds of combined years of experience with military, law enforcement and security services. Our reputation has enabled us to obtain so of the most well known businesses in Liberia. HAWA was one of the most respected names in private security companies in Liberia before the Civil War.
HAWA was started out of frustration Mr. King experienced, when he tried to operate professionally in the police at the time of his return to Liberia from the United States. The police force at that time was in much need of change - change to a more professional organization. The previous police directors tried and the few professionals there were driven out by the politics. However, very few remained. Names like Mr. Edwin Harmon stands out because he is regarded as the father of modern police administration in Liberia at the time. He was the most respected police administrators to serve in the Liberian National police. Many like Mr. King can owe their existence in the police to a man with such as Mr. Edwin Luzon Harmon.
HAWA Security Systems Inc, provided services to the members of the Liberian public in areas such as guard service, investigations, electronic alarm systems for houses and vehicles, training, consultations to name but a few. It had started to set up a correspondence schools for those in the West Africa region.
During the start of the Civil War in Liberia, HAWA was still operating. However, when events took a turn for the worst, HAWA was seized to operate and has been inactive since that time.
When the company was founded, the Managing Director wanted the reputation of the company to reach the very borders of the Nation. He had a vision to train and develop men and women from every corner of Liberia into professional private security guards. After he had accomplished that, the next move was to go out of Liberia to the neighboring countries - to spread the concept of professionalism in private security. He also knew that at some point in time that these officers would eventually be interested in joining the Liberia National Police, because the training which he was to give them was geared towards developing professional law enforcement officers to safeguard and protect the Liberian people, in a manner that they would embrace the concepts of basic human rights.
The Managing Director did accomplish his goals and within several years he had registered HAWA security under the Mano River Union Agreement, in Sierra Leone. He established a training school, and thereby provided support to the local private security firms and proprietary security organizations existing at the time in Sierra Leone. The emersion of Hawa into the Sierra Leone life had to be done carefully so as not to appear as a threat to the local professionals. After his company registered in Sierra Leone, his first contract was to train the first batch of private security guards for the National Petroleum Oil corporation (NP) in Freetown. The graduation exercise was attended by the Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police at a grand turning out parade, at their local national stadium. It was a small but very memorable day. It was reported in the local press accordingly.
The history of HAWA was not an easy one. There were no loans from the banks, no loans from family members, no loans from the government. It took all he creativity of Mr. King the founder to gather up the wherewithal to start his dream - to put his dreams into reality.
When Mr. King entered into private business from the Government of Liberia, he began to visualize his dreams. If he could set up a truly professional private security company devoid of politics that were the influence in the police department, he could show to the people what professionalism in security was all about. So he cleared out the basement level of his family home at Mamba Point, behind SAC Tower, and got some chairs,a table and an old blackboard not large. Due to the heat at certain times of the year, he took the class outside under neath the Almond tree which grew in the yard. facing the strong Atlantic ocean sound and breeze, there he would teach the first batch of private security officers. Had he a contract no, uniforms no, just the will of his vision. He had registered HAWA Security Systems Inc. and was legal and could now conduct business.
At certain days he would provide training while going out to canvass for contracts. At that time there were others in the market doing security. Others with experience, but fortunately for me they were working in Government at the same time. So that give me the edge that I needed. I conducted competitive intelligence and after I had obtained the necessary information that I needed , I formed the company - with a definite goal and objective. A standard that did not exist.
The MD himself wore the security uniform which he had established for his officers. this meat that he showed them the image and how proud he was of the company and to wear its uniform. this was a very strange site for Liberians. But he set a stage, when no sooner then he had sported his uniforms that others became to follow him. They tried to follow him, but were not in the positions to. The MD was also at the same time going door to door selling the concept of alarm systems for homes. At the Gabrial and Barnesvill Estates, he walked in the sun selling door to door with his portable alarm demonstration kit. Selling the concept to the residents. His determination paid off. Everything was coming into focus. His dreams were becoming a reality - his visualization paid off.
The Raymond concrete Pile corporation had won the bid to construct the first navigational station in west Africa for the Americans. It was called the Omega navigation Station. I tendered by proposal and was awarded the contract. No bribes-no promises to money after the awarding of the contract.
My terms and manner in which I drew up my contracts because the model for all others. I was the only contractor guard service that required three months payment in advance. at the time I received fifty percent of the contract cost up front for mobilization fees, and the balance 2 weeks after starting the contract. Remember, I had no loans from anyone. I had no money when I started the contract. The first advance I received I hurriedly give the go ahead to purchase my uniforms for my officers together with equipments which I ordered from the United States. high powered flashlights, two way communications sets to name but a few. I had arrived. HAWA had begun and it would grow in leaps and bound before long.
After a few months I had to get my presence in the business community. An office space in a good building in Monrovia. The others were mostly out of the owners home - in some case in their yards with a separate trailer of sorts. I secured a office space in Marcars building on Broad Street, Monrovia. HAWA sign placed for all to see. HAWA Security Systems Inc. could now be seen by all.
Like any goal worth its salt, there will always be obstacles, and obstacles there were. But I took it in stride, knowing that my vision was clear. I had a dream and that dream was to be a reality. I over came all the obstacles and learned at each step of the way.
Business was booming and we increased our personnel to about100 people in a few months. It was necessary for me to leave now for bigger facilities and so I moved from Marcars building to Liberia Finance and Trust Company (LFTC) for a few months until my own facilities could be prepared. It was a small office space during this time, but my officers were on the field and that was what was important at this time. In radio control all my sights and so in constant contacts. officers supervisors were promoted as I began to expand. No longer did I go out to inspect and prepare assignments. HAWA was moving up.
At last the HAWA Security facilities was completed and I moved the office again to Randall Street, opposite St. Theresa's Convent School. I had renovated the downstairs part of a residential building as the offices, and had an attached showroom for alarm systems street side. My shingles were up again. I had a training space classroom and graduation classes took place there even after the military coup in Liberia which toppled the civilian government at the time.
As HAWA grew it because exceedingly clear that I would have to again move my office to another building down town Monrovia, and this time, it would be into HAWA security own building on the upper floor. This time we had 9 offices which included a large classroom, shift 24 hours command room and individual offices for the finance officer, and sales department staff, installers and multimedia production crew. We had it all. All in one facility and finally a place where business people could come and see the company they were going to be contracting with for their security services.
It was here HAWA Security was when the civil war erupted and relunctley, I was sent messages by my officers to see about leaving because the situation was not good and would not turn around. With heavy heart and sadness, I left Monrovia with my children and whatever little clothes I could get, locked my house door and drove with my two vehicles on Broad Street, passing the ITC Bank, where I saw an officer still on duty, despite the heavy artillery that I could hear in the background. The officers had decided to stay for as long as they could I was told by the officer driver that was with me, but that they all wanted for me to leave Liberia, because I had given them so much more then they cold have expressed to me.
So as I passed he ITC bank building, HAWA officers stood up and give me one last proud salute as I passed. With tears in my eyes I saluted them back, they smiled, and after dropping their hands to their sides, they waved to me shaking their heads in approval as I disappeared into the distance towards the Gabrial Tucker Bridge. That was the last time I saw my officers at their post in the proud stance of a HAWA security officer.
I was later told that the very day I left Monrovia, that rebel solders had gone to my home to Kill me and my family.
The trip leaving Monrovia was not without its incidents and trials and tribulations. That story is for another time and another place. This was told to present to you who HAWA is and what she stood for and the excellent officers that she had working for her at the time.
The story of HAWA is the story of one mans dream and desire to see develop a cadre of professionally trained men and women who can provide a life for themselves and their families - who can help change the landscape of our Liberian society into a more respectful one - each one doing whatever they can to lift the other members they come into contact with.
Officers Benefits:
For those assignments that were outside Monrovia in Bong Mine and Firestone, HAWA rented rooms for the officers in one location and provided beds and cooking materails for the officers. HAWA also provided bags of rice for the officers every three two months. The bags were delivered to the officers at their assignments. The officers were offered to be paid weekly, bi-weekly and monthly. HAWA never missed a payroll. The officers elected to be paid monthly. But their money was kept under a separate account in the local banks and their three months salary was always there. We never missed a payday.
Officers were given the opportunity of using the patrol bus to be transported to their various assignments along the routes. The officers only had to come out to the main route that the inspectors would travel to the various assignments and they could ride with the bus. In this way we assisted the officers getting to work.
HAWA employed everyone regardless of their political, ethnic and or social status. If you wanted to be a professional private security officer that was it. No criminal records were tolerated. Our standards were high.
When we introduced computers into our company, we were the only private security company to use such. Our complete data base for security, [personnel and financial records were kept on the computer. Our clients had a detailed and organized report the start of every week covering the activities of the previous week, unless of course, there were incidents which warranted early reports. We could predict certain events before they happened from mining our data base which we updated every morning from reports of our officers in the field. I could bring up every event and in some instances information that assisted the local police at the time.
HAWA represented a very advance company operating in Liberia at the time. The officers were proud of their company and their company was proud of her officers as well. The story of HAWA cannot be told without the officers and members of the company.
