Josh Stone asked:


The Security Guard: Protector Of Life

The Common Impression On A Security Guard

People had a picture of a security guard as someone uniformed who stands guard all day in banks, schools and related establishments for the safety of the people who are working or going in and out of these buildings. It is very rare that these people are seen in action. In fact, all they seem to do is to provide a sort of visual warning to the possible threat of crime. Much like a security camera, a security guard can prevent the event of a planned crime from happening by simply being present in a building.

The security guard is the underdog of the security industry. People have this impression that a security guard is less of an action hero and more of an annoying presence greeting the visitors with suspicious stares. This is very true for some, but what they do not know is that the security guard is a building or establishment’s only line of defense in the event a crime. Security cameras are only supporting evidences to the crime. Security guards, however, are the real-time defense to stop a crime. This thought makes establishment owners aware of the importance of carefully choosing the right security agency.

Though some people thought of the job of a security guard as being lowly, more and more people are now seeing a different picture of the security guard. Crimes are never promised to disappear and the simplest of crime such as harassment will require the mediation of a security guard. More than acting as a protector of the establishment, the security guard is also present to assist visitors of the building in the absence of an information booth. But these are just some of the real work that security guards do that are visible to the public.

The Job Of A Security Guard

As mentioned earlier, security guards scan visitors, issue passes to control access to the facilities and give assistance to visitors and direct them to the proper areas. Basically, a security guard will need to have a good photographic memory. To effectively monitor the guests and visitors that come and go, he cannot rely on security cameras and instead must rely on his own ability to recognize faces in real-time. There have been cases of prevented crimes from happening or cases solved because the security team has identified a criminal or a wanted man entering the premises.

Throughout his duty as a security guard, he will have to enforce the mandate of the establishment or building he is serving. This is his duty to primarily serve his employer and enforce regulations to maintain order at the establishment or public event that he is working at. There have been cases of brushes with other security guards or law enforcement agencies because the objective of these law enforcers conflicts with the orders given to the security guard of the establishment.

The security guard of an establishment also has job functions other than standing guard at the entrance of an establishment. A security guard can instead be assigned in patrol of areas that is considered either a hazard or is private from the public eye. Patrol of areas can also due to its protection from vandalism, fire and theft.

Aside from this, a security guard can also be assigned in a designated control room. A control room is a place where feeds from security cameras are usually located. The control room is used to monitor activities at strategic points in establishments or public places like the airport or the mall. Related to this is the work at the airport security checkpoints where security personnel check every luggage of passengers for dangerous weapons or hazardous substances.

People have thought that security guards are not mobile and only stay at the employer’s establishment. But this is not always the case. A security guard may be assigned to man armored trucks and vans that deliver cash and valuables to the bank, atm machines and retail customers or partners. They must ensure safe delivery of money from the main bank to ATM machines in different areas of the city. A security guard assigned to an armored van or car is mobile; wherever the van goes, he goes as well. He will only leave his posts only when the transfer of money from van to ATM machines has been effected. The security guard is in a great risk when mobile and carrying huge amounts of cash or valuables that is why banks usually uses dummy armor vans so that criminals will have no idea of the exact schedule of transfer or delivery of valuables.

Lastly, a security guard must ensure that emergency and safety procedures are followed in the event of a fire alarm, bomb threat and such other emergencies.

Current Conditions For The Security Guard

A security guard usually works in private security agencies, in retail stores, industrial establishments, museums and other organizations. Based from current statistics, the highest concentrations of security guards and other related occupations can be found in Nova Scotia and Quebec while the lowest concentrations are present in Alberta and Newfoundland.

Though, worldwide, the employment growth for security guards is above average, continuous advancement in surveillance technologies have decreased the need for security guards. Establishment owners, however, cannot disregard the assessment abilities of human against machine even with the statistical calculating power of machines.

In general conditions, security guards are required to have earned at least a high school diploma to be employed. If one wants to be employed as an airport security guard or work for the federal government, he is required to undergo specialized training from his employer. To be an armored car driver, a prospective security guard needs to have a professional driver’s license. Most of the time, security guards are required by their employers to carry a service firearm. If this be the case, he needs a gun license.



DARRON

Josh Stone asked:


A security guard or security officer is, usually, a privately-employed person who is employed to protect property and/or people. Usually security guards are uniformed and act to protect property by maintaining a high visibility presence and observing (either directly, through patrols, or by watching alarm systems or video cameras) for signs of crime, fire or disorder; then taking action and/or reporting any incidents to their client, employer and emergency services as appropriate.

The security officer motto is to “detect, deter, observe and report.” Security officers are not normally required to make arrests (but has the authority to make a citizens arrest) or otherwise act as police officers except in some United States jurisdictions in which the security officer is invested with arrest powers like those of a county sheriff. In contrast to the above mentioned motto, a Private Security Officer’s actual primary duty is prevention of crime. Security personnel do enforce company rules and can act to protect lives and property. In fact, they frequently have a contractual obligation to provide these actions. Security Officers are often trained to perform arrests, operate emergency equipment, perform first aid, CPR, take accurate notes and write effective reports, and perform other tasks as required by the property they are protecting. In case of Armed Security Officers who are also called Private Police Officers , are required to go through additional training mandated by the state for carrying weapons such as baton , firearms , handcuffing , arrest and control and pepper spray trainings .

One major economic justification for security guards is that insurance companies (particularly fire insurance carriers) will give substantial rate discounts to sites which have a 24-hour presence; for a high risk or high value venue, the discount can often exceed the money being spent on its security program. This is because having a security guard on site increases the odds that any fire will be noticed and reported to the local fire department before a total loss occurs. Also, the presence of security guards (particularly in combination with effective security procedures) tends to diminish “shrinkage,” theft, employee misconduct and safety rule violations, property damage, or even sabotage. Many casinos hire security guards to protect the money when transferring it from the casino to the casino’s bank.

Security officers also perform access control at building entrances and vehicle gates by ensuring that employees and visitors display proper passes or identification before entering the facility. Security officers are often called upon to respond to minor emergencies (lost persons, lockouts, dead vehicle batteries, etc.) and to assist in serious emergencies by guiding emergency responders to the scene of the incident and documenting what happened on an incident report. In case of armed security officers, often they are required to respond like police officers until situation is under control and / or proper authorities arrive on the scene.

Although security officers are a distinct type of personnel from either police officers or the military, in the United States a very high proportion of security personnel, including most senior management personnel, are either former or retired members of one or both services. Many security officers who don’t fit this profile (young people in particular) use the job as a springboard into a police career.

Being a private security officer is by no means a lucrative endeavor. Most first line private security personal are paid a low wage which often does not reflect the risks they endure on the job.

Security officers are classified as either of the following

“In-house” or “proprietary” (i.e. employed by the same company or organization they protect, such as a mall, theme park, or casino)

“Contract,” (working for a private security company which protects many locations.)

“Public security” or security police

“Private Patrol Officers” , Patrol gated communities. i.e. Bel-Air Patrol

“Private Police Officers”, also known as Armed Security Officers

Industry terms for various security personnel include: Security , guards, agents, watchmen, officers, safety patrol , Armed Security , Private Police ,Loss Prevention Officers , Bodyguards , Executive Protection Officers . Other job titles in the security industry include dispatcher, receptionist, driver, supervisor, alarm responder, armed security officer, and manager.

Newer terms have been developing within the American security industry that tend to reclassify security personnel into three basic classes, as follows:

Security guards: These personnel, usually uniformed, are primarily responsible for the protection of property only and do not have a responsibility for anything other than basic visibility and reporting. Examples of security guards include night watchmen on construction sites, bank vault guards, and monetary transport guards of money and valuables.

Security officers: These personnel, also usually uniformed, are employed in functions that involve the protection of lives, property and the public peace on private property. Examples of security officers include apartment complex security officers, mall security officers, private patrol officers, and any security personnel that operate in an environment that includes a contractual obligation for the protection of lives and/or the public peace.

Security agents: These personnel, usually without a uniform, are primarily contracted or employed with a focus on apprehension rather than prevention on private property. Examples of security agents include loss prevention agents and personal protection agents (bodyguards).

Security personnel are not police officers but are often confused with them due to similar uniforms and behaviors, especially on private property. Security personnel derive their powers not from the state, as public police officers do, but from a contractual arrangement that give them ‘Agent of the Owner’ powers. This includes a nearly unlimited power to question with the freedom of an absence of probable cause requirements that frequently dog public law enforcement officers. Additionally, as legal precedents have further restrained the traditional police officers’ power of “officer discretion” regarding arrests in the field, requiring a police officer to arrest minor lawbreakers, private security personnel still enjoy such powers of discretion largely due to their private citizen status. Since the laws regarding the limitations of powers generally have to do with public law enforcement, private security is relatively free to utilize non-traditional means to protect and serve their clients’ interests. This does not come without checks, however, as private security personnel do not enjoy the benefit of civil protection, as public law enforcement officers do, and can be sued directly for false arrests and illegal actions if they commit such acts.



ABRAM

Josh Stone asked:


A security guard or security officer is, usually, a privately-employed person who is employed to protect property and/or people. Usually security guards are uniformed and act to protect property by maintaining a high visibility presence and observing (either directly, through patrols, or by watching alarm systems or video cameras) for signs of crime, fire or disorder; then taking action and/or reporting any incidents to their client, employer and emergency services as appropriate.

The security officer motto is to “detect, deter, observe and report.” Security officers are not normally required to make arrests (but has the authority to make a citizens arrest) or otherwise act as police officers except in some United States jurisdictions in which the security officer is invested with arrest powers like those of a county sheriff. In contrast to the above mentioned motto, a Private Security Officer’s actual primary duty is prevention of crime. Security personnel do enforce company rules and can act to protect lives and property.

In fact, they frequently have a contractual obligation to provide these actions. Security Officers are often trained to perform arrests, operate emergency equipment, perform first aid, CPR, take accurate notes and write effective reports, and perform other tasks as required by the property they are protecting. In case of Armed Security Officers who are also called Private Police Officers, are required to go through additional training mandated by the state for carrying weapons such as baton, firearms, handcuffing, arrest and control and pepper spray trainings.

One major economic justification for security guards is that insurance companies (particularly fire insurance carriers) will give substantial rate discounts to sites which have a 24-hour presence; for a high risk or high value venue, the discount can often exceed the money being spent on its security program. This is because having a security guard on site increases the odds that any fire will be noticed and reported to the local fire department before a total loss occurs. Also, the presence of security guards (particularly in combination with effective security procedures) tends to diminish “shrinkage,” theft, employee misconduct and safety rule violations, property damage, or even sabotage. Many casinos hire security guards to protect the money when transferring it from the casino to the casino’s bank.

Security officers also perform access control at building entrances and vehicle gates by ensuring that employees and visitors display proper passes or identification before entering the facility. Security officers are often called upon to respond to minor emergencies (lost persons, lockouts, dead vehicle batteries, etc.) and to assist in serious emergencies by guiding emergency responders to the scene of the incident and documenting what happened on an incident report. In case of armed security officers, often they are required to respond like police officers until situation is under control and / or proper authorities arrive on the scene.

Although security officers are a distinct type of personnel from either police officers or the military, in the United States a very high proportion of security personnel, including most senior management personnel, are either former or retired members of one or both services. Many security officers who don’t fit this profile (young people in particular) use the job as a springboard into a police career.

Being a private security officer is by no means a lucrative endeavor. Most first line private security personal are paid a low wage which often does not reflect the risks they endure on the job.

Security officers are classified as either of the following

“In-house” or “proprietary” (i.e. employed by the same company or organization they protect, such as a mall, theme park, or casino)

“Contract,” (working for a private security company which protects many locations.)

“Public security” or security police

“Private Patrol Officers” , Patrol gated communities. i.e. Bel-Air Patrol

“Private Police Officers”, also known as Armed Security Officers

Industry terms for various security personnel include: Security , guards, agents, watchmen, officers, safety patrol , Armed Security , Private Police ,Loss Prevention Officers , Bodyguards , Executive Protection Officers . Other job titles in the security industry include dispatcher, receptionist, driver, supervisor, alarm responder, armed security officer, and manager.

Newer terms have been developing within the American security industry that tend to reclassify security personnel into three basic classes, as follows:

Security guards: These personnel, usually uniformed, are primarily responsible for the protection of property only and do not have a responsibility for anything other than basic visibility and reporting. Examples of security guards include night watchmen on construction sites, bank vault guards, and monetary transport guards of money and valuables.

Security officers: These personnel, also usually uniformed, are employed in functions that involve the protection of lives, property and the public peace on private property. Examples of security officers include apartment complex security officers, mall security officers, private patrol officers, and any security personnel that operate in an environment that includes a contractual obligation for the protection of lives and/or the public peace.

Security agents: These personnel, usually without a uniform, are primarily contracted or employed with a focus on apprehension rather than prevention on private property. Examples of security agents include loss prevention agents and personal protection agents (bodyguards).

Security personnel are not police officers but are often confused with them due to similar uniforms and behaviors, especially on private property. Security personnel derive their powers not from the state, as public police officers do, but from a contractual arrangement that give them ‘Agent of the Owner’ powers. This includes a nearly unlimited power to question with the freedom of an absence of probable cause requirements that frequently dog public law enforcement officers. Additionally, as legal precedents have further restrained the traditional police officers’ power of “officer discretion” regarding arrests in the field, requiring a police officer to arrest minor lawbreakers, private security personnel still enjoy such powers of discretion largely due to their private citizen status. Since the laws regarding the limitations of powers generally have to do with public law enforcement, private security is relatively free to utilize non-traditional means to protect and serve their clients’ interests. This does not come without checks, however, as private security personnel do not enjoy the benefit of civil protection, as public law enforcement officers do, and can be sued directly for false arrests and illegal actions if they commit such acts.



COREY

Josh Stone asked:


People had a picture of a security guard as someone uniformed who stands guard all day in banks, schools and related establishments for the safety of the people who are working or going in and out of these buildings. It is very rare that these people are seen in action. In fact, all they seem to do is to provide a sort of visual warning to the possible threat of crime. Much like a security camera, a security guard can prevent the event of a planned crime from happening by simply being present in a building.

The security guard is the underdog of the security industry. People have this impression that a security guard is less of an action hero and more of an annoying presence greeting the visitors with suspicious stares. This is very true for some, but what they do not know is that the security guard is a building or establishment’s only line of defense in the event a crime. Security cameras are only supporting evidences to the crime. Security guards, however, are the real-time defense to stop a crime. This thought makes establishment owners aware of the importance of carefully choosing the right security agency.

Though some people thought of the job of a security guard as being lowly, more and more people are now seeing a different picture of the security guard. Crimes are never promised to disappear and the simplest of crime such as harassment will require the mediation of a security guard. More than acting as a protector of the establishment, the security guard is also present to assist visitors of the building in the absence of an information booth. But these are just some of the real work that security guards do that are visible to the public.

The Job Of A Security Guard

As mentioned earlier, security guards scan visitors, issue passes to control access to the facilities and give assistance to visitors and direct them to the proper areas. Basically, a security guard will need to have a good photographic memory. To effectively monitor the guests and visitors that come and go, he cannot rely on security cameras and instead must rely on his own ability to recognize faces in real-time. There have been cases of prevented crimes from happening or cases solved because the security team has identified a criminal or a wanted man entering the premises.

Throughout his duty as a security guard, he will have to enforce the mandate of the establishment or building he is serving. This is his duty to primarily serve his employer and enforce regulations to maintain order at the establishment or public event that he is working at. There have been cases of brushes with other security guards or law enforcement agencies because the objective of these law enforcers conflicts with the orders given to the security guard of the establishment.

The security guard of an establishment also has job functions other than standing guard at the entrance of an establishment. A security guard can instead be assigned in patrol of areas that is considered either a hazard or is private from the public eye. Patrol of areas can also due to its protection from vandalism, fire and theft.

Aside from this, a security guard can also be assigned in a designated control room. A control room is a place where feeds from security cameras are usually located. The control room is used to monitor activities at strategic points in establishments or public places like the airport or the mall. Related to this is the work at the airport security checkpoints where security personnel check every luggage of passengers for dangerous weapons or hazardous substances.

People have thought that security guards are not mobile and only stay at the employer’s establishment. But this is not always the case. A security guard may be assigned to man armored trucks and vans that deliver cash and valuables to the bank, atm machines and retail customers or partners. They must ensure safe delivery of money from the main bank to ATM machines in different areas of the city. A security guard assigned to an armored van or car is mobile; wherever the van goes, he goes as well. He will only leave his posts only when the transfer of money from van to ATM machines has been effected. The security guard is in a great risk when mobile and carrying huge amounts of cash or valuables that is why banks usually uses dummy armor vans so that criminals will have no idea of the exact schedule of transfer or delivery of valuables.

Lastly, a security guard must ensure that emergency and safety procedures are followed in the event of a fire alarm, bomb threat and such other emergencies.

Current Conditions For The Security Guard

A security guard usually works in private security agencies, in retail stores, industrial establishments, museums and other organizations. Based from current statistics, the highest concentrations of security guards and other related occupations can be found in Nova Scotia and Quebec while the lowest concentrations are present in Alberta and Newfoundland.

Though, worldwide, the employment growth for security guards is above average, continuous advancement in surveillance technologies have decreased the need for security guards. Establishment owners, however, cannot disregard the assessment abilities of human against machine even with the statistical calculating power of machines.

In general conditions, security guards are required to have earned at least a high school diploma to be employed. If one wants to be employed as an airport security guard or work for the federal government, he is required to undergo specialized training from his employer. To be an armored car driver, a prospective security guard needs to have a professional driver’s license. Most of the time, security guards are required by their employers to carry a service firearm. If this be the case, he needs a gun license.



EMORY