SECURITY GUARD OFFICERS - SECURITY GUARDS

A Security Guard or Security Officer is usually a privately-employed person who is paid (directly or through a security firm) to protect and secure property and/or people. Usually security officers and security guards are uniformed and act to protect and secure property by maintaining a high visibility presence to deter illegal and/or inappropriate actions, observing (either directly, through security patrols, or by watching or monitoring alarm systems or video cameras) for signs of crime, vandalism, fire or disorder; then taking action and/or reporting any security related incidents to their security guard agency (employer) or the security client, and contacting the local police or emergency services as appropriate.

Functions and duties of Security Guards

The security officer and security guard motto is to "detect, deter, observe and report." Security officers and guard officers are not normally required to make arrests (but have the authority to make a citizens arrest) or otherwise act as police officers, except in some (notably United States) jurisdictions in which the security officer and security guard is invested with arrest powers like those of a county sheriff. In contrast to the above mentioned security services motto, a Private Security Officer's actual primary duty is prevention of crime. Security guards and security officer personnel do enforce security company rules and can act to protect lives and secure property. In fact, the security guards and security officers frequently have a contractual obligation to provide security guard services or security related actions. Security Officers and security guards are often trained to perform arrest and control procedures (including handcuffing and restraints), operate emergency equipment, perform security first aid, CPR, take accurate security service notes and write effective security reports, security  incident reports and perform other security guard service tasks as required by the property or client they are protecting. Many security officers and security guards are required to go through additional security guard and special security protection training mandated by the state for the carrying of weapons such as firearm, baton, and pepper spray. Some security officers and security guards are required to complete police certification for special security guard related duties such as Private Police Officers.

It is said that one major economic justification for security guard officers and security personnel 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 guard service program. This is because having security guard services and guard officers 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 guard and uniformed security guards (particularly in combination with effective security procedures) tends to diminish "shrinkage," theft, vandalism, employee misconduct and safety rule violations, property damage, or even sabotage. Many casinos hire armed uniformed security guards, plain clothes armed security guards, or armed body guards to protect the money when transferring it from the casino to the casino's bank.

Security Guards and Security Officers

Security guards and security officer personnel may 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 guard officers are often called upon to respond to minor security 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 a security guard log or an incident report. Security Officers and security guards (usually armed for this function) are frequently contracted to respond in a similar fashion as police officers until a given situation at a client location is under control and/or public authorities arrive on the scene.

Although security officers and security guards are a distinct type of personnel from either police officers or the military, in the United States a very high proportion of security guard personnel, including most senior management personnel, are either former or retired members of one or both services. Many security guard officers who don't fit this profile (young people in particular) use the security guard job as a springboard into a police career or other security service related career like: body guard services, executive protection, VIP security, VIP protection, Dignitary Protection, High Profile Security Services, event security, loss prevention, retail security, commercial security, bail enforcement recovery, private detective services, private investigator services, Personal Security, Residential Security, Commercial Security, Hotel Security, Event Security, Body Guard Services, Executive Protection, VIP Protection, Personal Protection, Electronic Eavesdropping Countermeasures - Bug Sweeps (Bug Detection), Escort Services, Security Consulting, Secure Transportation, Vehicle Patrols, Retail Security, Loss Prevention, & Private Investigation services .

Industry terms for various security guard and security officer personnel include: Security guards, agents, guard officers, courtesy officers, security agents, security safety agents, body guards, protection agents, watchmen, officers, safety patrol, protection agents, Armed Security, Private Police, Loss Prevention, private security, security men, loss prevention agents, loss prevention officers, retail security agents, Bodyguards, Executive Protection Agents, executive security or Access Managers. Other job titles in the security industry include security guard dispatcher, receptionist, driver, supervisor, alarm responder, mall security officer, private patrol officer, Private Patrol Operator, and security guard manager.

Controversy exists within the private security guard industry regarding the job titles of "security guard" as opposed to "security officer" and "security agent." State and local governments sometimes regulate the use of these security related terms by law -- for example, certain words and phrases that "give an impression that the security guard is connected in any way with the federal government, a state government, or any political subdivision of a state government". So the terms "private police" or "special agent" would be unlawful for a security guard licensee to use in several states.

There is general agreement, however, that there is a marked difference between persons performing the duties historically associated with watchmen, and persons who take a more active role in protecting persons and property. The former, often called "guards," are taught the mantra "observe and report," are minimally trained, and not expected to deal with the public or confront criminals. The security guard personnel are often highly trained in security guard services, sometimes armed depending on local laws and regulations, and are more likely to interact with the general public and to confront the criminal element. These security service employees tend to take pride in the title "Security Officer" and disdain the label of "guard." Ironically enough, there may be no relationship between security duties performed and compensation -- many mall security "security officers" who are exposed to serious risks with security guard services make less per hour than "industrial security guards" with less training and responsibility.

The term "agent" is particularly problematic in the security guard industry because it can describe a civil legal relationship between a person and their employee, hireling or contractor but also describes a person in government service Security "agents" found in loss prevention and personal or executive protection (bodyguards) typically work in plainclothes, without a security guard uniform, and are usually highly trained to act lawfully in direct defense of life or property. There is also confusion with bail enforcement agents, or as they are popularly known "bounty hunters," who are sometimes regulated by the same agencies which regulate private security guard services.

Security guard personnel who conduct security guard services are cautioned that identifying themselves to citizens or police as "officers," particularly in a high threat or tactical situation, may result in mistaken identity, charges of impersonating a peace (police) officer, or even serious injury or death if police are believe that they are confronting an armed criminal as opposed to rescuing a lawfully armed private employee. In the security guard industry, the term "guard," however unpalatable, may prevent potentially lethal confusion when interfacing with law enforcement agencies and dispatchers.

Security guard service personnel are not police officers but are often confused with them due to similar uniforms and behaviors, especially on private property. Security guard personnel and security officers who conduct security guard services or protection services 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 guard and security officer personnel still enjoy such powers of discretion largely due to their private citizen status. Since the laws regarding the limitations of powers  of security guard services generally have to do with public law enforcement, private security guards and security services 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 guard and security officer 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.

Some jurisdictions do commission or deputize security officers and security guards and give the security guards limited additional powers when conducting their security guard services, particularly when the security officers are employed in protecting public property such as mass transit stations malls, etc . This is a special case that is often unique to a particular jurisdiction or locale.

Some security officers and security guards conduct security guard services with police powers, typically employed directly by governmental agencies, are called security police. Typically these are police whose duties primarily involve the security of a government installation, and are also a special case. Other municipalities have occasionally entered into special contracts with security agencies and private security guard companies to provide patrol services, guard security services, security patrol services, or other related security guard duties in public areas and these security guard personnel are sometimes referred to as Private Police Officers.

Sometimes police officers work as security guard personnel while not on security related duty. This is usually done for extra income, and work is particularly done in hazardous jobs such as bodyguard service work and security guard bouncers outside nightclubs. In some countries, including the United Kingdom, it is illegal for police officers to take private security guard or security service protection work.

Except in these special cases, a security guard or security officer who misrepresents himself as a police officer is committing a crime. However, security guard and security officer personnel by their very nature often conduct security services in cooperation with police officials. Police are called in when a situation warrants a higher degree of authority to act upon reported observations of the security guard service personnel that could not be directly acted upon safely by the security guard personnel or the security guard company.

 

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