Security guard
A security guard is a person employed by an organisation or individual to protect their employer's assets from a variety of hazards by enforcing preventative measures. Security guards do this by maintaining a high-visibility presence to deter illegal and inappropriate actions, looking for signs of crime or other hazards, taking action to minimize damage, and reporting any incidents to their clients and emergency services, as appropriate.
Security guards are generally uniformed to represent their lawful authority to protect private property. Security guards are generally governed by legal regulations, which set out the requirements for eligibility and the permitted authorities of a security guard in a given jurisdiction. The authorities permitted to security guards vary by country and subnational jurisdiction. Security guards are hired by a range of organizations, including businesses, government departments and agencies and not-for-profit organizations.
Until the 1980s, the term watchman was more commonly applied to this function, a usage dating back to at least the Middle Ages. This term was carried over to North America where it was interchangeable with night watchman until both terms were replaced with the modern security-based titles. Security guards are sometimes regarded as fulfilling a private policing function.
Functions and duties
Many security firms and proprietary security departments practice the "detect, deter, observe and report" method. Security guards are usually not required to make arrests, but have the authority to make a citizen's arrest and detain them, or otherwise act as an agent of law enforcement, for example, at the request of a police officer or a sheriff. Some security guards may also be armed, with functions similar to an auxiliary police.A private security guard's responsibility is protecting their client from a variety of hazards. Security personnel enforce company rules and can act to protect lives and property, and they sometimes have a contractual obligation to provide these actions. In addition to basic deterrence, security guards are often trained to perform specialized tasks such as arrest and control, operate emergency equipment, perform first aid, CPR, take accurate notes, write detailed reports, and perform other tasks as required by the client they are serving. All security guards are also required to go through additional training mandated by the state for the carrying of weapons such as batons, firearms, and pepper spray. Some guards are required to complete police certification for special duties. In recent years, due to elevated threats of terrorism, most security guards are required to have bomb-threat training and/or emergency crisis training, especially those located in soft target areas such as shopping malls, schools, and any other area where the general public congregate. One major economic justification for security personnel is that insurance companies will give substantial rate discounts to sites which have a 24-hour presence. For a high risk or high-value property, the discount can often exceed the money being spent on its security program. Discounts are offered because having security 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 tends to diminish "shrinkage", theft, employee misconduct, and safety rule violations, property damage, or even sabotage. Many casinos hire security guards to protect money when transferring it from the casino to the casino's bank.
Security personnel may also perform access control at building entrances and vehicle gates; meaning, they ensure that employees and visitors display proper passes or identification before entering the facility. Security guards are called upon to respond to potential hazards and to assist in serious emergencies by securing the scene to prevent further loss or damage, summoning emergency responders to the incident, helping to redirect foot traffic to safe locations, and by documenting what happened on an incident report to give their client an idea of how to prevent similar situations from occurring. Armed security guards are frequently contracted to respond as law enforcement until a given situation at a client location is under control and/or public authorities arrive on the scene.
Patrolling is usually a large part of a security guard's duties, as most incidents are prevented by being looked for instead of waiting for them to occur. Often these patrols are logged by use of a guard tour patrol system, which require regular patrols. Until recently the most commonly used form used to be mechanical clock systems that required a key for manual punching of a number to a strip of paper inside with the time pre-printed on it. But recently, electronic systems have risen in popularity due to their lightweight, ease of use, and downloadable logging capabilities. Regular patrols are, however, becoming less accepted as an industry standard, as it provides predictability for the would-be criminal, as well as monotony for the security officer on duty. Random patrols are easily programmed into electronic systems, allowing greater freedom of movement and unpredictability. Global positioning systems are beginning to be used because they are a more effective means of tracking guards' movements and behavior.
Personnel
Types of security personnel
Security personnel may be classified as one of the following, though there are no consistent international definitions:- In-house, private, or proprietary security security to stores and malls, with the specific aim of preventing and deterring theft and detaining shoplifters
- *Hotel detectives, also known as a house detectives were "in-house", plainclothes security personnel employed by hotels. The position is largely obsolete and has been replaced with position titles such as "security guard" or "security officer". Hotel detectives feature heavily within noir fiction. American films that feature hotel detectives include Listen Lester, The Lone Wolf Strikes, One Thrilling Night, and Don't Bother to Knock.
- Contract security, working for a private security company which protects many locations
- Public security, an individual employed or appointed as a security officer by a government or government agency generally for the employing/appointing agency
- Parapolice, private security firms that routinely engage in criminal investigations and may hold police powers.
Terminology and titles
File:Guangzhou-Cash-transport-0454.jpg|thumb|Armored car with a crew of security guards in Guangzhou, China
State and local governments sometimes regulate the use of these terms by law—for example, certain words and phrases that "give an impression that he or she is connected in any way with the federal government, a state government, or any political subdivision of a state government" are forbidden for use by California security licensees by Business and Professions Code Section 7582.26. The terms "private homicide police" or "special agent" would thus be unlawful for a security licensee to use in California. Similarly, in Canada, various acts specifically prohibit private security personnel from using the terms probation officer, law enforcement, police, or police officer.
Alberta and Ontario prohibit the use of the term security officer, which has been in widespread use in the United States for many decades. Recent changes to the act have also introduced restrictions on uniform and vehicle colours and markings to make private security personnel clearly distinctive from police personnel. Some sources feel that some of these restrictions are put in place to satisfy the Canadian Police Association. Specialized VIP security guard services and companies are in high demand and are defined by their ability to protect celebrities and executives during times of unrest. 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 philosophy "observe and report". They are minimally trained, and are not expected to deal with the public or confront criminals.
The latter are often highly trained, sometimes armed depending on contracts agreed upon with clientele, and are more likely to interact with the general public and to confront the criminal element. These employees tend to take pride in the title "security officer" or "protection officer" and disdain the label of "guard". Security jobs vary in pay and duties. There is sometimes little relationship between duties performed and compensation; for example, some mall "security officers" who are exposed to serious risks earn less per hour than "industrial security guards" who have less training and responsibility. The term "agent" can be confusing in the security industry because it can describe a civil legal relationship between an employee and their employer or contractor, and also can describe a person in government service The title "agent" can be confused with bail enforcement agents, also known as "bounty hunters", who are sometimes regulated by the same agencies which regulate private security. The term "agent" is also used in other industries, such as banking agents, loan agents and real estate agents. Security agents are often employed in loss prevention and personal or executive protection roles. They typically work in plainclothes, and are usually highly trained to act lawfully in direct defense of life or property.