If you are considering becoming a security guard, you may think the job is relatively straightforward: provide security. While this is your primary function, there is much more to your general duties than that simple summary suggests.
Here, we look at six key responsibilities that may be placed on your shoulders as a security guard.
1. A Sense of Security
To the person employing you, you provide genuine security services – preventing theft in retail settings, intruders in offices, and fights/drunken behavior in bars, for example. To the on-site staff and the public, you provide something subtly different: a sense of security.
This is a crucial distinction. Wherever you are stationed, you will make the people around you feel safer by being there. Your presence is invaluable whether they acknowledge this consciously or it is a subconscious response. These people know that there is someone they can turn to if there is an emergency and that if a situation arises, that could turn dangerous, they know you will take care of it.
2. Controlling the Flow of Traffic
Controlling traffic applies to both vehicular and foot traffic. As the person responsible for maintaining a sense of order and control, you may be called upon to direct, manage, or restrict traffic.
Before your shift, you should find out from the site management what the expectations are. Clear expectations are essential if you work at an event or festival site where poor traffic and crowd flow can mean the difference between a successful event and a failure.
3. Crowd Management
Regarding providing security at events, you may have to provide crowd management services. Concerts and sports games (this latter, in particular) can be powder kegs of emotional individuals waiting to explode in the form of crowd surges and fights.
You must rely heavily on your risk assessment and situational awareness training here. You do not want to step in when people are just having a good time (that is what they are supposed to be doing, after all), but when the mood turns boisterous to belligerent, it is time to make your presence felt.
When dealing with crowds, you will undoubtedly want to include your fellow security guards or local law enforcement officers if they are on site. Otherwise, you could quickly find yourself overwhelmed and being the instigator of the unrest you were hoping to avoid.
4. Guidance, Directions, and Advice
Whether stationed at the door of a business or event or on patrol, you will probably find yourself asked for directions at some point. This could be something as simple as where to find the person or department that the individual is there to see, or it could be something more in-depth like where is the best place to park.
Either way, it is in your best interest (and that of your employer) that you know the site well. A surly, unresponsive, or unhelpful attitude will not build up your reputation as a competent and professional security guard – and if you have a complaint raised against you for any reason, you could find yourself replaced very quickly.
There are also professional benefits to you; the last thing you want is random public members roaming your site aimlessly. Giving them clear and accurate directions will minimize their time on your radar.
5. Call the Emergency Services
If an emergency arises, it will likely fall to you to ensure that the emergency services are informed promptly. This covers the full range of 911 responders (fire, EMT, and police) – whoever is the most appropriate service provider for the incident underway.
You will need to handle this while simultaneously managing the emergency itself. Suppose you are the only person in the vicinity with any first aid experience or training when someone collapses. In that case, you must either demand that a bystander make the call or do it yourself in conjunction with administering first aid.
Ensure that your phone and radio communications always have more than enough charge for your shift and are easily accessible for emergency usage.
6. Security Reporting
After any incident, and particularly those that require emergency services to be present, you will need to write a detailed and accurate report for your employer – and potentially for law enforcement and insurance companies, depending on the nature of the event.
As such, your observational and communication skills must be highly developed. The slightest mistake here could cause issues for everyone involved further down the line, so you must ensure you are 100% comfortable filling out a report for various stakeholders.
Human memory can play tricks on you. Every detail can be subconsciously affected by what others say and do. For the best results, you should write down the essential details as soon as possible, ideally in a quiet, isolated place.
It is your ethical responsibility to be truthful in your report. If you made a mistake, or the situation was partly due to your employer or client, it still needs to be accurately reported. Stick with the facts.
Alliance Training and Testing
If you want to develop the skills you need when working as a security guard, contact the Alliance Training and Testing team. We provide a range of security training courses, all widely acknowledged as among the most comprehensive in Tennessee. Our team can help you obtain or renew your security license and become a better, more well-rounded security professional.
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