security guard's duties and responsibilities

A security guard's duties and responsibilities in the workplace

Basic security guard training Unit 1 Lesson (B)

The duties and responsibilities of a security guard are diverse and vary based on client needs. However, the primary duty of a security guard is of the utmost importance—the prevention and deterrence of crime and the enforcement of rules and regulations at their assigned location.

Security guards bear significant responsibilities, as they often hold the lives of many in their hands. In a company, security personnel are trusted employees due to their access to sensitive information that others are not privy to.

Security guards not only keep classified matters secret but also protect property, which is millions of dollars worth of property that is not owned. The general duties of the security guard are as follows:

Security guard duties and responsibilities (Duties)

1. Observing and reporting 

Observation is not just about seeing, but about paying careful attention to details, noting them in your notebook, and reporting to the appropriate person. This process is crucial in maintaining security at your assigned location.

You must familiar with the surrounding area where you work, it helps to identify the unusual thing happened while you are on duty. The security guard must note down the event what happened in their duty and pass the information to the related person.

If the rules and regulations are not obeyed have to report the supervisor or the person who is your head of the department.

2. Deterring and detecting crime

Your visible presence will deter the criminals from doing something illegal in your site. When the criminal see the security is presented on the site, they can change their mind and plan.

However, if you see someone is committing the crime you have to inform the police with valuable information. This may help them to catch the criminal and stop the crime while it is happening.

You should make a good note while the incident is happening or as soon as possible those notes can be used as evidence in a court.

3.  Keeping good public relations

Maintaining good public relations is another crucial duty of the security guard. As they are constantly in contact with the public while on duty, their professional conduct and engagement play a significant role in community relations.

Your client always expects that you give the information to the public. People can turn to you if they have a problem, so, you should act in a professional way in these situations.

4. Responding to emergencies

An emergency is an unexpected event which can happen at any time and can be the danger of lives and property.

Responding effectively is a part of the security guard's duty. In a case of emergency, you may be the first person to detect, deal with, and respond to it. In an emergency situation, you should play a leadership role before other people turn to your guidance.

Every company has their own plan and procedure in case of fire, flood, bomb threat. You should respond the emergency to the right way as per the outlined in the procedure.

If there is a fire you may need to conduct the building evacuation, in this situation if you know what to do and act quickly you can save the people lives.

Security is more trusted in the worse situation that's why it is important you handle the emergency situation without panic.

5. Controlling access and using alarm systems

Security guard often has to control the movement of people, vehicles, and materials coming into and out from their site. while material "in" you may need a delivery order and "out" may require a gate pass those things are authorized documents you should check carefully.

To control the movement of the people you may require checking their identification.  sometimes the client concerns employees are stealing the items you may require inspect the baggage.

The security guard must know how to use the alarm system and other surveillance systems such as CCTV  camera etc.

6. Patrolling

Patrolling is also an important part of the security job. You have to go around or visit point to point in your site, by doing so, you can see a large area than staying in one place.

The patrol can conduct on feet, bicycle or vehicle. Patroling help you to see what is going on and finding the safety hazards at many parts of your site.

When you do patrol many people can see you and they think the security guard is alert if someone trying to commit a crime they can change their mind.

7. Traffic control 

Direct traffic control may be a part of your job on some sites such as shopping mall, party places etc. In the heavy traffic sites, you may have to work in the parking area as a traffic controller. In an emergency, you may be asked to control the traffic to help the police in the pubic area.

8. Crowd control 

Crowd control is orderly manage the large group of people. If there is any dispute in your site you should manage the crowd and deal it with extreme care.

If you deploy duty at large public gathering areas like street fairs, music festivals, stadiums and public demonstration you should involve controlling the crowd.

9. Finding safety hazards

While you are on patrol you can find the various types safety hazards at many parts of your sites like water leakage, bare wire, overheated boiler etc. you have to note down and report to fix it.

10. Performing other special duties

Some security guards, especially those hired by individuals, do more than their primary duty.

They may be overwhelmed with more responsibilities, such as receiving phone calls, responding to text and email messages, and running vital errands for their employer.

Security guard duties and responsibilities (responsibilities)

The main responsibility of the security guards and security industries is to protect people, property, and information.

1. Protection of People.

The large part of the security guard job is the protection of the people. The security guard does it in many ways such as patrolling the area and finding the safety hazards, prevent entering the criminals to the site.

What kind of people are protected by a security guard?

• The clients and his staff
• Public: people who use the client's property
• Government officials
• VIP's
• Everyone

How does the security guard protect people?

• Observation of crime against a person.
• Keeping the people out of dangerous and hazardous areas.
• Being alert to dangerous situations and hazards.
• Ensuring a safe environment.

A security guard may be asked to escort employees particularly if they are going to their car late at night. Security guard always looks for anything that may cause fire and accident.

It is a most important responsibility of the security guard to make sure the employee working safely and no one put in danger.

If there is a crowd gathered on the site or labor dispute and protest against the company's management, security guard take the charge to make sure no one is hurt there.

2. Protection of property.

Security guards are responsible for protecting property from being stolen or damaged by someone. Sometimes, clients are concerned about employees taking items out of the company. At that time, you may be asked to search the baggage and vehicle.

What kinds of properties do security guards provide protection?

1. Client property (Building and contents)
2. Personal property (property of clients/Employees/customers)
3. Store & Merchandise
4. Public property (Parks/Roads/Government Building

Tools used to protect properties.

• Barriers
• Surveillance Equipment (CCTV)
• Your observation power (Eyes)
• Awareness of your surrounding
• Patrol
• Searches
• Crowd control
• Alarm
• Locks

Patrolling around the site deters theft, robbery, and vandalism. Damage of property happens in many ways such as fire can completely damage the building and property, water leakage, flood, melting snow, and frozen pipe.

If you see them while they are small, be able to report them in time. It prevents property damage.

3. Protection of Information.

Protection of information is becoming a more important and crucial part of the security job at all times. Stealing intellectual property and cybercrime is increasing even though most companies and governmental institutes have fought against this. Security guards protect the information as follows:

Confidentiality- Keeping secrets things secret is called confidentiality. A security guard is a part of protecting information, not part of an information leak.

As being a security guard you are at a place where most people trust you than others. Security guard knows all access and egress routes of the company and holds the keys and other access cards.

You should not allow anyone to use the key and access card if they are not authorized to do so. If the camera and alarm system under repair or not working you should keep this thing secret and report to whom you have to.

A big part of protecting information is knowing when it is "okay" to talk and when it is not "Okay" to talk.

Computer crime– Computer crime is stealing computer data or destroying it, whatever intention it is.

Nowadays most of the business data are stored in computer people can steal and use this data for goods, services and can sell for profit. The financial record can be used to access account or credit card.

An intruder may find confidential information such as the password or special code by looking in the garbage or accessing through someone's desk.

If employees do not log off the computer, they are supposed to do so. Someone can use it to see private information. Even though it is very hard to find for security guard what employees doing on their computers but you should be vigilance for unusual activities, watching all the time.

Who can be involved in confidentiality and cybercrime at your site?

Cybersecurity

1. An employee who is fired and angry with the company.
2. An employee who is using a computer that belongs to someone else.
3. Someone who works at home a lot and comes to the office at an odd hour when you have not expected.
4. An employee who comes early and goes late, you seem to think there is not much work in the office.
5. An Employee who talks freely about things that should be kept secret.
6. People outside are allowed to work in a restricted area where no one is watching them.

If you see someone is too involved in computer crime, you should report it on time.

In conclusion: In this lesson, you have learned the main duties and responsibilities of a security guard. Even though a security guard performs various tasks, the goal is deterring, detecting, and reporting the crime.

The key responsibilities of a security guard are to protect people, property, and information.