Profession security guard

Security guards guard, patrol or monitor premises to prevent theft, damage, violence or infractions of rules.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Conventional

Tasks security guard

• Patrol industrial, commercial or private premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion, watch for irregularities and ensure security of doors, windows and gates.
• Watch and monitor alarm and surveillance systems, such as closed circuit television and computer alarm systems, and communicate with mobile units to attend alarms.
• Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.
• Report incidents, problems or irregularities to the appropriate authority.
• Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of persons and vehicles to (from) premises.
• Operate detecting devices to screen individuals and prevent passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas.
• Circulate among crowd, visitors, patrons or employees to preserve order and protect property, stay near persons requiring protection and defend from attack.
• Detect and report fraud, shoplifting and other unlawful acts, and give evidence in court where necessary.
• Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, evict violators from premises using force when necessary, and apprehend and detain offenders until police arrive.
• Call police, fire or medical services in cases of emergency.
• Escort or drive motor vehicle to transport individuals, cash or other valuables to specified locations or to provide personal protection.
• Write reports of daily activities and irregularities such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons or unusual occurrences.

Related professions attendant, guard

• Air marshal
• Airport attendant
• Beach patrolman
• Bike shed attendant
• Bodyguard
• Border inspector
• Bouncer, doorman
• Building caretaker
• Car parking attendant
• Coastguard
• Doorkeeper
• Fair ground attendant
• First line supervisor of protective service workers
• First-aid attendant
• Guard industrial site
• Leisure park attendant
• Lifeguard
• Marina attendant
• Museum attendant
• Private detective
• Public park attendant
• Town watchman
• Traffic attendant (station)
• Traffic attendant (train, tram, metro, bus)

Knowledge

• Security threats

  Types of threats to public and private security such as unauthorised entry, aggressive behaviour, molestation, robbery, theft, assault, kidnapping, murder and public demonstration.

Skills

• Restrain individuals

  Restrain, or control by force, individuals who violate regulations in terms of acceptable behaviour, who present a threat to others, and who perform acts of violence, to ensure the individual is unable to proceed in this negative behaviour and to protect others.

• Patrol areas

  Patrol a designated area, watch out for and respond to suspicious and dangerous situations, and communicate with emergency response organisations.

• Detain offenders

  Keep back offenders and trespassers in a certain area.

• Perform body searches

  Examine visitors by performing a body search, in order to detect weapons or illegal substances.

• Stay alert

  Stay focused and alert at all times; react quickly in the case of unexpected events. Concentrate and do not get distracted performing a task over a long period of time.

• Monitor surveillance equipment

  Monitor the operation of equipment used in surveillance and gathering of intelligence to ensure it functions properly and to gather the surveillance information detected by it.

• Check official documents

  Check an individuals' official documentation, such as driver's licenses and identification, to ensure compliance with legal regulations, and to identify and assess individuals.

• Liaise with security authorities

  Respond quickly to security incidents and violations by calling the police and keep in touch with other relevant parties involved in the potential prosecution of the offender.

• Execute inspection walkway

  Carry out a route in order to verify if all the doors and windows are closed.

• Identify terrorism threats

  Identify the possibility of terrorism activities posing threats and danger in a specific area by monitoring activities of potentially dangerous groups of people, assessing risks in different areas, and gathering intelligence.

• Practice vigilance

  Practice vigilance during patrol or other surveillance activities in order to ensure safety and security, to look out for suspicious behaviour or other alarming changes in patterns or activities, and to respond quickly to these changes.

• Deal with aggressive behaviour

  Respond promptly to adverse behaviour in a professional manner by taking appropriate and legal action to prevent further aggressiveness, such as verbal warning, lawful removal from the premises or apprehension of the person involved. Report details of adverse behaviour in line with the organisation’s procedures.

• Maintain facility security systems

  Ensure that proper and functional security systems are in place, including alarm systems, fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency exits.

• Perform security checks

  Monitor and check individuals' bags or personal items in order to make sure the individuals present no threats and that their behaviour is legally compliant.

• Comply with the principles of self-defence

  Observe the principles according to which a person should only use so much force as is required to repel an attack. The use of deadly force is limited to situations where attackers are using deadly force themselves.

• Ensure public safety and security

  Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.

• Ensure law application

  Ensure the laws are followed, and where they are broken, that the correct measures are taken to ensure compliance to the law and law enforcement.

• Identify security threats

  Identify security threats during investigations, inspections, or patrols, and perform the necessary actions to minimise or neutralise the threat.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB