Important Responsibilities of a Security Guard
If you have a business that stocks expensive equipment or classified information onsite, or you just want to ensure your staff and customers are safe during their day-to-day tasks, then you may be considering hiring a security guard for added peace of mind. However, if you’ve never had to interact with this sector before, you may be wondering what exactly they undertake, and what types of things they will be responsible for – and what you’ll have to manage yourself.
You’ll be happy to learn that your security guard company takes care of all security related issues, and will personally instruct you on anything you or your employees need to do. We’ve compiled this list of tasks that they are responsible for, so you know exactly what to expect.
• Patrolling
Many security guards are hired to patrol your premises or property, remaining alert and on the lookout for anything suspicious. These patrols can be performed either alone or with another guard, and are generally performed either constantly, or on random schedules so the criminals cannot predict the behaviour.
• Reporting
During the patrolling process, a trained guard will note down anything suspicious that catches their attention, from obvious things such as people acting out of character and physical obstructions, to more obscure scenarios such as slight irregularities in an appearance. These should all be reported to either the security agency or the owner of the business or premises.
• Surveillance
A physical presence isn’t the only thing needed to deter wrong doers and catch criminals in the act! One cost effective way that security guards can monitor your business without being at your premises is via digital surveillance. This can be used to catch customers (and even staff) who steal, or vandals and burglars as they trespass on your property. It’s an essential tool that can be used to either to send a guard to the premises immediately, or a critical piece of evidence that can be used in court.
• Deterrence
The simple presence of a security guard at your building is enough to scare off most would-be criminals. If a burglar or vandaliser were to arrive at your business, seeing security personal and cameras watching their every move will likely discourage them from committing a crime – it’s far better to prevent illegal activity than to clean up after it.
• Detaining
Where prevention and deterrence aren’t possible, your security guards can detain offenders on site. Personal are trained in such a procedure, to ensure they know how to remain safe in a hostile situation and can perform the citizen’s arrest according to the correct guidelines.
• Emergencies
Responding to criminal activity isn’t the only responsibility that a professional guard is trained in. Emergency situations can be incredibly stressful for the average person, but guards to whom security guard training is given are skilled in CPR and basic first aid, and can assist in evacuating the building. Whilst calling the emergency services should always be the first response, having a security personal on the premises can offer you significant peace of mind that you, your employees and your customers will be kept safe.
As you can see, a security guard is responsible for far more than simply standing at the entrance to your building and looking menacing. Depending on your needs, your guards can take on more or less responsibilities, you can have more team members on site, and you can even hire armed personal if you think the situation calls for it.
