Security Guard Training – Understanding your duties

So you want a Career as a Security Guard!

So you are young, full of energy, and want to start your security guard training to become a security guard! Anyone contemplating becoming a licensed security guard should reflect upon their existing personal traits, such as their talents, education, and personality or character. All of these can help an employer decide how you will best fit the security guard role. Learning more about the duties of security guards will also help individuals determine whether they suit the role.

Security Guard Training & their Duties

Before starting a career as a security guard, and starting your security guard training, you must consider the daily duties you might have to perform. As a licensed security officer, you’re responsible for protecting people and property against external threats, and duties and responsibilities vary from site to site. Security officers must be well attuned to changes and developments within the industry and the expectations and obligations owed to the client, the public, and the employer.

Here’s a list of the core responsibilities of security guards:

• Ensuring premises and assets are protected appropriately and effectively against criminal threats.
• Foot or mobile patrolling properties and preventing, detecting, and responding correctly to criminal activities on or against the client’s property and preventing theft and burglaries.
• Interacting with law enforcement officials, such as apprehending and restraining assailants who have committed a criminal offense until the police arrive.
• Providing leadership and direction in emergencies and assisting emergency personnel in times of crisis, e.g., directing firefighters to the easiest/best way to get to the fire scene.
• Regulating access control to a premise or property, monitoring door or gate passage, escorting individuals, and examining items in bags entering or leaving.
• Performing crowd control and restoring order.
• Preventing work accidents by being aware of potential dangers, reporting safety hazards, and following directions to minimize the risk posed to others.
• CCTV monitoring to identify break-in attempts, vandalism, and other emergencies such as fire or water issues.
• Determining who may enter a property while restricting access to those considered a security threat.
• Keyholding duties include opening and closing a business.
• Rapid response to alarm events.
• Note-taking and Report writing

Security guard roles at some point will involve physical intervention, but for the most part, security officer duties require them to monitor, patrol, deter crime, record findings, and report observation.

Still want to be a Security Guard!

So now, do you think you are well suited to become a security guard? Are you ready to start your security guard training? If the answer is still yes, then you might want to reflect on your other talents. Effective communication skills are vital for security officers to inform the public or clients of safety measures they may be enforcing. Being calm under pressure, focusing on the immediate task, and showing confidence while communicating help others listen to you, follow your instructions without confrontation, and alleviate their panic in emergencies.

If you lack Communication Skills, you may want to consider improving these on your own time. Interacting with the public is the easiest way to help your communication skills. You may consider volunteering as a tour guide at a public attraction to do this. With practice and over time, your confidence level will significantly increase and greatly help your security role and respect from the public and take your security guard training to a higher level.

For more information on getting your security guard training, check out Morgan Security’s Career and Training information page.