Security Guards

Security guards are essential and necessary to the security and peace in a society. Their responsibilities and rights are limited compared to police officers, but in the United States there are three to four times more security guards than police officers. That means that a lot of crime prevention, law enforcement and peace keeping responsibilities are held by security officers. Today security guards are required to provide excellent customers service while being vigilant about security risks and while effectively communicating information to their supervisors and the clients. Many people think providing security is one dimensional and boring job, but in most case it is multi-faceted and requires tremendous skill. A security guard may he be as skilled and professional will only be as good as the support and ongoing training he receives. HE must be held accountable by frequent supervisory visits and by electronic equipment. A security company must be well organized and managed. Many security companies do not provide training to security officers beyond telling them what to do at their specific post. That will prove a problem when security officers are faced with a challenge or a decision to make. Officers will often have to make decisions and face serious problems and their decisions will affect the financial and sometimes physical wellbeing of the client greatly. If they are not prepared and trained to make the right decisions under pressure they are actually adding to the client' liability. A good security company should provide classroom training in different areas, on the job training and consistent and frequent contact with supervisors that will provide constant feedback on how to provide better service. Security consultants should not only make training plans for security officers and field supervisors, but they should conduct frequent site visits and give feedback to guards. They should also provide detailed and concise written post orders. IN addition they should establish relationships with local law enforcement. That will make a security guards job much easier, because when they call the police for help, they will already know where the guards are stationed, what their responsibilities are and which company they work with. That will improve response times and help security officers in performing their peace keeping duties. A security consultant should consider himself as part of a support system of the security guards in the field. A good security company should add value beyond providing a well-trained, professional and licensed security officer. That should include a free risk assessment, a security plan on how to mitigate the different risk factors and detailed and concise post orders. Security officers should be held accountable and frequently visited for support, feedback and training. A good security company will constantly and consistently communicate with its guard, but also with its clients. It will adjust the security plan, post orders and training for guards with the changing security environment.