security guard skills and responsibilities

Last Updated on May 27, 2020 by Ranga

When we talk about security guard skills and responsibilities, security personnel must-have knowledge of various skills to meet the responsibilities for the protection of people, property, and information.

Personal values of Security Staff

The nature of performing a security role means that there are certain personal values that will assist Security staff in the performance of their duties.

Traits of a Security professional In addition to any personal values held, there are a set of personality traits that can be developed and will assist Security staff in performing their duties. A Security professional should develop:

•  Curiosity – Always question why
• Determination – Mental toughness to maintain vigilance and withstand long periods of no active risks or threats
• Communication – The ability to effectively understand, and be understood
• Team Work – A willingness to contribute to collective goals and support others will strengthen the service provided by security staff

Ethics and professionalism

Security staff is in a position to make decisions that may affect a variety of other people and must be trusted to act ethically and professionally.

Key definitions

• Ethics – Moral principles that guide a person’s behavior or activities. The knowledge of what is right and wrong.
• Professionalism – The qualities of a professional. This can include:
  • • Personal appearance
    • Reliability
    • Competence
    • Attitude

Behavior that is not ethical could include: 

• Letting a member of staff through an access control point without the proper pass, because they are a personal friend
• Listening to, and then passing on details of a private conversation

Behavior that is unprofessional could include: 

• Continually reporting late for duty
• Eating food while positioned at a security checkpoint

Standards of professionalism

The following is an outline of the required standards of professionalism the Security staff should aim to achieve:

1. Personal presentation

   • • Personal hygiene is good
     • Clothing is clean and pressed
     • Footwear is clean and in good condition
     • ID and security passes are worn correctly
     • Body language is positive and authoritative

2. Equipment 

   • • Well maintained and clean
     • Stored correctly when not in use
     • Carried correctly while on duty
     • Secured from the public or potential criminals

3. Attitude 

• • • A positive approach to all situations
    • Alert to all activity within the area of responsibility
    • Motivated to achieve excellence through the use of best practices
    • Willingness to solve problems

These guidelines will ensure that a professional image is presented. This by itself can often be enough to stop a potential criminal from acting due to the physical presence of a professional-looking Security Team.

 Roles and tasks

• Private security staff should be prepared to operate within a variety of different commercial, industrial, or public sectors.
• Awareness of the potential places of employment is important as it will allow the Security staff to be thinking critically about the role of security within each of the potential sectors.
• The individual roles may also vary depending on the site, client or industry that the Security staff operate in.

Sectors of the security guard can operate;

• Government ministries and buildings
• Airports
• Sea Ports
• National borders
• Critical infrastructure sites
  • • Oil and Gas
    • Power generation
    • Water treatment
    • Nuclear facilities
• Shops and Malls
• Industrial plants and zones
• Hospitals & Clinics
• Residential buildings and compounds
• Sporting grounds
• Parks and beaches

Personal values of security guard

• dedicated to their work
• Excellence
• Diligence
• Integrity
• Honesty
• Objectivity
• Neutrality
• Alertness
• Efficiency
• leadership
• Transparency
• Fairness and Equality

Security staff who pursue these personal values will be well placed to succeed within their chosen profession.

These guidelines will ensure that a professional image is presented. This by itself can often be enough to stop a potential criminal from acting due to the physical presence of a professional-looking Security Team.

Primary Duties of security guard

• Keeping watch over people, property, and information
• Protecting people or property from damage or any other illegal activity
• Controlling access to the companies protected
• Preventing the stealing or exploitation of goods, money or other valuables
• Detaining persons who are suspected of committing theft or exploitation of any goods, money or other valuables
• Responding to security alarms
• Maintaining order and safety during sporting activities, concerts, and other public events

Basic security tasks:

The basic duties and tasks described can be categorized into the following security roles:

• Access control
• Traffic and parking management
• Searching
• Crowd control
• Patrolling
• Control room operations Procedures

Workplace culture

Security staff has the opportunity to educate and inform colleagues regarding good practice for security in the workplace. This could be something as simple as encouraging others to report suspicious activity, wearing ID, or locking their computers while away from the desk.

Other contributions that Security staff can make toward the workplace security culture include:

• Notifying colleagues of new security risks
• Reinforcing security policies and procedures
• Ask colleagues to confront any person who may not be authorized in the area
• Ask colleagues to be aware of people attempting to follow through locked doors
• Encouraging colleagues to clear their desks, dispose of documents correctly, and maintain information security procedures
• Ask colleagues to be aware of suspicious items or packages
• Ask colleagues to monitor and report violent or hostile behavior within the workplace
• Encourage colleagues to report lost or stolen access cards and keys
• Ask colleagues to make sure that printers are not left with documents in the tray There are many factors that contribute to security culture, and Security staff must always lead by example.

Organizational impact of security

There are many ways that the presence of Security staff can positively impact an organization and provide benefits to businesses and clients. Examples;

Improved organizational resilience

Well trained and confident Security staff will effectively carry out response plans to critical incidents, helping an organization to maintain business continuity. This means that the primary. functions of an organization can resume as soon as possible, and return to normal operations

Peace of mind

A professional security team can reassure workers and clients, allowing them to focus on other areas of an organization. Staff can happily come to work in the knowledge that any risk to their personal safety is reduced, and business owners can be satisfied that security risks and threats are being monitored and prevented.

Improved reputation

Security staff can improve the reputation of an organization through a professional image, excellent customer service and communication, and decisive and effective actions. Organizations can use Security staff as another way of branding and marketing

Conclusion: The security guard skills and responsibilities may have been divided into many categories. The main responsibilities of the security guard protect people, property, and information. The skills of security have mentioned above.

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