The security guard job is not free of stress or possible incident. However, it can be very rewarding to those inclined to protect property or goods while maintaining a solid relationship with the public at large. A security guard may be armed or unarmed depending on the nature of the job or the city in which they work. In some areas, security guards are forbidden to wield fire arms or even weapons. It would seem like a severe disadvantage when criminals can freely hold whatever weapon they choose, but in certain job cases it is not up to the security job to fight back. Rather their duty is to deter by being clearly visible, then to take proper action by notifying authorities if there is trouble. Those interested in security guard training should keep all of these things in mind.

Security Guard Job – Job description

Duties that a security guard can expect to perform include but are not limited to:

Maintaining an effective and careful patrol of a designated area, making sure to be visible and keeping a noticeable presence. Criminals are less likely to strike when they know security is on site. A patrol area will be given by the employer and security is expected to stay within that jurisdiction. Routes should be clear and properly planned so as not to stretch guards or resources to thinly. On a patrol, eyes will have to be peeled for anything out of the ordinary. There will also be routine checks on doors, locks, windows, gates, and other points of entry or access.

There are also guards whose job it is to check the security of other people on the premises, or exiting and entering the area. These guards will check identification, keep records, and make sure the people in the area who they say they are and have adequate ID to back that up. In patrol stations there may be equipment that is used such as intercoms, radios, or staff computer systems that will require additional training to use properly. It is sometimes expected that the guard will also be able to maintain or even fix such equipment when necessary. Each security guard company will have different rules and expectations.

Security personnel can be either in uniform or plain clothed. The uniform variety is more common, but you can find plain clothes guards in commercial areas where there are lots of people such as a shopping mall. In some cases, whether in uniform or not the security guard is required to circulate in crowds among the general population. Uniformed officers are there to act as a deterrent and to establish a presence. Those who are hidden are there to take action when something suspicious or illegal takes place. Sometimes security will act silently while immersed within a crowd, other times they will be required to be more vocal and inform people of rules or expectations in given areas.

In cases of emergency of evidence of crime, it is the security guard’s job to call the proper authorities. They will also be expected to provide a full report of what they have seen since they are the first layer of protection on the scene. Security guards can be powerful liaisons between what actually happened and how the police will choose to handle the situation.

When looking into security guard training, expect these types of duties to be the ones you will be training for. As you can see, the security guard job is not for everyone but its demands and rewards still attract many quality applicants.