D.W. Roach - 21st Century Security Officer: Career Guide

21st Century
Security Officer

Career Guide

D.W. Roach

th edition

Copyright 2015 by D.W. Roach

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Published 2018 by Creativia

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

In instances where Story Time occurs, names and locations have been changed to protect the privacy of others.

A sincere and heartfelt thank you goes out to all the positive role models and teachers I have had through the United States Marine Corps, Private Security and my personal life. Without you I would not have had the patience, integrity, and commitment it took to continue working in this field.

Above all others I would like to thank my wife who continues to support and encourage me through all my endeavors no matter how great or foolish. I love you May!

To my Father, who told me I could do anything, be anything, and never relinquished his support.

Within the security industry I need to thank the below individuals;

B.T. for educating a young man recently out of the Marine Corps on how to win the hearts and minds of those you aim to serve.

S.W. for seeing a talented young man for what he was and giving him the straight forward reality of security and how to succeed.

B.F. for continuing to provide me opportunities and see my potential and not for my young age.

E.A. for providing the guidance and wisdom needed to navigate the dangerous waters of account management.

D.T. for being an amazing ally in the industry that helped encourage my adventurous spirit despite opposing forces.

After spending nearly thirteen years in the Private Security Industry I felt it only proper to pass along some very blunt and earnest knowledge that I have gathered over the years. As a Security Officer you will become the front line of what is slowly becoming the standard of protection. Through the recession and other challenges facing government organizations, Law Enforcement agencies are struggling to meet the high demand placed upon them. Simply put, the cost of Police Officers and their pensions (although greatly deserved) are simply too expensive to be maintained by governments that could not balance the budget. Simply put, there are just not enough Police Officers on the streets to maintain the quality of life Americans are looking for; this is where Security Officers come into play.

With Private Security now filling that gap it is critical for all Security Officers to have a basic understanding of the industry, its challenges, and where they fit in the big picture (and I do mean BIG PICTURE). During my writing you may often find a silly light hearted tone, this is not meant to discourage you but to press upon you the challenges facing this industry. It is very possible to have a successful career as a Security Professional (I have and still do!) however it will take great amounts of dedication, understanding, humility, and a sense of humor to cope with the daily stresses.

As a former Security Officer I have nothing but respect and admiration for those that wake up every morning and put on that uniform to perform a variety of duties. Every day they save lives and perform small miracles that often go unnoticed by society. They protect our families at work; keep us from harm while we enjoy shopping at the mall and even respond to citizens in distress when off duty.

They are the unsung heroes of our day, the silent guardians, and they deserve nothing less than our respect. Lastly, when I was a Security Officer I would have been thrilled to get my hands on a document like this and perhaps it would have sped up my progress. I hope that I can speed up yours and give you the tools to make the right Security career choices.

WHAT IS A SECURITY OFFICER?

When you ask different organizations or Private Security companies you will get different answers. The bottom line is you are a private citizen employed / contracted to perform security related tasks for a client that is paying for those services. Your primary focus will undoubtedly focus on protecting people, property, and the assets therein. Since the type of security service varies along with your uniform and equipment many people have misconceptions about what Security Officers can and cannot do. These rules, regulations, and guidelines may also be different in another Country, State, County or City.

Ensure to consult your company when you have legal questions as they should be able to refer you to the correct agency that regulates your actions in the field. Just remember, you are not a Peace / Police Officer Cop, you are a private citizen employed by a company to perform security related tasks on behalf of that company. Your actions will impact the company, its employee, and its shareholders you have been hired to represent.

WHAT IS A POLICE OFFICER?

A Police Officer or Peace Officer is an agent of a government office whether Federal, State, County, City or other. Bottom line is they were sworn in to serve the Government and the people to enforce laws, investigate crimes and make arrests as required. Now we can argue semantics all day (and most security professionals do) but cops are highly trained individuals. Many of which spend nearly six months training at a specialized facility before they are ever put on the streets (Most Security Officers only train for 8 40 hours before being placed at their post). Even then, once they make it to their department; they normally have to pass a probationary period with a field training officer or FTO before they can fly solo.

DIFFERENCES IN TRAINING

Security Officer training varies greatly from country to country and state to state. In some cases zero training is required prior to becoming a Security Officer (A REALLY BAD IDEA!). This is a scary reality because more often than not these individuals will overstep their legal boundaries creating some serious liability or possibly placing the lives of others at risk. I cannot stress enough that your actions on duty will impact others.

In the best circumstances Security Officers are required to meet a Federal and State required training mandate as well as internal training requirements from their employer. This will help ensure that they have a basic understanding or their responsibilities and limitations.

Client sites where Security Officers are employed with weapons or advanced tasks will often be required to take additional training, complete testing and acquire certifications before they can conduct their duties. I would suggest that even if you meet basic requirements to carry any sort of weapons that you take additional and recurring training to hone your skills.

Types of training can include but are not limited to;

• Access control
• Customer Service
• Emergency Response
• Report Writing
• First Aid, CPR, AED
• Evacuations
• Surveillance

Police Officers on the other hand are very well trained individuals on par with most military organizations. In some cases Police Cadets train for up to 6 straight months prior to becoming a sworn Peace Officer.

Types of training include but are not limited to;