It’s an odd question right, but for real, what do they actually do? We often see security guards in shops standing by the entrance, acting as a rather costly deterrent, but they have a whole lot more to bring, so there could be more than meets the eye. Unlike law enforcement officers who respond to crimes before they happen, or while they’re happening, security guards are trained to prevent them. That means they deter criminals from doing what they intend to do, as we just spoke about. And when they stumble across criminal activities, they can’t get involved physically, so there is a good degree of training involved. Believe us. They report individuals to law enforcement agencies. With that in mind, here are the specific responsibilities of security guards:
- They should be able to be seen, physically
When guarding a particular area, security guards need to make themselves visible to everyone around. Visibility helps to prevent crime. For example, when a criminal intends to commit a crime and sees a security guard standing or walking around, they will reconsider doing it.
- Security guards should be vigilant all the time
Security guards are trained to be alert and vigilant at all times. They have no time to get comfortable as a crime can happen anytime. They should always have a sharp eye out for unusual behaviour or event that might lead to a crime. Besides having a sharp eye, they should also have a good sense of smell. They should be able to smell a licking gas and report it immediately before things get out of control. Also, they should be able to differentiate between normal sounds and weird sounds. For example, they should know if someone is trying to secretly open a door or when footsteps sound off.
- They should act quickly to neutralize any threat
Besides reading and detecting potential criminal activities, security guards should also be able to act fast to neutralize them. They are trained to respond based on the kind of threat. If it’s an armed robbery, they should call the authorities immediately. If it’s a case of disturbance, they can handle it themselves. If they can’t, they should call the authorities.
- Reporting
After neutralizing the threat, they should monitor the spot where the crime was supposed to take place, including the surrounding areas, to mitigate any other problem. They should then make a report regarding the incident and forward it to the security manager. In case a crime occurred, a report about the same will help prevent it from happening again. Let’s say you’re looking for a security company Leicester, you’ll need to ensure you choose an individual who is experienced in reporting and mitigating situations.
- Other responsibilities
Depending on the institution they work for, security guards can perform other functions, such as receiving guests and visitors, giving them directions, responding to emails, messages and phone calls or running errands.
While security guards are mainly responsible for preventing criminal activities, they should also be hospitable, especially when undertaking other responsibilities like receiving and welcoming visitors and guests, giving them directions and receiving phone calls.