There is no denying that security officers have one of the most stressful jobs out there. Despite having to handle difficult situations that can sometimes put their safety at risk, they have to do so with utmost professionalism. This is why security officers have to undergo several training and courses in order to have the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate dangerous situations. Every business and industry are different, so the role of a security officer is ambiguous as their scope of work depends on their client’s specific environment, needs and expectations. For example, the retail industry faces different threats compared to the educational and finance sectors. Nonetheless, all security officers should be well-prepared to spot signs of an impending security situation.

Whether you are a business owner planning to hire security officers or wanting to become a security officer yourself, it can be helpful to understand the various situations in which security officers can come in handy. As such, in this article, we will be looking at how security officers deal with and prevent safety incidents and criminal activities.

1. Fire Emergency

There are two main aspects that security officers focus on in the case of fire: prevention and evacuation. Security officers are tasked to make sure that the premises do not hold any potential fire hazards through regular patrolling and monitoring. This is where the observational skills of security officers are put to use as they have to inspect electrical equipment and any flammable items located near heat sources. During these patrols, security officers would also thoroughly check fire extinguishers to ensure they are in good working condition and not damaged.

However, if a fire emergency does occur, security officers are quick to adhere to the building’s fire evacuation guidelines. The very first thing that security officers protect is people, so they prioritise removing people from the source of danger by directing them to the nearest emergency exit. If the premise is vast, such as shopping malls and industrial buildings, security officers would also perform crowd control duties to prevent crashes and injuries. Once the appropriate personnel arrived, security officers would then oversee the business assets and infrastructure.

These knowledge and practical skills are covered in CERT courses, like the ones provided by Leacov. From handling security incidents to responding to fire emergencies in the workplace, these courses prepare prospective security officers to know the next steps of action to take when such emergencies occur.

2. Threats to Personnel

Aside from fire emergencies and workplace incidents, people can also cause harm and make the overall environment unsafe for others. Some examples are violent and abusive customers and employees fighting at the workplace. In these situations, security officers’ main objective is to de-escalate the conflict by listening to both sides of the party and coming up with a solution that satisfies both parties. However, if this fails, it would be a necessity for security officers to force the threat actors to leave the premises to prevent further disruption. As long as the party poses a risk to the public and assets, they would be dealt with.

Security officers are also trained to recognise and approach suspicious individuals with possible ill intent. This applies especially to retail businesses as they are in a public space, making them vulnerable to a wide range of security threats, from thefts to vandalism. For security officers, they have their own set of procedures and protocols for dealing with suspicious behaviour. Most of the time, they will refrain from being immediately confrontational and instead monitor and investigate the individual. This is to make sure that no actual threats are being posed. If there are, security officers will contact the relevant law enforcement after detaining the individual and checking to see if they have any weapons or items that can harm the public.

3. Theft

Security officers not only protect people, but the property and infrastructure as well. For this reason, security officers tend to station outside the premises in order to verify visitors, restrain trespassers, and provide constant surveillance of the entire property. Security officers are also easily distinguishable and stand out from the crowd with their uniforms, allowing them to be effective visual deterrents to discourage threat actors from committing a crime. This goes for employee theft, too, since employees or workers are less likely to steal inventory and other assets from the business.

Conclusion

As you can see, being a security officer is a comprehensive job. There are many tasks and duties they must attend to daily to uphold peace and security in the workplace they are assigned to. As such, security officers must absolutely be equipped with a variety of attributes to carry out their roles efficiently and protect their clients and the public from harm.

At Leacov, you can apply for a security license if you are looking to start a career in the security industry. We go the extra mile to provide extensive and applicable training for our security officers to ensure they are employable and remain relevant in the workforce for years to come.