CHAPTER 5 ACS Security Guard Training - SAFETY, ARREST PROCEDURES & EMERGENCIES

Welcome to Chapter 5 and congratulations on getting through the 4 previous quizzes.
In this chapter, we tackle safety and emergency procedures. We also look at when and how security officers can make an arrest.
As you know, the primary responsibility of a security officer before anything occurs is to protect, to deter and to prevent.
During and after an incident or offense, the officer’s responsibility is to observe, report, and notify law enforcement.
But what if an armed robbery or a mass shooting takes place on your watch? What if the building catches on fire?
A security officer needs to be prepared for worst case scenarios.

Deterrence, Visibility, and Alertness

Let’s go back to the basics: to protect, deter and prevent. You can’t anticipate what will happen at any given moment, but by doing your job correctly, you will prevent incidents and emergencies.

Reporting Incidents and Accidents

When something out of the ordinary occurs at a site, you should:
Report it to the police
Write a report for your employer
and in some cases,
Testify in court as to what you saw, heard, and did
This means you need to keep detailed notes of your observations.
By observations, we mean facts, not conclusions.

A FACT is what actually happened or is known to be true.
A CONCLUSION is a judgment, or an opinion, based on facts.

Say you are stationed at a distribution center. As you patrol the site, you see two men kneeling at a back entrance. One is holding a crowbar. The two men run away when they see you.

If an incident occurs, call the local police, then report your observations by filling out the Incident Report.

Upon investigating, the police may reach the conclusion that the men were burglars.
You’ve done your job if you reported the facts as you observed them.

When reporting, you will need to provide accurate information about:
Who: What are the names of the suspects, victims, witnesses, or anyone else involved?
What: What happened and what evidence is available?
When: On what day and at what time did the incident occur?
Where: What was the location of the incident, or where was the evidence found?
How: How did the incident happen?
Why: Are you a witness and do you know why the incident happened?

Your report should be detailed and objective. It should include the duties you performed and a description of your tasks and observations.

As you attend to your duties, keep these safety tips in mind:
Don’t play “hero” or “cop”! That’s not your job. Step back and let law enforcement and other authorities handle the situation.
Be alert, but never act impulsively or rashly. Instead, be cautious and exercise good judgment.
Make sure you have a clear understanding of potential workplace hazards.
If you are patrolling a commercial building, watch out for blind spots on your routes. Criminals do hide in corners. Always check the full area during your rounds.
If you are assigned to the same site, don’t be predictable. Smart criminals take notice of guards’ habits. You can outsmart them by changing your route and checking areas that could be unguarded.
Always maintain a safe distance when you are speaking to a suspect. If you are out of arm’s reach, you are safe from a sudden attack.

We can’t say it enough: NEVER play “cop”. Even though you wear a uniform, you don’t have the training or the legal authority to do what a police officer can do.
And remember: impersonating a police officer is considered a felony.

Making an Arrest

You may wear a uniform, but as a security officer, you do not have the authority to act and arrest that a police officer has. It’s important that you know the laws that govern arrests.

Responding to Emergencies

So what are your responsibilities during an emergency?
As you know, each site has its unique set of requirements and challenges. But unless you have been given special instructions, you should call 911, and follow the emergency protocol while you wait for support.

Let’s take a look to an example. Say a fire alarm goes off, and you notice smoke or other signs of a fire. You may be expected to confirm the fire, activate the fire alarm, and call the fire department. You should also call your supervisor and the client to inform them of the situation.

How do you report emergencies?
The moment you are aware that there is an emergency, you should contact Dispatch at
(877) 482-7324.
When the emergency has been resolved, submit an Incident Report in writing and email it to [email protected]. The Supervisor will then pick up the hard copy.

Connect with us.
  / acsguards     / acsguard  
  / access-co.  .
  / guardservices  

#SECURITYGUARDTRAINING
#ACSGuards
#ACSCalifornia
#GUARDTRAINING
#ACSGUARDTRAINING