SECURITY OFFICER: GENERAL DUTIES, WRITING REPORTS, & CONDUCTING PATROLS - 6 HOURS

This course covers three (3) lessons:

1. The Nature and Role of Private Security (2 Hours),
2. Documentation & Report Writing (2 Hours), and
3. Patrol Techniques (2 Hours)

In The Nature and Role of Private Security, we describe the nature and scope of the private security officer. It overviews the basic duties, critical skills and attributes that are necessary in order to be successful, what general training and regulatory requirements are involved, how criminal and civil liabilities pose a risk to security officers, a brief history of the security profession is presented, what roles the private security profession plays in today’s society and why it is needed, and the differences between contract and proprietary security.

In Documentation & Report Writing, the student will be given an understanding of the requirements for writing an effective report by answering the 5 W’s: who, what, when, where, and why questions pertaining to an incident. The importance of reporting the facts as the key to properly completing a variety of reports is emphasized. Understanding observation, conducting interview questions, note-taking, and utilization of proper grammar and content when
writing reports of investigation are also presented.

In Patrol Techniques, security patrols are presented as a key component to preventing and deterring loss. Observation is a critical element of every patrol that a security officer conducts during his or her shift. The importance of varying the route and time of patrol is emphasized, and the role that security patrols play in fire and theft prevention, and monitoring for potential safety hazards on the client’s premises is discussed. The different types of patrols are presented such as those conducted on foot, in a vehicle, and on a bike. The differences and purpose of high-visibility and low-visibility patrols are compared as well as how our senses are an important tool to rely on.