Security services are an important component of keeping people safe in public spaces. Whether in a school, office building, or shopping mall security officers are tasked with keeping each day running smoothly and safely. While they are often compared to police officers, it’s important to realize that there’s a distinction between the two. Both are essential to public welfare in these large, busy spaces.
The main distinction between police officers and security officers is that police officers typically get involved after an incident has already occurred. Whether it’s shoplifting, violence, or a break-in the police are called to the scene to intervene after the trouble has already started.
Security guards, on the other hand, are there to prevent these kinds of things from happening in the first place. Their main role is not to react to crime threats without law enforcement, but to deter it just by being present. It’s less likely that criminals will target an area with engaged, active security personnel. That said, if a crime does occur or if a problem escalates, they’re also trained to intervene until the police arrive.
If you remember that the main goal of security service is to prevent problems from happening in the first place, their role becomes a little clearer. Here are some of the duties filled by a security service that show exactly how important and effective they are.
Security services are also called upon to advise their employers about how to avoid troublesome situations. The best way to do this is to report on real-life instances that were observed and could have led to problems. If employees are lax about showing IDs or some guards don’t require visitors to sign in, it could lead to a bigger security risk. Security guards may also be called upon to give instructional lessons to staff, like what to do in case of an armed intruder or evacuation procedures in case of fire.
And remember, security work doesn’t stop because the business day ends. A lot of schools, offices, and other buildings have security guards on duty overnight to keep an eye on things and make sure nothing happens when the buildings are empty.