Along with all the changes that are constantly coming to practically every industry out there, we can see that the questions of security follow them step by step. We are talking about all kinds of security from physical to digital. In some industries, both of them are required for things to function as they should.
The need for security is an absolute must for practically every business out there. Naturally, the reason why security is constantly updated is to prevent a wide array of different problems like vandalism, theft, and even assaults. On the other hand, we can see that security guards are also hired to protect public spaces.
Whatever organization we are talking about, having the protection of security guards remains an absolute must. They play a crucial role for everyone to feel safe during the event. In case you need services of armed security, then you should check this site. Before hiring these, it is important to understand how high their authority is.
Today, we would like to discuss it in greater detail.
The Basics
Before we can have a deeper insight into the concept of security guards, we need to understand the basics. Security guards are staff hired by individuals, private companies, or organizations to either prevent people from behaving inappropriately or to provide protection to the property.
That’s why you can see them working on a wide array of different occasions, like concerts, festivals, nightclubs, shopping malls, etc. That doesn’t mean that they will just be physically present at the venue, but they will also be in charge of monitoring the surveillance and seeing whether they can see some problematic behavior.
But the distinction between police force will be pretty clear. They wear uniforms, but they do not have the right to ask anyone for their documentation, and almost no things are associated with the police force. However, they can search for someone, ban an individual from attending the venue, and even arrest someone for certain wrongdoings.
What can they Do
We’ve mentioned some things security guards can do, but we want to cover all of them in greater detail.
1. Using Force
The first, and most obvious thing is that security guards can use force. Naturally, that force is not anywhere near the level that’s allowed to the official authority. That’s why what they can do is often addressed as “reasonable force”. Of course, the force they can use depends on the severity of someone’s actions.
At the same time, the guard needs to judge the situation properly and know how to act and overcome the problem that’s in front of them. At the same time, those who approach with unreasonable force, especially when it ends in physical damage to the person, can be followed with a lawsuit.
2. Arrest
Officers can arrest someone on probable cause, and this happens commonly. But security guards need to witness a crime before they can act. Making any presumptions is simply not allowed to them. Also, the arrest by security guards is often addressed as a citizen’s arrest, which is a pretty well-known concept.
It means that we are not talking about a real arrest, it’s more like detaining an individual and waiting for the police force to arrive. Sure, they can detain an individual and guard him for as long as needed. If the detained person tries to escape, guards are allowed to use additional force to prevent him from doing so.
3. Search
Just think about it, how many times you have been at a concert or a festival and the guards approached you and ask you to raise your hands so that they can examine you? It needs to be said that this is not a mandatory thing. If a person declines to be searched, security guards are obligated to give up.
But when that happens, the person is not able to enter the event. It’s as simple as that. At the same time, when a guard has strong suspicions that the person carries a firearm or some other device that can harm others, searching an individual forcefully is a possibility. Naturally, the calculation needs to be precise.
Jurisdiction
An important thing to understand is jurisdiction. It needs to be said that the jurisdiction is only on the property an individual is hired to keep safe. If we are talking about a festival, nothing can be done in the zone outside it. On the other side, taking someone’s possession is not a possibility.
However, this can change only when the item someone carries can endanger other people. We are talking about firearms, illicit substances, alcohol that’s not permitted inside the perimeter, etc. Besides that, asking someone who’s trespassing to leave the perimeter is permitted. We believe that this is probably the commonest, usually without using any force in the process.
How to Become a Security Guard?
For someone to enter the business of Corporate Security Services in Chicago, being physically fit is crucial. All professionals are required to train regularly at the gym. However, physical strength is not the only important aspect of the job. It is equally important to have the ability to search or detain someone when necessary, which is not as straightforward as it may seem.
Additionally, handling firearms is part of the job, as there will be situations where carrying a firearm is necessary. Above all, a strong background in martial arts is essential as the ultimate goal is to detain someone without causing harm. Perfecting these skills can take months, or even years, of dedicated training.
In Conclusion
Understanding the basic things about security guards should be a priority, it doesn’t matter if you want to become a professional, or you are interested in receiving these services. In this article of ours, we’ve covered all the things you should understand about the authority these professionals have. We are certain that you will find this insight helpful in making any future decisions.
