An unarmed uniformed guard with Professional Security Consultants, center, works with West Palm Beach Police officers patrolling along City Place in West Palm Beach. (Handout from WPEC-TV CBS12)

By Steve Jones, CEO of Allied Universal, www.aus.com, a facility services company.

published in The Sun-Sentinel:

 

Security officers are hard-working, highly trained men and women who deter crime, lead evacuations, provide information, work closely with local law enforcement and are vigilant in their efforts to keep us safe. Security professionals help maintain safe and secure workplaces, schools, shopping malls and communities, and are our country's first responders.

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The need for a strong security presence in our public spaces and in many private facilities is no longer just understood, it is the expectation. As we see and interact with security officers nearly everywhere we go, it can become easy to take their critical role for granted. It is important, however, to take another look.

 

These professionals have a range of skills – from the sensitivity to deal with lost children to the ability to respond to and effectively address criminal activity. Security officers are often put in high-risk situations as they confront and detain criminals engaged in theft, trespassing, gang activity and every other manner of unlawful behavior that occurs where many people congregate. Security professionals initiate emergency response plans, assist in medical emergencies and are our go-to source for everything from a missing wallet to suspicious packages.

 

Security officer training is extensive, and aligns with both the position's duties and the facility and industry where officers provide services. State-of-the-art training is crucial in keeping the flourishing physical security workforce ready and able to take on the daily challenges they face. Technology now plays a large role in security services, and today's security officers are trained to work with integrated technological security solutions including robots, cameras and X-ray screening systems.

 

 

Security officers must also be knowledgeable about the regulatory requirements in the industry where they provide services. Those assigned to colleges and universities must adhere to crime reporting requirements; ports have strict federals laws regarding access control; and security officers at hospitals need to be aware of patient privacy laws.

Read the rest of the story here.