One of the most essential foundations for a security or protections operation is the composing of reports that thoroughly document the security officer’s shift as well as any incidents that may occur during it. All security reports should be detailed enough to inform the reader of what happened during a shift, without needless extrapolation and not letting the writer’s opinions into the body. 

There are several steps that the security management team needs to take to ensure that all reports are comprehensive and informative.  Report forms should be designed in a manner that forces exposition instead of relying on the officer to do so entirely by themselves. Proper instruction on what incidents need to be documented on a daily or separate report and the precise manner that entries should be made should be part of post orders and communicated to the officers and clientele that they are serving. When an officer is not being accurate or thorough enough the most effective form of correction is to have their supervisor compare with them their report to one done correctly.

When sound security officer operation is combined with thorough reports of their findings, the old adage that security is the “eyes and ears” of their location’s management becomes true. 

The quality of on-site supervisors is the single most important element contributing to the success or failure of a security operation. Staffing a location with flexible supervisors that have good leadership and communication skills ensures that a well-reasoned security plan can overcome almost any issue.

As is the case with management in any field, the duties and responsibilities of a security supervisor are directly responsible for the officers that cover a site and their performance. In security, they are much more than on-site managers.  The complex challenges facing a security manager necessitates that their skill set includes personnel management, administrative functions, labor and criminal laws, and emergency response.

A security supervisor is in a unique position as liaison between the officers who work the site, the ownership of the location, and the company providing security. In most cases they will be best positioned to acquire and implement feedback or operational changes from local management. Being in charge of guard force evaluation and management enables them to directly assess the condition and performance level of the security operation, and enact changes in policy and personnel independently as needed by the client.

Being many stories above ground does give a perception of safety. However if a location experiences frequent traffic, either from vehicles or people on foot, then it is vulnerable security threats much the same as a facility entirely on street level, regardless of how many floors or barriers separate you from the outside environment. To be successful in a high-rise location, in addition to normal security training, an officer must have an understanding of building maintenance needs, evacuation procedures, elevators, and access of movement. 

However they must also offer more than simply protecting the facility. Though the duties given vary according to the desires of the location’s manager, in addition to standard patrol and attendant functions, a high-rise building security officer is frequently tasked with customer service duties, facility oversight, reception and loss prevention details, as well as visitor and tenant assistance.

One of the most common images that comes to mind regarding security at an event or large crowd gathering is a bag check.  Bag checks are an essential element of the security plan for many facilities, especially among special event venues with a large spectator gathering. Along with access control and the use of metal detectors they can almost completely eliminate the chance of a weapon or illegal substance being brought into the facility. As always when dealing with other people, especially those who may not be part of their organization, the bag searcher needs to have a focus on customer service.

While overall safety is always the main consideration, every effort should be made to keep the experience of being checked as unobtrusive as possible. Visitors should be made aware of where the search will take place, and what items are not allowed both by signs and on the way and by verbal announcements. When fully informed a customer will not view the search as a negative experience as long as it is felt that entry time is not significantly handicapped because of it. Concessions such as a separate line for entrants with no bag further reduce potential aggravation.

When searching your own employees, additional effort must be made to maintain trust between parties. Privacy policies must be made clear, and employees should know in advance what personal areas such as desks or lockers may be subject to a search. The bag search should take place entirely in view of the owner, after making it clear that permission for the search has been given, with no comments on the personal belongings inside.

Last week, two members of Capital Asset Protection management team were honored to become recipients of the Patriot Award. Regional Manager Jeff Dahlke and Vice President Mark Drear accepted their award at a formal ceremony held at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.

The Patriot Award is issued by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a program initiated by the Department of Defense to resolve conflicts and facilitate cooperation between civilian employers and service members of the Army Reserve and National Guard. It recognizes understanding of the responsibilities that come with duty in the Guard and Reserves, and acknowledges an outstanding effort in working with Guards and Reservists during and around the times that they are called into service unable to perform their civilian responsibilities. Capital Asset Protection was the only physical security officer company to be represented during the ceremony.

We would like to recognize Sam Acre’s recent performance as both protection officer, and supervisor of security. Proper security at schools is one of the most difficult and important assignments in the security field. An incident at a school can have the most disastrous consequences, but proper security protocols and swift action can remove a threat before it becomes a danger.

As security supervisor, Sam is instrumental in ensuring that the school and its occupants are safe at all times. During recent events, Sam has shown a level of devotion to duty that was a key factor in stopping a potential incident before it developed into an extremely dangerous situation. CAP would like to make sure the impact of his extraordinary performance is recognized.

Every day the actions of Sam and security officers like him, at our public schools and everywhere else they are stationed, help keep the world a safer and more secure place.