Uniformed Security Guards constitute by far the largest segment of the visible security industry, and because of their visibility and interaction with the public, the conduct of a Security Guard is vital to the maintenance of a sound professional image for the industry as a whole.
There are common obstacles confronting the average Security Guard in his or her daily work that make for poor public relations. Some of the reasons that Security Guards may have difficulty in dealing with the public are:
Suspicion
A Security Guard is employed for one purpose – to protect people and/or property. The nature of the job or the personality of the guard may make a Security Guard act in a distrustful manner. While this may seem to be desirable (at face value, it seems to make for a good Security Guard), in the long run, it can become an obstacle in the ability of a Security Guard to get along with people. Suspicion can cause a guard to distrust everything and everybody. When dealing with the public, the guard may convey this attitude clearly, making interaction difficult. This quality, manifested in an obvious way, presents an obstacle in relationships with the people the guard encounters.
Negative Thinking
Looking for things that may be wrong is a part of a Security Guard’s job. This may, unless controlled, become an obstacle to better public relations. It is our business to be critical, but we may tend to find ourselves always looking for things that are not right. We overlook things which we can compliment in our search for things to criticize. If a Security Guard has to say “No”, then try not to be belligerent, instead try to say it in a more constructive manner.
Temper
One of the main reasons some Security Guards fail to get along with people is that they get angry – and show it. It is the cardinal rule of salesmanship that you never get mad at the customer. Remember that the best weapon that you hold, when you are angry, is your attitude. If you show your anger, you have lost the argument. You have reduced your level to the level of the person who has tried to make you angry.
Prejudice/Discrimination
A Security Guard like anyone else is a human being. He/she possesses his/her own natural likes and dislikes. Unfortunately, from a security-public relations point of view, these decisions are seldom based on the impression that the person has made at the moment, but is usually based on some past experience, bias or attitude. This seems to be a human trait and there is little we can do about our immediate reaction to people. But we can discipline ourselves to be fair and just in our dealings with people in spite of our personal prejudice. And if you can start off by trying to like the person, you will do a better job in public relations.
Lack Of Pride
Pride is defined as having a sense of personal dignity and worth, having honourable self-respect. Esprit de Corps is the common pride of individuals to a group. A Security Guard fails his/her other guards if he/she does not have pride and show it. A Security Guard has the right to be proud to be a Security Guard, pride in himself and pride in his/her force. A Security Guard who becomes slovenly in dress, sloppy in reporting or unkempt in personal hygiene is demonstrating to everyone a lack of pride. A guard who shows that he/she has pride in his/her appearance will also have pride in person and outfit. He/she will create a better impression and do a better public relations job.
Lack Of Flexibility
A Security Guard should be a diplomat in uniform. A diplomat must be flexible, tactful and quick to adjust to changing conditions. The work of a Security Guard ranges from challenging or detaining possible thieves to relaying messages for a company president. It requires constant physical and mental effort on the part of the Security Guard to be flexible enough to fluctuate between these two extremes. One day a Security Guard may be guarding an individual gem show, open only to the elite of society; the next day he or she may be guarding heavy equipment or a worksite. The Security Guard must be able to change procedures and attitudes as the clientele changes. It takes a flexible, adaptable person to become a diplomat; it takes the same characteristics to become a good Security Guard. It requires constant self-discipline.
Abuse Of Power (Or Position)
Imagined power can be a very dangerous weapon. By the very nature of the work and the uniform, the Security Guard appears to many to have power and authority. What power and authority a Security Guard has must be used sparingly, carefully and judiciously. Unfortunately, some Security Guards forget that even the limited powers they have apply only under certain circumstances. At all other times they are governed by the same rules and regulations as other employees and members of the public.
Unable To Take Criticism
Taking criticism requires a great deal of patience. Patience has been defined as the ability to idle your motor when you feel like spinning your wheels. Many times you may feel that criticism directed toward security is unjustified. You would like to bite back but instead you must bite your tongue and take it. People in uniform always seem to be a target for criticism, and as Security Guards we must accept this, “it goes with the territory”.
Ambassador Of The Industry
An individual Guard must project an image of professionalism at all times, as he or she is, in the eye of the public, an ambassador for the rest of the industry. What this means is that, at any time, a Security Guard is representing his or her entire profession. The reputation of the rest of the security industry may be measured against what a particular guard has or has not done.
A profession is defined in The Oxford Concise Dictionary as:
- A vocation or calling, especially one that involves some branch of advanced learning or science.
With the recent growth in the security industry, the tasks that have been assigned to security have significantly changed. Government regulation of the security industry has introduced not only a screening mechanism to control who may become a Security Guard, but also to investigate complaints about individuals and companies that have been licensed by the program.
Security Guards
According to the PSISA a Security Guard is someone that “performs work, for remuneration, that consists primarily of guarding or patrolling for the purpose of protecting persons or property” [Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005, c.34, s.2 (4)]. Included in this definition are Uniformed Security Guards, Bouncers in Licensed Liquor Establishments, Bodyguards & Close-protection Specialists, and Loss Prevention Personnel.
Under this legislation, persons are also prohibited from obtaining security services for interested third parties without a license to engage in the business of selling private security services. According to the PSISA, “A person who performs work, for remuneration, that consists primarily of acting for or aiding others in soliciting or procuring the services of a Private Investigator or Security Guard shall be deemed to be in the business of selling Private Investigator or Security Guard services” [Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005, c.34, s.2 (6)].