Baltimore Security Guard play an important role at hospitals, schools, and construction sites. They are the first point of contact during emergencies and often save lives by quickly reacting and calling authorities and paramedics.
They also collaborate with law enforcement officers and regularly attend training and drills. Their job requires them to be alert and ready at all times.
Security guards must be constantly aware of their surroundings and vigilant about potential threats. They must be able to use their senses of sight, hearing, and smell to ensure the safety of those on the premises. In addition, many guards are trained in conflict de-escalation and work to diffuse situations when they arise. They also implement safety protocols and function as liaisons between the public and law enforcement in case of emergencies.
A major component of security guard duties involves monitoring and patrolling designated areas on a scheduled basis to deter theft and suspicious activity. They also inspect and monitor security equipment such as cameras and alarms. In some roles, such as retail guards, it’s also their responsibility to prevent theft and loss by patrolling high-value product areas, investigating suspected theft or criminal activity, interacting with customers and employees to deter crime, and liaising with local law enforcement when necessary.
In addition, a security guard might also be responsible for managing and controlling access to building spaces and facilities. This includes regulating unauthorized and authorized personnel, verifying credentials, and ensuring that all information systems are functioning properly. Guards might also be accountable for logging any suspicious activities or anomalies in security systems and reporting to their supervisors on a regular basis.
Lastly, security guards may be the face of their operation. They may be the first person people see when they come into a store or office, and they will become familiar to those who visit the location regularly. For this reason, it’s important that they are polite and courteous when interacting with guests.
Residential communities and apartment complexes often use security guard services to manage resident access, conduct daily patrols, and respond to community security incidents. They might also assist residents with parking and escort them to their cars at night. Corporate sites also utilize security guards to control access, conduct safety checks and other inspections, serve as an on-site liaison to emergency response teams, and oversee all surveillance operations and other security-related activities.
Security Detection
Security detection involves the use of sensors that monitor a network to find signs of intrusion. These include anomalous traffic patterns, unrequested packets, and unauthorized access points. The ability to detect and analyze these events is the key to defending against attacks. Many security technologies are derived from military technology, with the last decade seeing an increase in technologies that provide battlefield awareness to individual soldiers. These systems employ individual controls, multichannel communications and visual mapping to give the security guard real-time information about the environment in which they are operating. Future sensor designs that allow for plug-and-play integration of a variety of devices will simplify the use of this type of technology. This will allow users with less technical expertise to use these devices.
Security Response
Security guards are trained to react quickly and effectively in emergency situations. Whether they are dealing with potential shoplifters in a store, criminals breaking into cars at an apartment complex or a fire incident involving employees or customers at a business, they know how to handle the situation and call the proper authorities immediately. This quick response often saves lives.
Depending on the environment, security guards can also be involved in providing customer service and managing access control to facilities. In this role, they monitor visitor badges and entry ways to ensure only authorized individuals are allowed on the premises. They also make safety checks, ensuring alarm systems are working properly and are activated when necessary. They also keep detailed reports on daily activities, observations and any security-related incidents.
In addition to responding to emergencies, security guards also help deter crime by being visible and acting as a constant presence. This serves as a strong deterrent for people looking to break into places or take advantage of unsuspecting guests. They can be a crucial component in creating a safe and secure atmosphere at retail stores, event venues, corporate buildings, residential communities, airports, healthcare facilities and more.
When security guards are not in direct contact with guests, they can be tasked with monitoring security camera footage and other surveillance equipment from a control room. This allows them to monitor activity on and off the property, and alert managers and law enforcement to any suspicious behavior.
The role of a security guard requires them to follow strict protocol at all times. If they do not, the consequences can be catastrophic. For example, failing to search everyone before entering a venue makes it more likely weapons will be smuggled in and used to cause harm. Failure to follow procedure at an event like a concert or sporting event can lead to crowd stampedes and unnecessary violence.
Security guards must always remain focused on their tasks and not become distracted or engaged in any prohibited activity. They are not permitted to drink on the job or use excessive force, and they should never bribe or accept gifts from anyone on duty. They must also avoid sleeping on the job or leaving their post without permission.
Security Training
Security training is a process that educates, trains, and motivates staff members to be security aware. It involves creating awareness of threats, their impact on the organization, and best practices to mitigate them. Security awareness training can take many forms, including online training modules, classroom training, and posters. However, it’s important to find a format that engages employees and is easy for them to digest. Otherwise, it can be brushed off or dismissed as a waste of time.
Security education is a formal curriculum that teaches individuals a broad array of security topics and builds a body of knowledge essential for a job in information security. This type of training is useful for new hires or individuals with little to no security experience. It can also help current employees build their skills and improve their effectiveness in their roles.
Unlike security awareness, security training is more tactical and tailored to an individual’s role within the company. This type of training is typically delivered by subject matter experts who have mastered a particular topic or skill set. It can be delivered in a classroom setting or through an online platform, and it is often required for certain roles in the organization.
For example, an IT team may receive specialized cybersecurity training to learn how to better manage network access control. In addition, non-IT staff might receive basic cybersecurity training to learn how to avoid common cyber threats like password management and safe browsing habits. In a properly implemented SETA program, each end-user will receive the specific information they need to perform their job duties more securely.
To ensure that employees understand the risks of poor security hygiene, companies should require everyone to attend a minimum of one awareness-level training course each year. These courses can be as short as 30 minutes, and they cover a variety of issues, including physical security (like locking desk drawers and following rules about guests entering the workplace), computer security (such as using password managers and not plugging in unauthorized devices to workstations), and understanding the consequences of divulging sensitive data or violating privacy regulations.
