Security guards are usually hired to secure private businesses, private neighborhoods, and events with big crowds.
Security guards are usually hired to secure private businesses, private neighborhoods, and events with big crowds. Individuals might also hire them to help provide protection in different situations. In addition to safety, they also do a good job of creating a distinct visual presence that could help prevent any unruly behaviors before it occurs. Have you ever wondered what a security guard is capable of in an emergency situation – or what they can’t do too? Today’s blog will look at what security guards are allowed to do legally and what they can’t while on the job.
Can a Security Guard Legally Make Arrests?
While a security guard can’t make a real arrest like a member of law enforcement, they’re able to make a citizen’s arrest. In order to do this correctly, they have to have witnessed someone committing some kind of crime, especially a felony, and the “arrest” means that they’re able to detain the individual. Once the person in question is fully detained, they have to get in touch with the police and allow them to handle the official arrest.
Where Exactly Do Security Guards Have Jurisdiction?
A security guard’s true authority is limited to the property or facility that they have been hired to patrol and protect. For example, if a security guard has been hired to help monitor and protect a certain retail store or event, their duties, like asking people to leave or making a citizen’s arrest, are limited to that store or that event.
Can Security Guards Use Weapons and Force?
Security guards are all allowed to use “reasonable force” while ejecting someone from their property. However, it is vital that the guard act with plenty of caution and cause instead of impulse or emotion. Unnecessary force through equipment and weapons could lead to serious legal trouble for the company that ultimately hired them.
Can Security Guards Search People?
Without the right express permission, a security guard isn’t able to search a person or their property either. This authority is entirely limited to police, who are, in fact, legally allowed to conduct searches with consent and with a warrant. Don’t overstep your boundaries if you’re a recently hired security guard. The proper training from a certified security service company like ICS Security Services can teach you what is wrong and what isn’t while working on the job!
FOR ALL YOUR SECURITY GUARDS AND PROTECTION SERVICES, CONTACT ICS SECURITY SERVICES TODAY
ICS Security Services is a trusted and reliable security company dedicated to protecting you and your business. Our fully trained staff serves Maryland all throughout Baltimore, Catonsville, Columbia, Bethesda, White Marsh, Gaithersburg, Annapolis, Towson, and Hunt Valley. We are here to provide you with the best services and products when you need them. For a bit more information on how we can assist you, visit our website or give a call at 410-719-8796.