As organizations strive to secure their most valuable assets, many are busy investigating the best approaches to help this work out. To ensure that the most efficient investment of resources as well as protection of the personnel, most companies work round the clock to get and maintain the best security team. A good security team is very vital for the organization’s management and running. Security that operates in any department or sector is normally entitled with a strict role of managing risk of any kind within their jurisdiction. The question is what are the main roles played by these security officers in the protection of the organization’s valuable assets?
Security guards are needed to respond to changes that arise in their environments such as ensuring the safety of the person in their locations, mobilization of traffic movement, observing and monitoring assets and persons within their reach. They, therefore, are required to have the adequate skills and knowledge for proper security assessment of the security status of the organization (Services, 2013). In a world where terrorism is a great concern for every organization, a great burden has been laid on the shoulders of the security officers to respond to such crisis situations. Since the efforts of the private security company have been greatly recognized in the global security platform, a large number of the firms are reverting to these private security firms for protection of their assets. In fact, the population of the security officers has outnumbered the population of sworn police officers in a number of states in the US (Robert et al, 2013).
In an organization, the security is entrusted with a number of roles that would help to maintain the reputation and assets of the organization. The security ensures that the property and premises of the organization are well protected in a very effective level against the potential anthropogenic threats. Every day, the security would ensure that he/she have properly patrolled the firm to ensure everything is in order. Should he/she identify anything that can be termed as a threat to the premises, he/she is required to respond by either correcting it or involving other concerned parties (Robert et al, 2013).
Additionally, the security is entrusted with the whole process of detection, reacting or preventing appropriately to any case of crime or quasi crime in the organization. In protecting the assets, the security is also entitled with protection of the client’s assets such as vehicles and containers. The other important roles of the periodical patrols include; checking equipment such as boilers for any chances of breakdown; keeping the intruders away and; assisting the public who are appearing a bit confused (Robert et al, 2013). However, in an organization, depending on the state of the crisis, the number of patrols will always vary. Should there be threats of invasion; the security officer is required to make the patrols as frequent as possible. If possible, the organization is required to bring in more security personnel so as a way of containing the threat (Syed, 2004).
In the case a crime occurs within the organization, the security officer will act in the position of the same level as the police officers until the enforcement officials arrive to apprehend the criminal. Some of the roles that the security officer can perform in place of the police include apprehending the criminal until the police officers occur (Robert et al, 2013). And, therefore, no security should sit back and let the criminal go in fear of acting as enforcing officers. This would greatly help in the protection of the organization’s resources. Whenever the criminal was in possession of weapons such as box cutters, knives and guns, the security officer should act with a lot of caution and experience to disarm the criminal in order to prevent any chances of damages. Thereafter, they can remain in possession of these confiscated weapons should they succeed to do so.
In an organization, a security officer may be called upon to help in controlling the traffic, especially at the gated buildings and in the parking lots. This would ensure safety of not only the assets like vehicles, but also other assets such as the grass and the surrounding buildings from any damage that may arise in the process (Robert et al, 2013). The guard should effectively learn and use the conventional signals which are well recognized and understood by most drivers. In addition, the guards should dress in a way that they can be easily recognized by the forthcoming drivers even at night. For this reason, nowadays a number of security companies have tried to incorporate the reflective components and bright colors in their uniforms. Trying to make people clearly understand the purpose of control, the security should be courteous and persuasive, but not rough and arrogant (Syed, 2004).
In private organizations, the security officers may also be of help in maintaining a crowd. In the case, the crown escalates, and the security officer feels he/she is pressured; he/she is in a position to respond by either alerting the management or calling the police (Services, 2013). However, the security officer is supposed to be considerate of factors like; his personal risks; the risk of the property; the risks associated with leaving the post; the tactics and plans and; the urgency. Lastly, the security guard is supposed to prevent work accidents by being fully aware of the potential dangers that may come along his/her way. As much as the role of asset protection of entrusted to the security alone, the organization should understand that the protection of the assets of the company should not be left to one person alone, but it should be a collective responsibility. Therefore, all the stakeholders should be put on board to achieve utmost protection. Otherwise, the task may overwhelm the security officer alone (Syed, 2004).
References
Robert J. Fischer, Edward P. Halibozek and David C. Walters. (2013). Introduction to Security, Ninth editioon. London: Kingsfield.
Services, M. (2013). Security Guard; Test Preparation Guide. Liverpool: Government Publishers.
Syed, A. (2004). Role of Security-Charter in the success of your organization. New York: Prime.
