Belgian Security Guard General Attest cheat sheet

Belgian private security is governed by the Law of 2 October 2017 regulating private and special security, which replaced the Law of 10 April 1990.

The 2017 law covers guarding, surveillance, transport of valuables, security advice, event security, and private detective work; alarm systems are regulated separately.

Guard activities require a prior licence (autorisatie) from the Minister of Interior, and individual guards need an identity card (identiteitsbewijs) issued after screening.

Statutory exclusions bar persons with certain convictions, and screening includes criminal record and administrative enquiry; a licence can be suspended or withdrawn.

Private guards are not police officers: they have no general police powers and may only act within the limits of citizen's arrest, self-defence, and the property owner's instructions.

Uniform and equipment rules are set by royal decree; carrying firearms is in principle prohibited for ordinary guards, with narrow exceptions for specific missions.

Guards cannot perform tasks reserved by law to police (e.g., public order policing, general traffic control) and cannot use police insignia or titles.

The law requires written assignment contracts (opdracht) between the security firm and the client, describing the mission and its limits.

Deontology is the set of professional duties and rules of conduct specific to the security profession, distinct from general morality and from criminal law.

Core duties: integrity, confidentiality, impartiality, respect for persons, and non-discrimination on grounds of origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics.

Confidentiality covers client information and personal data; exceptions apply where law requires disclosure to police or judicial authorities.

A guard must avoid conflicts of interest and may not use the position for personal gain, nor accept gifts that could compromise independence.

Professional secrecy and GDPR rules limit what may be recorded in reports and registers; only relevant, factual data should be kept.

Ethical decision rule: when an instruction is unlawful or disproportionate, the guard refuses and reports it to the hierarchy; obedience does not excuse illegality.

Courtesy and neutrality: the guard addresses people respectfully, explains actions briefly, and avoids provocation or retaliatory language.

Whistleblowing and reporting channels exist internally and externally; retaliation for good-faith reporting is prohibited.

Belgian criminal law applies the principle of legality: no crime, no punishment without a pre-existing legal text (nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege).

A criminal offence requires a material element (actus reus) and a moral element (mens rea: intention or negligence as defined by the offence).

Categories range from serious crimes (misdaden) to offences (wanbedrijven) and minor contraventions (overtredingen), with different courts and penalties.

Attempt is punishable when the execution has begun and only external circumstances prevented completion; mere preparation is generally not punishable.

Justification grounds include self-defence (legitimate defence), necessity, and lawful authority; self-defence requires an unlawful attack, necessity of the response, and proportionality.

Citizen's arrest (flagrant offence) allows detention of a suspect caught in the act and immediate handover to police; it is not a general power of investigation.

Criminal procedure safeguards: presumption of innocence, right to silence, right to a lawyer, and the requirement that evidence be lawfully obtained.

Guards may observe and record facts but cannot conduct searches, interrogations, or house searches; those acts belong to police and judicial authorities.

Civil liability requires damage, fault (or breach), and a causal link between the fault and the damage.

Contractual liability arises from breach of the assignment contract; extra-contractual (tort) liability applies to harm caused to third parties outside any contract.

Employers are vicariously liable for damage caused by employees in the course of their duties; the employer may then seek recourse against the employee.

Guards and firms should hold professional civil liability insurance; the law may impose minimum coverage for licensed security firms.

Burden of proof in civil matters rests on the claimant, who must establish fault, damage, and causation.

Contributory negligence by the victim can reduce or extinguish the guard's liability.

Prescription periods apply to civil claims and vary by type; late claims may be time-barred.

Damage assessment includes material loss, loss of earnings, and in some cases moral damage; documentation at the scene supports later proof.

Fundamental rights (privacy, liberty, property, physical integrity, expression) bind private actors as well as the state and may only be limited by law and necessity.

Use of force must satisfy legality, necessity, subsidiarity (least harmful means), and proportionality; force is a last resort after verbal means fail.

Self-defence permits only the force strictly necessary to repel an actual, unlawful, and imminent attack; retaliation after the attack ends is unlawful.

Physical restraint must be safe: avoid prone restraint and pressure on the neck or chest, monitor breathing, and call medical help if needed.

Handcuffs and physical coercion are only justified to prevent imminent harm to persons or serious damage, and must be documented and reported.

Any use of force must be reported immediately to the hierarchy and recorded with time, place, persons, means used, and witnesses.

Privacy: CCTV and body cameras require lawful basis, transparency (signage), proportionality, and limited retention of footage.

Guards cannot invoke orders as justification for a disproportionate or unlawful use of force; each person remains individually responsible.

Observation principles: position for a clear line of sight, note time, location, persons, and actions, and distinguish directly observed facts from assumptions.

Report structure: date/time, place, persons involved, factual description, actions taken, witnesses, and signature; avoid opinions and conclusions.

The incident register (logbook) must be contemporaneous, legible, and tamper-evident; corrections are made by dated, signed annotation.

Radio communication: identify yourself, state location and situation briefly (who, what, where), request resources, and confirm receipt.

Personal data minimisation: record only what is necessary for the security purpose and respect access and retention rules under GDPR.

Chain of evidence: do not alter objects or scenes, note who handled what, and hand over to police with a written record.

Handover briefing (passation) must cover ongoing incidents, open points, keys, and equipment status.

Written statements must be factual and consistent; they may be used in criminal or civil proceedings, so accuracy and neutrality are essential.

De-escalation ladder: presence and calm tone, verbal contact, offering options, warning, then physical intervention only if unavoidable.

Active listening and empathy reduce perceived threat; use open questions, paraphrase, and acknowledge the person's concern without conceding the rule.

Maintain safe distance (roughly two arm lengths), keep an exit route, avoid cornering the person, and position yourself at a slight angle.

Recognise escalation signals: raised voice, clenched fists, fixed stare, pacing, invasion of personal space, and alcohol or drug influence.

Set clear, short limits ('I need you to step back') and state consequences factually, without threats or moralising.

Never argue about the rule in the moment; explain briefly, offer a channel for complaint, and call police or backup if the situation exceeds your means.

After an incident, conduct a debrief: what happened, what worked, what to change, and offer support to affected staff.

Document threats and aggression factually; repeated incidents justify reassessment of risk and protective measures.

Fire triangle: fuel, oxygen, heat; extinguishing removes one element (cooling, smothering, starving).

Fire classes: A solids, B liquids, C gases, D metals, F cooking oils; choose the matching extinguisher and never use water on electrical or oil fires.

Extinguisher use rule PASS: pull the pin, aim at the base, squeeze the handle, sweep side to side.

Evacuation: raise the alarm, call emergency services (112), guide people to exits, keep routes clear, and assemble at the designated point for headcount.

Do not use lifts during a fire; keep fire doors closed and never lock evacuation routes.

Emergency numbers in Belgium: 112 for fire and medical, 101 for police.

Workplace safety duties: follow the employer's risk assessment and prevention plan, use personal protective equipment, and report hazards.

First response to a gas smell: do not switch on lights or use phones in the area, ventilate, evacuate, and call the emergency services from a safe place.

BLS sequence: check safety, check responsiveness, call 112, open airway, check breathing, start chest compressions at 100–120 per minute, depth 5–6 cm, ratio 30:2 with rescue breaths.

Use an AED as soon as available: attach pads, follow voice prompts, do not touch the patient during analysis or shock.

Recovery position for an unconscious person who is breathing: lateral position, head tilted back, monitor continuously.

Choking: encourage coughing; if ineffective, give up to 5 back blows, then up to 5 abdominal thrusts, alternating, and call 112.

Severe bleeding: apply direct pressure with a clean dressing, elevate if possible, and do not remove an embedded object.

Burns: cool with running water for about 10–20 minutes, remove jewellery and loose clothing, do not burst blisters, cover with a sterile non-adherent dressing.

Shock signs: pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, anxiety; keep the person warm, lying down, and get medical help.

Document first-aid actions and hand over information to emergency services on arrival.

Access control principle: identify, verify, authorise, and record; each entry is checked against an access list or badge system.

Badge and visitor rules: issue visitor passes, log entry and exit times, escort visitors in restricted areas, and retrieve passes on departure.

Identity checks may request an identity document but must respect privacy; refusal is handled by denying access, not by coercion.

CCTV use requires a lawful basis, signage, proportionality, restricted access to footage, and defined retention periods.

Surveillance technology must not be used to monitor employees covertly without the legal conditions and information obligations.

Key and alarm management: log issue and return of keys, test alarms per procedure, and record faults immediately.

Patrol rounds: follow the prescribed route and timing, record checkpoints, and note anomalies factually.

Incident escalation procedure: secure the scene, warn persons at risk, inform the hierarchy, and call police or emergency services as required.

Communication model: sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback; noise and preconceptions distort the message.

Use clear, short sentences and confirm understanding by asking the person to repeat key instructions.

Non-verbal signals (posture, distance, eye contact, tone) carry much of the message; keep them open and non-threatening.

Assertive communication states facts, feelings, and requests without aggression or passivity ('I see…, I need…, please…').

Adapt language to the audience: avoid jargon, use simple wording with distressed or intoxicated persons, and use interpreters where necessary.

Written communication must be factual and neutral; distinguish observation from interpretation and avoid discriminatory wording.

Confidential information is shared only on a need-to-know basis, including with police when legally required.

A guard who witnesses a flagrant offence may detain the suspect briefly and must contact police without delay; detention must be as short as possible.

Do not question the suspect beyond identification; any statement is given to police, and the right to silence must be respected.

Preserve the scene: restrict access, do not touch objects unnecessarily, and record the initial state with time and photographs if lawful.

Evidence handling: note the finder, time, place, and subsequent custody; avoid contamination and hand over with a written record.

Witnesses should be identified and asked to remain available; record their contact details with their consent.

Use of force during detention must be reported and proportionate; excessive force can create criminal and civil liability.

Guards may use proportionate means to protect property but cannot inflict punishment or retaliate after the threat ends.

Reports and statements may be requested by police and courts; keep copies according to retention rules and data protection law.