Belgian CIT Security Guard Attest cheat sheet
Belgian CIT Security Guard Attest · Keep the key ideas within reach.
Legal Framework for Private Security and Cash-in-Transport in Belgium
The 1990 law on private and special security (Loi du 10 avril 1990 / Wet van 10 april 1990) is the core statute governing private security firms and guards; the 2001 implementing royal decrees set operational detail.
CIT companies must hold a prior authorisation from the Minister of the Interior; each guard needs an identity card (carte d'identification) issued after screening and a clean criminal record check.
Guards are 'agents de gardiennage' and are civilians: they have no police powers, cannot conduct searches, cannot arrest, and cannot compel identification.
A guard may only detain a person in the narrow case of flagrant offence (infraction flagrante) and must immediately call the police, who take over custody; detention must be the shortest possible time.
Firearms possession for CIT duty requires a separate permit and a licence under the 2006 firearms law; weapons may only be carried on duty and stored per the company's approved security plan.
The sector is socially regulated by joint committee 317 (Paritair Comité 317); employment conditions, training and competence standards flow from this collective framework.
The private security authority (Direction Sécurité privée / Dienst Private Veiligheid, SPF Interior) supervises licensing, audits and can suspend or withdraw authorisations; guards must carry their ID card at all times on duty.
CCTV in armoured vehicles and cash centres is permitted only within the legal framework on camera surveillance (2007 law); footage retention, access and signage rules apply.
Role, Duties and Professional Ethics of the CIT Security Guard
Core duties: protect the cash consignment, ensure secure transfer from vehicle to client and back, verify receipts and seals, and report every anomaly to the control room.
The guard acts as a representative of the company: uniform, ID card visible, sober, punctual, and neutral in contact with the public and clients.
Confidentiality rule: routes, amounts, times, client identities and security measures are never disclosed to outsiders, including family and social media.
Integrity rule: never accept gifts, loans or favours from clients or third parties that could create obligation or conflict of interest.
A guard who is unfit for duty (illness, medication, alcohol, fatigue, personal crisis) must report it before the shift; carrying a weapon while impaired is prohibited.
Reporting duty: any incident, near-miss, threat, or suspicious observation is reported in writing after the shift and immediately by radio when time-critical.
Guards do not give statements to media or on social media about incidents; communication is delegated to the company and, where relevant, the police.
Professional ethics require proportionality: the value of the cargo never justifies endangering bystanders; human safety ranks above cash protection.
Use of Force, Self-Defence and Firearms Regulations
Self-defence (légitime défense) under Belgian law requires simultaneity, necessity and proportionality: the response must be immediate, unavoidable, and no greater than the attack.
Force may only be used to repel an actual, unlawful attack on persons; property alone does not justify lethal force.
Escalation ladder: presence and verbal command → show of force → physical restraint → firearm as last resort, each step documented afterwards.
Firearms are drawn and pointed only when there is a reasonable belief of an imminent threat to life; a warning shot is not a standard tactic and endangers bystanders.
After any firearm use: secure the scene, give first aid, call police and control room, do not alter the scene, and submit a written report the same day.
A guard must be able to justify each shot individually; shooting to disable a moving vehicle or fleeing person is unlawful.
Weapon handling rules: finger off trigger until decision to fire, muzzle awareness, no drawing in crowds, and daily function check before the shift.
Any use of force, even non-firearm, must be reported; proportionality and necessity are assessed afterwards by the employer and possibly by a court.
Cash-in-Transport Procedures, Secure Loading and Route Planning
Dual control: cash is handled by two guards whenever possible; one never leaves the vehicle unlocked or the consignment unattended.
Loading rule: vehicle engine off, doors locked, guard positioned to observe the street, transfer completed in the shortest possible time, seals checked before departure.
Receipt and seal verification on both ends: count, seal number, client signature; discrepancies are recorded and reported immediately, never corrected silently.
Route planning uses varied routes and times, avoids known hotspots, and includes a planned alternate; deviations require radio notification to the control room.
Parking rule: park as close as possible to the client entrance, avoid dead ends, keep the vehicle visible, never block the escape path.
Cash centre procedures: identification at the gate, manifest check, sealed bags weighed and scanned, and discrepancy escalated before leaving the premises.
At client sites, the guard stays at the door and never enters unsecured back rooms alone; the client's own staff must not handle the consignment.
Any change of plan, delay, or unscheduled stop must be communicated to the control room before it happens, not after.
Armoured Vehicle Operations and Crew Coordination
Crew roles are fixed: driver commands the vehicle and route; the escort/guard handles the consignment and external communication; roles may not be swapped mid-route without control-room agreement.
Pre-shift checks: tyres, brakes, lights, locks, radio, GPS, camera, alarm, fire extinguisher and first-aid kit; defects are logged and the vehicle is not used if safety-critical.
Doors remain locked and windows closed in transit; the vehicle is never left unattended with the engine running or the keys in the ignition.
Radio discipline: short, coded messages, no names of clients or amounts, acknowledge every instruction, and use the duress code if compromised.
The driver never leaves the vehicle during a delivery unless the procedure explicitly requires it; the escort covers the driver's blind side.
In a collision or breakdown, the crew stays inside, locks down, informs the control room and police, and only exits when the scene is confirmed safe.
Handover between shifts includes a verbal and written briefing on route, incidents, vehicle state and outstanding anomalies.
Crews rehearse emergency drills (robbery, accident, fire, medical) at defined intervals; unannounced drills are recorded and debriefed.
Threat Awareness, Robbery Prevention and Incident Response
Pre-attack indicators: repeated sightings of the same vehicle or person, loitering near the client, unusual questions about schedules, sudden change in a client's behaviour.
Robbery response priorities: personal safety first, then alarm, then observation; do not resist armed attackers over cash.
Comply with armed demands, avoid sudden movements, keep hands visible, and memorise descriptions: faces, clothing, weapons, vehicle, direction and time.
Trigger the silent alarm and duress code as soon as it is safe; the control room alerts police and records the timeline.
After the robbers leave: lock the vehicle, do not pursue, preserve the scene, note witnesses, and wait for police before touching anything.
If a tracking device is in the consignment, do not reveal its presence; the control room and police manage the tracking operation.
Post-incident: written statement, medical check, psychological debrief, and no discussion with media or on social media.
Threat levels are reassessed at each stop; a raised threat level changes the route, the crew posture, and may suspend the delivery.
Communication, Reporting and Cooperation with Police and Authorities
Radio protocol: identify yourself, state position and situation, request or acknowledge, then confirm; the control room logs time, location and content.
Duress words and codes are agreed in advance and must be usable in a normal sentence so an attacker does not detect them.
Written reports are factual: time, place, persons, actions, observations, witnesses; no opinions, no speculation, no conclusions about guilt.
To police, a guard gives a complete and truthful statement; withholding or embellishing facts is an offence and damages the company's credibility.
The guard does not decide legal qualification; the police and prosecutor determine offences, and the guard supplies facts and evidence.
Cooperation means following police instructions at the scene, handing over CCTV and logs on request, and remaining available for follow-up.
Client communication stays within the contract: guards report anomalies to the control room, which informs the client; guards do not negotiate or promise.
Incident reports reach the employer and, where required, the private security authority within the deadlines set by internal procedure and the law.
Occupational Health, Safety and Emergency First Aid
First-aid sequence: danger check, alert (112), airway, breathing, circulation, then specific care; the guard acts within trained competence only.
Severe bleeding: direct pressure, pressure dressing, and call 112; tourniquet only if trained and bleeding is life-threatening and uncontrolled.
Cardiac arrest: start chest compressions (100–120 per minute, depth 5–6 cm in adults) and use an AED as soon as available.
The emergency number in Belgium is 112; the guard gives location, nature of incident, number of casualties and a callback number, and stays on the line.
Manual handling: cash boxes are lifted with bent knees, load close to the body, no twisting; team lifts for loads above individual capacity.
Vehicle ergonomics and fatigue: maximum driving times and breaks are respected; fatigue is reported, not concealed.
Fire: raise the alarm, evacuate, use the extinguisher only on a small incipient fire with a safe exit behind you.
Personal protective equipment (ballistic vest, gloves, safety shoes) is worn as prescribed and inspected before each shift.
De-escalation, Conflict Management and Public-Facing Conduct
De-escalation sequence: calm tone, slow movements, personal space (at least arm's length), open hands, name the concern, offer a clear next step.
Lower the voice and slow the speech rate when the other person raises theirs; mirroring aggression escalates, mirroring calm de-escalates.
Active listening: let the person finish, summarise their complaint in one sentence, and confirm what you heard before responding.
Never argue about the law or about who is right; state what you can and cannot do and refer to the police or the client's management.
Public conduct: no insults, no threats, no physical contact except lawful self-defence; bystanders may film, and the guard remains professional.
When a crowd gathers, move the interaction away from the vehicle, keep the consignment covered, and call the control room.
Vulnerable persons (elderly, intoxicated, distressed) require patience and, where relevant, a call to police or medical services rather than confrontation.
After a conflict, record what happened and debrief; unresolved aggression patterns at a site are reported so the route or procedure can be adjusted.