Alberta ABST flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Security professional's primary role

Security professionals observe, deter, and report; protect people, property, and information; and follow site policies and the law instead of acting as police officers.

Peace officer vs security guard

A peace officer has powers granted by law, including arrest under the Criminal Code; a security guard is a private citizen with citizen's arrest and delegated property authority.

ABST licence requirement

Alberta requires security guards to hold a valid Security Services and Investigators Act licence before working; approved training and a criminal record check are part of licensing.

Visible patrol deterrence

Uniformed, visible patrols discourage crime by increasing the perceived risk of detection; guards observe and report suspicious activity rather than confront unnecessarily.

Rule of law

Everyone, including government officials and security personnel, is subject to the law; every action must have legal authority, and no person is above the law.

Sources of Canadian law

Common law, statute law, and the Constitution, including the Charter, are the main sources; statutes override common law, and the Constitution overrides both.

Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Part of the Constitution Act, 1982, it protects rights such as life, liberty, security, and fair process, and generally applies to government action rather than private conduct.

Act versus regulation

An Act is passed by Parliament or a legislature; a regulation is made under an Act's authority and supplies detailed rules; both are binding law.

Section 494 Criminal Code

It lets any person arrest without warrant someone found committing an indictable offence, or someone believed on reasonable grounds to have committed an offence and be freshly pursued.

Indictable vs summary offence

Indictable offences are more serious and usually tried by indictment; summary conviction offences are less serious, with shorter limitation periods and lighter penalties.

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Federal law governing possession, trafficking, production, and import or export of controlled substances; security guards observe, report, and preserve evidence rather than investigate drug offences.

Youth Criminal Justice Act

Federal statute governing young persons aged 12 to 17; it emphasizes rehabilitation, privacy, and special protections, so guards should limit questioning and contact police.

Security Services and Investigators Act

Alberta statute licensing security guards, investigators, and related businesses; it sets training, conduct, complaint, and enforcement rules administered by the provincial government.

Trespass to Premises Act

Provincial law allowing an occupier or authorized person to direct someone to leave premises and to use reasonable force to remove a person who refuses.

Petty Trespass Act

Provincial offence of entering or remaining on land without consent, where notice is given by signs, fencing, or oral or written communication; penalties are provincial.

PIPA Alberta

Personal Information Protection Act governs how private organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information; security records and CCTV footage must follow its rules.

Trespass notice methods

Notice may be given orally, in writing, or by signs posted at entrances; once notice is given, a person who remains or returns without authority may commit trespass.

Citizen's arrest delivery rule

A private person who arrests must promptly deliver the person to a peace officer and must not detain unreasonably; delay can create liability for false imprisonment.

Reasonable force standard

Force must be no more than necessary in the circumstances, proportional to the threat, and intended to stop the harm; excessive force can lead to criminal or civil liability.

Arrest versus detention

Arrest involves taking a person into custody for a legal purpose; detention is a temporary restriction of movement; both require lawful authority and reasonable grounds.

Active listening

Fully concentrating, paraphrasing, and summarizing what a person says, and using open body language, to confirm understanding and reduce conflict.

Open-ended question

A question beginning with who, what, when, where, or how that invites a full answer rather than a yes or no response; useful in interviews.

Proxemics in security

The study of personal space; guards should respect intimate and personal zones and approach calmly from the side to avoid being perceived as a threat.

De-escalation first step

Assess the situation for safety, keep a calm tone, maintain distance, avoid arguing, and use clear, simple language before considering any physical intervention.

Objective report writing

Record observable facts, exact words, times, and actions without opinions, conclusions, or guesses; write in the first person and past tense.

Chronological order

Reports should present events in the order they happened, with times noted, so a reader can follow the sequence and check consistency.

Field note retention

Field notes are evidence; keep them secure and unchanged, and note any correction with a single line, initials, and date rather than erasing.

Report essentials

A complete report answers who, what, when, where, why, and how, and includes names, locations, actions taken, witnesses, and evidence handling.

Chain of custody

A documented record of who handled evidence, when, and where, from seizure to storage or court, used to show the evidence has not been altered.

Direct vs circumstantial evidence

Direct evidence comes from a witness who perceived a fact; circumstantial evidence is an inference from other proven facts and can still support a conclusion.

RACE fire response

Rescue anyone in danger, activate the alarm, contain the fire by closing doors, and extinguish or evacuate; life safety comes before property protection.

Hearsay rule

A statement made outside court by someone not testifying is generally inadmissible to prove its truth, subject to exceptions; guards should record direct observations.