Introduction to the Security Industry and the Role of the Security Professional
Who regulates security in Alberta
Private security is regulated by the Security Services and Investigators Act (SSIA) and its Regulation, administered through Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. Two licences matter: the business licence held by the employer and the individual licence held by the guard. The ABST certificate is a training prerequisite, not a licence - a common exam trap. Guards must carry their licence on duty and produce it on request.
Authority: citizen first, agent second
A security guard is not a peace officer and has no police powers. Your authority comes from two sources only:
- The same powers every member of the public has under the Criminal Code (for example citizen's arrest under s. 494, and reasonable use of force under ss. 25 and 27).
- Delegated authority from the property owner or occupier - the guard acts as agent of the occupier to enforce the rules of the premises, set conditions of entry and withdraw permission to remain.
Core duties and limits
Deter, observe, report, protect people and property, respond to emergencies, and provide customer service. You do not investigate crimes, lay charges, search persons, seize property or give legal advice. Uniforms must not resemble police uniforms, and you must never imply police status. Use of force must be lawful, necessary and proportionate, and only where trained and authorized by post orders.
Rule of thumb: if a private citizen could not lawfully do it, neither can you - the badge adds responsibility, not power.
Worked example: a guard asks a disruptive patron to leave and the patron refuses. The guard may repeat the request, state that permission to remain is withdrawn, and, if the patron still refuses, call police and - if an offence is being committed in the guard's presence - consider a s. 494 arrest. There is no power to detain the person 'for a while' to see how things turn out.