BC Advanced Security (AST) cheat sheet

BC security workers must hold a valid Security Worker Licence under the Security Services Act and produce it on request; licence classes limit the services they may perform.

Private security has no police powers; authority comes from the property owner's consent, common law, and statutes such as the Trespass Act and Criminal Code.

Criminal Code s.494 permits a citizen's arrest for an offence found being committed, or reasonably believed committed and the person is escaping; deliver the person to police without delay.

Criminal Code s.25 protects acts authorized by law, including delegated property authority, when the force used is no more than reasonable and necessary.

Criminal Code s.34 (defence of person) and s.35 (defence of property) require reasonable and proportionate force and do not authorize retaliation or punishment.

The Trespass Act allows an occupier or authorized person to direct a trespasser to leave; force to remove is limited to what is reasonable after refusal.

The Charter generally applies to government action; private security may be treated as a state actor when acting as an agent of police or performing a government function.

BC's Personal Information Protection Act governs private-sector collection, use, and disclosure of personal information; FOIPPA governs public bodies; PIPEDA covers federal undertakings.

Impersonating a peace officer, wearing police-style insignia, or performing unlicensed security work can lead to criminal and licensing consequences.

Force must be necessary, reasonable, and proportionate to the threat; it stops when the lawful objective is achieved or the threat ends.

Force options include presence, verbal direction, soft empty-hand control, hard empty-hand control, intermediate weapons, and lethal force; the continuum is not strictly sequential.

Legal authority for force in BC comes from Criminal Code s.25, s.34, and s.35, plus the property owner's delegated authority-not from the security licence itself.

De-escalation-time, distance, cover, calm communication-must be used when safe and feasible before or during force.

Handcuffs are a restraint, not punishment; apply double-lock, check fit and circulation, and remove or reposition when no longer necessary.

Prone restraint and pressure on the back, neck, or chest increase positional asphyxia risk; move the person to a recovery position as soon as safe.

A person who says 'I can't breathe,' becomes limp, or has altered consciousness after restraint needs immediate medical response.

Every use of force requires documentation of the threat, options considered, force used, injuries, medical aid, and witnesses.

Risk = likelihood × consequence; a rare event with severe impact can outrank a frequent minor event.

Dynamic risk assessment repeats: identify hazards, assess likelihood and impact, apply controls, and review as conditions change.

Hierarchy of controls: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrate, then PPE; PPE is the last line of defense.

Pre-incident indicators include surveillance, unusual interest, agitation, weapons, substance use, crowd density, and blocked escape routes.

Behavioural indicators cluster-pacing, clenched fists, staring, verbal threats-and a cluster raises risk more than one indicator alone.

Environmental assessment covers lighting, access control, sightlines, crowding, weather, terrain, and availability of cover and exits.

Threat-vulnerability-impact analysis asks what could harm the asset, how exposed it is, and what the consequences would be.

Document the risk assessment, controls chosen, and review date; reassess after an incident, a change in client operations, or new intelligence.

Incident response priority: scene safety, preserve life, secure the scene, preserve evidence, restore order, then document.

Do not enter an unsafe scene; request police or EMS and establish a perimeter from a position of cover.

Notes: date, time, location, people, witnesses, observations, direct quotes, actions, and evidence; record facts, not opinions.

Incident report answers who, what, when, where, why, and how, and identifies injuries, use of force, witnesses, and evidence.

Chain of custody records each transfer of evidence-who, when, where, and why-to show it was not altered or contaminated.

Preserve CCTV before overwrite; document the camera, time range, export method, and person who copied it.

A use-of-force report is a separate supplement covering threat, options, force, injuries, medical aid, and witnesses.

Reportable events may include serious injury, arrest, weapon use, death, or criminal charges; follow employer policy and Security Services Act requirements.

Integrity requires truthful reports, no fabrication or concealment of evidence, and no misuse of authority.

Confidentiality: share client or personal information only with consent, as required by law, or on a need-to-know basis.

Avoid or disclose conflicts of interest, including personal relationships, financial interests, and outside employment that could affect judgment.

Do not accept bribes or improper gifts; gratuities can create a conflict and violate employer or client policy.

Provide equal service without discrimination based on protected grounds; harassment and retaliation are professional misconduct.

Wear the licence and identification required; uniforms and insignia must not resemble police or imply police authority.

Stay within licence class and training; do not perform investigations, restraints, or other duties without authorization.

Report excessive force, dishonesty, or serious misconduct and cooperate with employer, police, or Registrar investigations.

Tactical communication sequence: identify yourself, explain the reason for contact, give clear directions, offer choices, and allow time.

Active listening uses open questions, paraphrasing, and acknowledgment of emotion to lower defensiveness and confirm understanding.

Maintain a reactionary gap; increase distance when weapons, hostility, or multiple subjects are present.

Use cover and concealment, keep an exit route, watch hands, and avoid turning your back on an unresolved threat.

Contact-cover: one worker communicates or controls while the other scans for threats; roles should be clear and swapped as needed.

Radio reports include unit, location, nature of incident, injuries, suspect description, direction of travel, and resources needed.

Emergency calls to 911 should state location, threat, injuries, suspect description, and whether weapons are involved.

Handover using SBAR-Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation-transfers critical information concisely.