Manitoba Security Guard key terms

A person employed to protect people, property, and information on private premises, whose authority comes mainly from the property owner plus limited powers granted by provincial law.

The legal right of a property holder to set rules for who may enter, what they may do there, and when they must leave; guards exercise this authority as the owner's agent.

The role a guard plays when carrying out the owner's lawful instructions, meaning the guard's permission to act is borrowed from the owner and ends where that authority ends.

The requirement in most provinces that a person hold a valid provincial licence before working as a security guard, including training, a criminal record check, and renewal obligations.

The provincial official or office that issues, renews, suspends, and revokes security licences and handles complaints about licensees under the provincial security services statute.

A regulatory penalty that temporarily or permanently removes a guard's right to work in the industry, often following misconduct, a criminal charge, or failure to meet licensing conditions.

A set of required standards of behaviour for licensed guards, covering honesty, use of force limits, uniform and identification rules, and reporting duties, enforceable by the regulator.

Federal legislation that defines criminal offences and sets out the limited arrest powers private citizens, including guards, may use when they witness an offence.

The power under the Criminal Code for any person to arrest someone found committing a criminal offence, or whom they believe on reasonable grounds has committed one, and to deliver them to police promptly.

A belief based on specific facts and circumstances that would lead an ordinary, cautious person to the same conclusion; the legal test for arrest, search, and detention decisions.

A clear, fact-based reason that can be explained to a court for why a guard took action, such as detaining or searching a person, rather than relying on a hunch or stereotype.

A serious criminal offence, such as robbery or assault causing bodily harm, that carries heavier penalties and is prosecuted by indictment rather than by summary conviction.

A less serious criminal offence tried in provincial court with lighter maximum penalties, such as minor theft or causing a disturbance.

A civil wrong, such as negligence, battery, or false imprisonment, that allows an injured person to sue for damages, independent of any criminal charge.

Legal responsibility to pay compensation to a person harmed by a guard's or employer's actions, decided in civil court on a balance of probabilities.

Failure to use the level of care a reasonable guard would use in similar circumstances, where that failure causes foreseeable harm to another person or their property.

The legal obligation to act reasonably to avoid harming people who could foreseeably be affected by one's actions, including visitors, staff, and trespassers on the site.

The responsibility of property owners and occupiers, and by extension their guards, to keep the site reasonably safe and warn of hazards that could injure visitors.

Intentionally restricting a person's freedom of movement without lawful authority, such as detaining someone beyond the lawful purpose or refusing to let them leave when entitled.

Holding a person in one place, physically or by clear direction, so they are not free to leave; lawful only with proper authority, reasonable grounds, and for a limited purpose and time.

A graduated framework describing levels of resistance and matching responses, from verbal presence up to physical control, guiding guards to use only the minimum force necessary.

The principle that a guard may use only the amount of force reasonably required to achieve a lawful purpose and must reduce or stop force as soon as resistance ends.

A Criminal Code provision that can justify force used by a person acting under lawful authority, such as making an arrest, if the force is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

Entering or remaining on private property without permission or against the owner's wishes; guards may ask a person to leave and use lawful means if they refuse.

Procedures that decide who may enter a site or restricted area and under what conditions, using identification checks, passes, escorts, keys, or electronic systems.

A record of people entering and leaving a site, including name, time, purpose, and host, used for accountability, emergency evacuation checks, and later investigation.

A running record of patrol rounds, including times, locations checked, hazards found, and actions taken, which can support liability defence and shift handover.

A structured exchange of key information between outgoing and incoming guards, covering incidents, hazards, access changes, and outstanding tasks so nothing is missed.

A written factual account of an event such as an injury, theft, or use of force, recording who, what, when, where, and what was done, in objective language.

Writing facts and observable behaviour rather than opinions, conclusions, or labels, so the report remains accurate, credible, and useful in court or disciplinary proceedings.

Notes made at or near the time of an event, which are more reliable and credible than memories recorded later and may be referenced when preparing formal reports.

A documented record of who handled evidence, when, and where, from seizure to final transfer, proving the item was not tampered with or lost.

Steps taken to protect physical items, scenes, and recordings from contamination or loss until police or investigators take control of them.

Techniques such as calm speech, space, active listening, and removing triggers that reduce a person's agitation so a situation can be resolved without physical force.

Fully focusing on a speaker, reflecting back what was heard, and asking clarifying questions to show understanding and lower tension during a conflict.

Recognizing and acknowledging another person's feelings and perspective without necessarily agreeing with them, which helps build trust and reduce hostility.

Influence that comes from a guard's role, uniform, and authority rather than personal qualities; overreliance on it can escalate conflict instead of resolving it.

The principles guiding guard conduct, including honesty, fairness, confidentiality, avoiding conflicts of interest, and refusing gifts or bribes that could compromise judgment.

Appropriate limits in relationships with the public and coworkers, such as avoiding personal involvement, favouritism, or sharing confidential information.

The duty to protect private information learned on the job, such as client schedules, personal details, or security systems, and to share it only with those who need it.

Federal and provincial laws governing how organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information, which apply to guard notes, logs, and camera footage.

Treating someone differently, such as stopping or watching them, because of race, ethnicity, or religion rather than actual behaviour or evidence; it is unlawful and unprofessional.

Laws that prohibit discrimination in services and employment on protected grounds such as race, sex, disability, religion, and age, and require reasonable accommodation.

Automatic, unintentional assumptions about people based on group membership that can distort observations and decisions unless a guard actively checks them.

Provincial rules and employer duties to protect workers from injury, including hazard assessment, safe work procedures, training, and the right to refuse unsafe work.

Any act or threat of physical or psychological harm against a worker at work, which employers must assess, prevent, and respond to under health and safety law.

Gear such as gloves, footwear, high-visibility vests, and flashlights that reduces a guard's risk of injury and must be used and maintained as instructed.

Prepared procedures for events such as fire, medical emergencies, or lockdowns, setting out roles, evacuation routes, communication channels, and assembly points.

A designated safe outdoor location where occupants gather after leaving a building so they can be accounted for and kept clear of hazards.

A structured system in which one person coordinates the emergency response, assigns roles, and communicates with responders, preventing conflicting actions.