Basic Security Procedures
Post orders and patrol
Post orders are the site-specific instructions that define your duties, limits and reporting lines. Read them at the start of every shift; never substitute personal judgment for a written procedure. Patrols may be foot or vehicle, interior or perimeter. Effective patrol is systematic, varied in timing where permitted, documented, and alert - you are checking doors, locks, lighting, hazards, fire equipment, unauthorized persons and unusual conditions, not simply walking a route.
Access control and keys
Access control means verifying authority to enter, issuing and logging passes, controlling keys and fobs, and challenging strangers politely (e.g., "May I help you find someone?"). Key control requires signing keys in and out and never leaving them unattended. Remember the Trespass to Property Act: you may ask a person to leave, and refusing to leave after notice is an offence, but force must remain reasonable.
Response and scene management
When an incident occurs: ensure safety, call for assistance or police as required, preserve the scene (don't move or touch items), separate witnesses, take notes, and complete a report. Detaining is a last resort with a lawful basis and reasonable force, and must end when the lawful basis ends.
The traps
Common wrong answers include abandoning your post without relief, chasing a suspect off the property, searching a locker without authority, and physically removing someone without notice or necessity. Another trap is treating post orders as optional or assuming a colleague's routine is the procedure.
Rule of thumb
Follow post orders; when unsure, keep people safe, do not act beyond your authority, and report.