Saskatchewan Security cheat sheet

A Saskatchewan security guard is a private citizen whose authority comes from the property owner's invitation, not from police powers.

Core duties: observe, deter, report, document, and preserve the scene; guards do not investigate crimes or lay charges.

Guards licensed under The Private Investigators and Security Guards Act must carry their licence and produce it on request by a person with authority.

A guard may be assigned to access control, patrol, crowd management, loss prevention, or monitoring; duties are defined by the client contract and post orders.

Post orders set site-specific rules (patrol routes, keys, alarms, reporting lines) and take priority over general habit; unclear orders are clarified in writing.

Guards must not perform police functions: no criminal record checks, no detention for investigation, no evidence collection beyond securing the scene.

A guard who witnesses an offence is a potential witness; notes made at the time may become court evidence, so accuracy and contemporaneity matter.

Off-duty conduct and social media posts can affect licensing and employment; guards are held to a standard of good character.

Refusing an unlawful order (e.g., assault a trespasser) is required; lawful orders must be followed or formally grieved.

Authority sources in Saskatchewan: common law (self-defence, defence of property, citizen's arrest under the Criminal Code), provincial licensing law, and the client's property rights.

Criminal Code s. 494: a private person may arrest without warrant a person found committing an indictable offence, or a person believed on reasonable grounds to have committed a criminal offence and escaping from and freshly pursued by police.

Criminal Code s. 494(2): an owner or person in lawful possession of property, or a person authorized by them, may arrest without warrant a person found committing a criminal offence on or in relation to that property.

Arrested person must be delivered to a peace officer forthwith; the arrest power does not include the right to search, interrogate, or hold for hours.

Criminal Code s. 25 protects a person enforcing the law who acts on reasonable grounds and uses no more force than necessary.

Criminal Code s. 35 (defence of property) and s. 34 (self-defence) require reasonable, proportionate force; force is a defence, not a licence.

Trespass to Property Act (Saskatchewan): occupier or authorized person may direct a person to leave; refusal to leave when directed is an offence.

Guards have no power to demand identification, search bags, or detain for questioning unless a specific lawful basis exists (e.g., contractual condition of entry, arrest power, or consent).

Charter rights apply to state agents; a private guard's actions can still attract civil liability and licensing discipline.

Use-of-force continuum: presence, verbal direction, soft empty-hand control, hard empty-hand control, intermediate weapons, lethal force; move only to the level needed.

Force must be necessary, reasonable, and proportionate to the threat; the test is objective - what a reasonable person would do in the same circumstances.

Pre-conditions to any force: lawful authority, a genuine threat or resistance, and failed or likely-to-fail lesser options.

Arrest steps: identify yourself, state that the person is under arrest, state the reason, and deliver the person to police as soon as practicable.

A guard may use force to effect a lawful arrest only to the extent necessary; force cannot be used to punish, intimidate, or extract a confession.

Handcuffs are a use of force; they require justification (risk of harm, escape) and must be checked for fit and circulation.

Duty to intervene and duty to report: a guard who sees excessive force by a colleague must act to stop it where safe and report it.

After any use of force: ensure medical care, secure the scene, notify police and supervisor, and complete a detailed report before end of shift.

Weapons are prohibited unless specifically authorized by licence, employer policy, and client contract; most Saskatchewan guard posts are unarmed.

Life safety first, then property protection, then scene preservation; this order governs all emergency decisions.

Fire response (RACE): Remove people from danger, Alert (pull alarm/call 911), Contain (close doors), Evacuate or Extinguish only if trained and safe.

Medical emergency: scene safety, call 911, send for AED and first aid kit, begin CPR/AED per training, document times.

Suspicious package: do not touch, isolate the area, avoid radio use near the item, call 911 and follow police direction.

Bomb threat by phone: keep the caller talking, record exact words, note background noise and caller details, notify police immediately.

Active threat: Run (evacuate if safe), Hide (lock/barricade, silence phone), Fight (only as last resort); do not confront armed assailants without training and necessity.

Power failure or alarm failure: switch to post orders for contingency, maintain access control manually, log all entries and exits.

Personal safety: maintain escape route, keep reactionary gap, never turn your back, and call for backup before physical intervention.

Emergency contact chain and site emergency numbers must be verified at the start of every shift.

Radio protocol: think before transmitting, identify yourself, keep messages brief, use plain language, and acknowledge instructions.

Use phonetic alphabet for letters and clear digit-by-digit numbers when accuracy matters (e.g., licence plates, unit numbers).

Report structure (SBI or similar): Situation, Background, Information/actions requested; state location first if urgent.

Non-verbal communication: open stance, calm tone, appropriate distance; tone and body language carry more weight than words in de-escalation.

De-escalation sequence: calm greeting, use the person's name, acknowledge concerns, offer choices, set clear limits, allow time.

Never argue, threaten, or promise outcomes you cannot control; state what you can and cannot do.

Written communication: objective, factual, chronological, no opinions or slang; quote direct speech where relevant.

Confidentiality: share information only on a need-to-know basis; do not discuss incidents with media, public, or other clients.

Call 911 early for any situation beyond your authority; delay in calling is a common failure in incident reviews.

Note-taking at the time or as soon as practicable: date, time, location, who, what, when, where, how, and names of witnesses.

Observation limits: perception is affected by lighting, distance, stress, expectation, and memory decay; record only what you directly perceived.

Distinguish fact from inference: write "the man ran" not "the man looked guilty"; label opinions as opinions.

Description order: sex, age, height, build, hair, complexion, clothing top to bottom, distinguishing features, direction of travel.

Report must be complete, accurate, concise, legible, and signed; corrections are made by strike-through with initials, never by erasure or overwriting.

Preserve evidence: do not touch, move, or clean items; secure the area and record who entered and when (chain of continuity).

CCTV and photo evidence: note time stamps, camera ID, and preserve original files; do not edit footage.

Incident reports are legal documents; they may be disclosed in court, to regulators, or to insurers, so write for a stranger reading months later.

Daily activity logs record patrols, times, and observations; gaps in logs are used to challenge a guard's credibility.

Ethical duties: honesty, integrity, impartiality, confidentiality, and avoidance of conflicts of interest (e.g., accepting gifts, using position for personal gain).

Use only the minimum authority required; courtesy and firmness are compatible, and escalation should be a last resort.

Customer service standard: greet, identify yourself, listen, explain the reason for your action, and offer a next step.

Do not discriminate on grounds protected by The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code (e.g., race, religion, sex, disability, family status).

Report misconduct, including your own errors; concealing a mistake is a professional and licensing matter.

Appearance and conduct: uniform clean and worn per policy, no unauthorized items, professional language at all times.

Do not accept gratuities that could influence judgment; follow employer policy on gifts and tip reporting.

Manage conflict with the public by separating the person from the problem, staying calm, and referring complaints to a supervisor.

Privacy: personal information collected during duties is handled per privacy law and employer policy; do not access records without a work reason.

First contact sets the tone: approach with a greeting, state your name and role, and explain the purpose of the interaction.

Explain before enforcing: state the rule, the reason, and the options; people comply more often when the reason is clear.

Active listening: face the person, make eye contact, paraphrase, and confirm understanding before responding.

Service recovery: acknowledge the complaint, apologize for the experience (not necessarily fault), act within authority, and follow up.

Accessibility: adjust communication for language barriers, hearing loss, or disability; use plain language and written notes where needed.

Boundaries: be friendly but not familiar; avoid personal opinions on the incident, other staff, or the client.

Cultural awareness: Saskatchewan has diverse Indigenous and newcomer communities; avoid assumptions and treat all persons with equal respect.

Documentation of complaints: record the complaint, your response, and the outcome; patterns of complaints are reviewed by supervisors.

Escalation rule: if a request exceeds your authority, say so plainly and refer to the supervisor rather than improvising.