Roles, Responsibilities and Professional Ethics
Authority flows from the post order
A security officer is a private citizen whose authority comes from the property owner through the client contract and written post orders - not from a police commission. You observe, deter, document, and report; within legal limits you may also detain. You generally do not investigate crimes, issue citations, or enforce statutes the way sworn police do. Distinguish three questions: what is legal, what the post order authorizes, and what is prudent.
Ethics are testable
The exam treats ethics as concrete behavior, not sentiment. Expect questions on honesty, integrity, confidentiality, impartiality, and conflicts of interest. Client information, incident details, and personal data are confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis. Gifts, gratuities, loans, or favors from vendors, contractors, or tenants create a conflict - decline politely and report. Off-duty conduct can still reflect on the employer and the post.
Negligence and liability
Know the four elements: duty, breach, causation, damages. A post order, an assignment, or a reasonable expectation can create the duty. Failing to follow it, or to act as a reasonable officer in the same situation would, can be the breach.
Traps
Watch for absolutes - 'always detain,' 'never touch anyone,' 'police the whole neighborhood.' Watch scope creep: accepting tasks outside post orders, doing personal favors, or performing duties you are not trained or equipped for.
Rule of thumb
Before acting, ask: Is it legal? Is it in my post orders? Is it safe? If any answer is no, observe, document, and escalate.