Observation, Surveillance, Reporting and Documentation
What the exam tests
Observation, surveillance, reporting and documentation-how a guard turns what is seen into usable, defensible records.
Core rules and concepts
- Observation is purposeful watching: establish a baseline, notice anomalies, and note time, place, description and behaviour.
- Surveillance is sustained monitoring, often using CCTV; it must be lawful and proportionate.
- Description: head-to-toe, clothing, build, marks, gait, direction of travel, vehicle type and number.
- Report writing: who, what, when, where, why, how; facts not opinions; 24-hour time; signatures; no alterations without initials.
- Documents: duty log, visitor register, incident report, occurrence book, shift handover, chain of custody.
- Evidence: preserve CCTV, do not touch exhibits, and record who handled what and when.
Worked example
You see an unattended bag near a food court. Reasoning: do not touch or open it; move people to a safe distance; note the exact location and time; inform the control room and supervisor; preserve CCTV; wait for police or bomb-disposal advice. The report says 'black backpack, 40 cm, near pillar FC-3 at 14:22', not 'suspicious bag'.
Traps that cost marks
- Writing opinions such as 'he looked suspicious' instead of observable behaviour.
- Delaying the report until the end of shift.
- Back-dating or overwriting a log entry.