NZ Property Guard COA flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Certificate of Approval

A current licence issued under the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010 that a property guard must hold and carry at all times while working; working without one is an offence.

Trespass Act 1980 warning

A guard acting for the occupier may warn a person to leave private property; failing to leave after the warning, or returning within two years after a trespass notice, is an offence.

Citizens' arrest limits

Under the Crimes Act 1961 a person may arrest for an offence against the peace or a crime committed in their presence, must deliver the person to Police as soon as practicable, and may use only reasonable force.

Privacy Act 2020 duty

Personal information such as CCTV footage, incident reports, and ID scans may be collected only for a lawful purpose, stored securely, used only for that purpose, and kept no longer than necessary.

Scope of guard authority

A property guard's authority comes from the client's lawful instructions and statute, and never exceeds an ordinary citizen's powers unless a specific Act grants more; statutory powers such as search belong to Police.

Conflict of interest declaration

A guard must declare any relationship with a person whose access they control, and refuse gifts or favours that could influence decisions, to preserve integrity and impartiality.

Confidentiality obligation

Client operations, staff movements, access codes, and incident details must not be disclosed without a need-to-know, including on social media, because disclosure can create legal and safety risk.

Use of force principle

Force is a last resort and must be necessary, reasonable, and proportionate to the threat; it stops as soon as the threat is contained, and every use is reported and documented.

De-escalation sequence

Calm tone and open body language, acknowledge the concern, state the rule clearly, offer a choice or alternative, give time, then escalate to a supervisor or Police if needed.

Personal space positioning

Keep at least 1.5 metres distance, stand at an angle rather than square-on, keep hands visible, and never block the only exit route during a confrontation.

Radio transmission protocol

Identify your call sign, state your location, then the situation, then your request; keep transmissions short, avoid names over open channels, and confirm receipt.

Active listening technique

Paraphrase the person's concern back to them, ask open questions, and confirm understanding before giving an instruction, which reduces perceived threat and resistance.

Facts versus opinions

Reports record what was seen, heard, and done, with times and descriptions, rather than conclusions; 'he looked into three cars for four minutes' replaces 'he looked suspicious'.

Chain of custody

A documented record of every transfer of evidence showing from whom, to whom, date, time, and reason; gaps in the record weaken the evidence in court.

Contemporaneous notes

Notes written at the time or as soon as practicable after an incident; originals are never altered, and corrections are made as dated additions rather than overwrites.

Person description framework

Sex, age, height, build, hair, clothing, distinguishing features, and direction of travel; for vehicles, registration, make, model, colour, and damage.

Three-factor access check

Verify identity against ID, verify authority against a visitor list or booking, and confirm the purpose is consistent with site rules; deny access when authority cannot be established.

Patrol variation rule

Vary routes and timing so patterns cannot be predicted, use checkpoints or scans to prove coverage, and record every check with time and condition.

Key control rule

Keys and passes are signed in and out, never left unattended, and any loss is reported immediately so locks can be changed and access secured.

Alarm response rule

Treat every alarm as real until verified; check the exterior and perimeter first, enter only if safe and authorised, and call Police if there are signs of forced entry.

Emergency priority order

Life safety comes first, then incident containment, then property protection; a guard never risks their own life to protect property.

Lone worker controls

Scheduled radio check-ins at agreed intervals, a duress alarm, and a written escalation plan that activates immediately if a check-in is missed.

Scene preservation

Secure the area, prevent entry, and do not touch, move, or clean anything until Police authorise it; record who entered and when.

Emergency call content

State the location, what happened, how many people, injuries, weapons, and your name, and stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.

Risk control hierarchy

Controls in order: eliminate the hazard, substitute, isolate, engineer, administrate, then personal protective equipment as the last line of defence.

Risk assessment formula

Risk equals likelihood multiplied by consequence; this ranks hazards so the highest-risk items are controlled first.

Near-miss reporting

An incident where no one was hurt but harm was possible must be recorded, because near misses are leading indicators of future injury and free lessons for the site.

Manual handling technique

Assess the load, keep it close to the body, bend the knees not the back, and use team lifts or equipment for heavy or awkward items.

Refusal script

Acknowledge the request, state the rule briefly, offer an alternative or escalation path, and thank the person; do not apologise for the rule itself.

Escalation signs

Clenched fists, raised voice, invading personal space, and rapid speech indicate rising risk; respond by increasing distance and lowering your voice.

Vehicle access check

Check driver ID, match the registration against the booking, inspect the load area where authorised, and log entry and exit times.

Handover rule

Never leave post until the relief has signed the handover and read the log; confirm keys and equipment and report any gap to the supervisor.