PNP-SOSIA Security Guard flashcards

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

Security officer legal status

A private citizen employed under contract, holding no police powers. Authority comes from the property owner's consent, the employment contract, and citizen's arrest provisions in criminal procedure law.

Duty of care to visitors

Officers must take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to lawful visitors. Failing to act on a known hazard, such as a wet floor, can create negligence liability.

Express versus implied licence

Express licence is permission given directly, such as a ticket or invitation. Implied licence arises from circumstances, such as a public area open to customers during business hours.

Theft definition

Dishonest moving of movable property out of another person's possession without consent. The officer records the act, time, property description, and direction of travel.

Robbery versus extortion

Robbery is theft using force or the threat of instant force. Extortion induces delivery of property through a threat of future harm, so the timing of the threat distinguishes them.

Criminal trespass

Unlawful entry onto property with intent to commit an offence. Entry without that intent may be civil trespass only, which affects whether police can act.

Assault versus hurt

Assault causes apprehension of immediate harm without necessarily touching. Hurt requires actual bodily pain, disease, or infirmity, so injury evidence matters.

PSIA licensing authority

Singapore's Private Security Industry Act is administered by the Police Licensing and Regulatory Department, which issues, suspends, and revokes security officer and operator licences.

Unlicensed security work

Performing security duties for reward without a valid Security Officer licence is an offence for the officer and for the company that deployed them.

Licence production duty

A security officer must carry their licence or identification while on duty and produce it when demanded by an authorised officer or a police officer.

Three-step access control

Verify identity, verify authorisation, then record entry. Skipping verification because the visitor is recognised is a common and reportable access breach.

Tailgating breach

An unauthorised person following an authorised one through a door. Officers should position to watch the card reader and politely challenge anyone entering without a separate read.

Visitor log essential fields

Full name, identity number, company, host name, purpose of visit, time in, time out, and vehicle plate where applicable. Incomplete logs defeat later investigation.

Temporary pass procedure

Verify identity against an authorised list, issue a pass with an expiry time, log the issue, and confirm return. Unreturned passes must be reported at shift end.

Patrol checkpoint records

Clock keys, QR codes, or NFC tags create a verifiable patrol record. Missed or out-of-sequence checkpoints must be explained in the patrol log.

Incident report structure

Date and time, location, persons involved, chronological sequence, action taken, witnesses, evidence retained, and reporting officer. Conclusions and opinions are excluded.

Fact versus opinion in reports

Write observable facts such as 'smelled of alcohol, unsteady gait, slurred speech'. Avoid conclusions such as 'he seemed drunk', which are hard to defend in court.

CCTV evidence preservation

Export the original file with an export log noting camera ID, time stamp, and any clock offset. Preserve the original rather than a re-recorded copy.

Fire evacuation rule

Never use lifts during a fire evacuation. Direct occupants to the nearest protected staircase and keep escape routes and exit doors unobstructed.

PASS extinguisher technique

Pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, sweep side to side. Attempt only small, contained fires with a clear escape route behind you.

Assembly area headcount

Conduct a headcount at the pre-identified assembly area against staff and visitor logs. Report missing persons to the fire service commander immediately.

Bomb threat response

Do not use radios or mobile phones near a suspected device. Record the caller's exact words, background noise, and time, then evacuate and call police.

WSH worker duty

Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, workers must follow safe work procedures, use PPE as required, and report hazards, injuries, and near-misses to the employer.

Lone worker controls

A check-in schedule, personal duress alarm, named supervisor contact, and a defined escalation step if a check-in is missed.

Near-miss reporting

Reporting events that could have caused injury but did not. Near-miss data drives preventive action and is a recognised part of workplace safety reporting practice.

De-escalation sequence

Calm tone and open posture, acknowledge the concern, state the limit clearly, offer options, then escalate to supervisor or police if the behaviour continues.

Radio transmission protocol

Identify the station, keep messages short, use plain language, confirm receipt, and never transmit personal data over open channels.

Disengagement triggers

Withdraw and call police if the person is armed, threats escalate to violence, or the officer is alone without backup. Safety outranks property protection.

Proportionate force test

Force must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate: the minimum required for a lawful objective, stopped as soon as that objective is achieved.

Citizen's arrest limits

Limited to arrestable offences or a person found committing an offence. The arrested person must be handed to police without unnecessary delay.

Positional asphyxia risk

Prone restraint or pressure on the back and neck can restrict breathing. Move the person to a seated or recovery position as soon as it is safe.

Two-factor authentication meaning

Combining two different credential types, such as a card plus a PIN or a card plus a biometric. Two cards of the same type are not two-factor.