REPORTS AND DOCUMENTATION

A security officer creates reports that document the happenings of the shift every time he performs a patrol, responds to an incident, or even while simply standing watch over a property. These are legal documents that serve as evidence for the proper performance of the locale’s operation, protect both the security officer and their client in the event of an incident, and can help prosecute an intruder and help recover any damages from them.

There are many tools at the disposal of a security officer when recording incidents of interest, much more so than there were even a few years ago. Even the phones that are sure to be owned by almost everyone have a multitude of recording abilities that massively improve the officer’s ability to document incidents and reduce liability for the locations they service. A report mentioning a broken lock or evidence of a trespass is much more effective when photo evidence is included.

A property manager or business owner will not be effective reviewing every ordinary happening during an officer’s shift, nor should they have to. In most cases security will operate smoothly and only the most serious incidents will need to be brought to their attention, though all events down to the routine should be documented. What counts as severe enough to pass on upwards is at the discretion of the client who requested the use of security services.