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Blog Header Image Is it okay for a Security Guard to Touch You?

Is it okay for a Security Guard to Touch You?

Back in 2018, there was a court case involving a security guard and assault. In this particular case, the security guard assaulted an individual working for the company he was there to protect. What was the outcome? The security company was at fault due to a negligent screening/hiring process, and poor training. This is a classic (and unfortunately common) situation. Now yes, there are certain situations where it is okay for a security guard to touch you. Depending on the state the laws will vary but in simple terms security officers can only lay their hands on you to protect others or yourself from harm. But those are infrequent! A security officer cannot touch you because you called them Paul Blart or Rent-a-Cop.

Security Guards and Assault

Let us make something very clear. In cases of assault, it is absolutely inappropriate for a security guard to touch you! And here at BPS Security we have preventative procedures in place to prevent this from happening.

  • A very strict screening and hiring process
  • Proper training
  • GPS tracking

 

Screening & Hiring Processes

To be honest, it takes a certain personality type to be able to handle a security position. People either have it, or they do not. So first things first, we have a series of psychology-based “trick” questions that we implement throughout the screening and interview sessions. (In fact, we have trick questions in the application, too.) Though this might sound cruel, we do this to weed out the individuals who are frankly, not cut out for security!
This is a black and white image of many monitor screens. This image is used in a BPS Security Blog showcasing whether or not it is Is it okay for a Security Guard to Touch You?

We also do an extensive background check. The reality is, many security guards have experience in the military (and therefore, combat), or the police force. As we all know, these men and women are put through extremely tough situations. So not only do we look for instances of violence while in the civilian world, we also look for whether or not they sought out therapy to work through their experiences.

Now, we are human, and so are our guards. If there is ever ANY indication that one of our guards display worrisome behavior, we handle this (often before our client even recognizes the problem). Additionally, we always have a team of backup security guards to replace the primary guard(s) should anything arise.

Proper Training

A security guard needs training when it comes to reaction time and appropriate response, along with weapons and tools. So prior to hiring a security guard, we put our guards through rigorous training.

When we take on a new client, and need to hire a new guard, we have a plan for quick placement without jeopardizing the training process. How? We will use one of our highly trained part-time guards before the full-time staff guard starts their position.

This is a closeup image of a judge's gavel with a blurry court scene in the background. This image is used in a BPS Security blog discussing whether or not Is it okay for a Security Guard to Touch You?

GPS Tracking is beneficial for more reasons than just preventing inappropriate touching! (Though, that is clearly a major benefit). Our guards are always monitored, even before a shift starts. Why do we do this? It allows us to monitor unusual behavior!

Note that unusual behavior is not JUST when a security guard is exhibiting inappropriate behavior.

The GPS system also helps notify us, and a client if the security guard might be late due to extenuating/un-preventable circumstances. These might include sudden and dangerous weather or road closures.

Final Thoughts – Is it

Okay for a Security Guard to Touch You?

99.999% of the time, no. And unfortunately, it is common in the security industry. However, here at BPS Security, we do not believe the security industry is doing a good job. Therefore, we have processes in place to raise the bar!

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