How to be trained for the job of a security officer?

The position of a security officer requires a minimum amount of educational qualifications as part of his job role in an organization.

However, there are no strict educational requirements to become a security officer.

But employers look for minimum educational qualifications that would help the professional to carry out the duties and responsibilities handed out as part of his job role in the organization.

Following are the educational requirements of a security officer:

Educational Requirements:

• There are no special educational requirements for the post of a security officer.
• Although, most employers would prefer applicants to have a minimum of high school diploma or a GED or any other equivalent education.
• Certain positions in this profession would want their applicants to be specialized in the fields if investigation or security.
• Further education to become security officer is to complete an undergraduate degree in the field of law enforcement, criminal justice or any other related field that would give the applicant an upper hand while searching for job employment as a security officer.
• Students may also take up two year associate degree courses in the fields of Applied Sciences in Criminal Justice that would prepare the candidates for entry-level positions in this field.
• Courses such as security management, psychology, criminal law, juvenile justice, investigation techniques would also prove very helpful as it educates the candidates about their duties and responsibilities as a security officer thus developing them into polished professionals.
• Students must attend formal security officer training sessions that train the candidates with the in-depth job duties of being a security officer.
• Students learn the defense mechanisms through these training programs and they get to learn how to carry and operate weapons by participating in exhaustive training programs.

What skills are needed for the job of a security officer?

Beside educational qualifications, these professionals would require a certain set of skills and abilities that would help them to perform their duties and responsibilities thus, allowing them to excel and grow in the profession. Following are the skills and abilities required for a security officer:

Skill Set:

• Written and Verbal Communication Skills: Security Officers must be able to communicate with the inmates and other professionals of the company in a concise and clear manner. Written skills are required as these professionals are given the responsibility to prepare detailed reports on the activities and operations that place on a daily basis and submit it to the supervisor of the organization. Communication skills are also required as they respond to phone calls and direct the visitors to their desired locations.
• Ability to Observe: A security officer must have the ability to spot any irregularities that place in and around the property under his hands such as unauthorized and doubtful person, unlocked windows and doors etc. They should have the ability to obverse closely paying attention to every small detail which would help them to catch of identify the culprits over closed circuit TV cameras.
• Strong Physical Ability: Security jobs require the professional to stand and guard one particular place for long stressful hours. Thus, these professionals must have strong physical abilities that would help them to stand, walk and run for long hours of time. They need to have strength to carry out their activities.
• Other skills include:
• Reasonable amount of technical skills that would help the professional to operate a fax machine, photocopier etc.
• Must be honest and maintain integrity in his position.
• Ability to make quick decisions by working with emergency situations.
• Must be able to work in a team having leadership qualities.
• Motivational Skills.

What is the certification and licensure given to a Security Officer?

• Certification and licensure is not compulsory to carry out the activities of a security officer but it gives an edge over the other professionals.
• Certification and licensure programs for security officers are provided by the state government and the requirements for obtaining these certifications vary with every state.
• The basic requirement to acquire certifications is to have minimum of eight to sixteen hours of field training and must have completed all the major instructions of military training.
• Additional training classes are required in case if candidates apply for re-certification and this must be completed every two years.

• The salary of a security officer is good keeping in mind the stressful activities.
• The remuneration package for these professionals depends up on a number of factors such as experience in the profession, area of employment, geographical location of employment etc.
• The average median salary of a security officer is estimated to be $33,266 annually.
• The top ten professionals in this profession earn salary of $36,877 per annum while the lowest ten percentile of security officers receive salary of $25,506 annually.
• They are also given bonus for working overtime which ranges around $14.00 – $2,027 annually.
• Security Officers with experience of less than one year in the industry earn a salary ranging around $8.07 – $15.27 per hour while on the other hand professionals with experience of one to five years experience in the field earn salary around $8.38 – $14.40 on an hourly basis.
• It is observed that security officers who are employed in the state of Georgia receive salary ranging around $7.99 – $14.05 per hour while those who are employed in the state of Texas earn salary ranging around $8.06 – $13.88 for an hour

What are the professional obligations of a security officer?

The duties and responsibilities of a security officer are wide spread as he is enumerated with a wide range of administrative and supervision duties.

He plays an important role in ensure proper security services in his areas.

However, it is seen that the duties and responsibilities of a security officer differs with the nature and type of company he is employed with as every organization requires different range of security duties to perform.

Following are the basic duties and responsibilities of a security officer who may be employed to any kind of organization:

Duties:

• The primary duty of a security officer is to protect the commercial, industrial and residential premises in order to prevent and deter any signs of intrusions by ensuring the safety of doors, windows and other locked gates.
• It if the duty of a security officer to monitor the arrival and departure if visitors and employees by guarding the organization against any theft and ensuring security of the organization.
• An important duty of a security officer is to conduct frequent inspection of security machinery, systems and equipment which will help to ensure all the operational activities to detect evidences of tampering or other illegal activities.
• If forms the duty of a security officer to escort the visitors of the organization to their desired department in case if they are carrying some important confidential documents, valuable assets or money.
• They are involved in writing detailed reports for events for every activity that takes place within the premises of the security officer and submit it to the supervisor of the chief security officer.

Responsibilities:

• These professional are given the responsibility of managing all overall actions onsite with the help of other security personnel’s.
• They are given the responsibility of implementing modern electronic devices which would help them with them to provide security for the organization such as surveillance systems and other electronic equipments that would help with security operations.
• Security officers are given the responsibility to assist law enforcement officer to provide security operations by controlling the crowd and surveillance at large events.
• They take the responsibility to respond to alarms and other emergency situations by deciding what step to take further in order to increase the safety of the situation, These decisions are taken based on known facts and restrictions imposed a part of the job position.
• They are responsible to guide or assist any visitor to the building grounds for direction requirements or any other kind of campus information.
• These professionals are responsible for implementing high level security systems and also to conduct training and recruitment programs for the lower security guards.

An overview of the job of a Security Officer:

A security officer is a paid professional who is employed to protect the property and assets of people. These professionals may be formally of privately employed by security companies. Security officers are uninformed professionals, who act to protect the property of people by maintaining a high visibility presence which would help to indentify the illegal and appropriate actions by observing the crime scene directly or indirectly through video cameras, patrols or by alarms. They are responsible to report their incidents to their clients with the progress of events.

Security officers are employed to private security firms or security departments in companies and every security officers firm follows the methodology of observe, detect and report process. This professional does not have the right to arrest criminals but they are vested with the power to make an individual arrest through other law enforcement agencies or by request to a police officer. It forms the primary duty of a security officer to prevent all types of crimes in his area. For this purpose they formulate a certain set of rules and laws that will help them to protect the lives as well as the property of people. They are trained professionals who can perform the arresting and peace controlling procedures which include working with handcuffs and other restraints. They should be able to provide first aid in emergency situations by operating with emergency equipments. Security officers must take accurate notes of all the activities that place in his area by writing detailed reports and to perform other activities as told by the chief security officer.

In short, a security officer is a person who safeguards property and people within his assigned area. He is responsible for maintaining security and ensuring that all security regulations and rules. These professionals are distinguished and classified from a police officer since they do not have the powers of arresting or writing citations for illegal or suspicious crime scenes. He might be hired directly by a security agency of may be self-employed. They perform their security activities at entrance of buildings; vehicle gates etc to ensure that the visitors display proper and valid identification or passes for entering the facility at hand. Further, they might be involved to assist any serious emergency scenes of incidents by helping to direct the situation in order to provide a safety environment and document the incident in a written report. The employment opportunities of a security officer are very bright as they many organizations are realizing the importance of maintain security within the company’s premises. Their wages packages are fairly lucrative.