Today's Security Professional
May 2015 – PSPA Editorial Staff
Today’s Security Professional: Security in general is not a one-size-fits-all business venture. Responsibilities of a security company, security department, or security representative can vary widely from jurisdiction-to-jurisdiction, from job-site to job-site and from one position to another. The skills required by security personnel deployed in commercial real estate can be very different than the skills required by security personnel deployed in an industrial and/or petrochemical environment. End users must have the knowledge and ability to effectively employ and/or contract an applicable security services program for each job at hand. Employees and equipment procured must meet the specific needs of the location, facility, and occupants to be protected.
In the end, security personnel are both goodwill ambassadors and first responders. The measure of any people-centered security program begins and ends with the effective recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining of best-in-class personnel coupled with the ability to provide an environment conducive to promoting individual satisfaction and career advancement.
Professional Training and Education: New-Hire as well as On-Going training and development are a minimum requirement for today’s new generation of security professionals. Todays, security officers must be carefully screened and trained to meet industry-specific environments. Special talents, experience and the overall disposition for the job-at-hand are all important factors in determining where a security officer should or conversely should not be assigned. From managing and monitoring new technology that comprises computerized analytics with the ability to access complex systems from anywhere within a computer network have become the new-norm and driving force in helping customers safeguard their people, facilities and assets. With this said, a new more talented security professional has emerged to meet the challenges of technology based environments in which they are assigned.
While class room training is still considered fundamental within the security industry, it is steadfastly becoming old school as compared to online training which continues to grow in popularity based upon a number of advantages, including but not limited to: cost, logistics, and the ability to deliver current and relevant courses, many of which qualify for continuing education units (CEUs). Ultimately, it is important that employers provide effective training for all personnel. Furthermore it is becoming more important that employers not only support and mentor but also sponsor continuing education and membership in nationally recognized organizations. As is the case with PSPA, we offer a number of Accredited Training Programs as well as Certifications Programs including, but not limited to the Certified Security Officer (CSO), Certified Security Supervisor (CSS) and Certified Security Manager (CSM) designations.
Advancing Technology: Technology is an essential part of the corporate security world, and today’s security professionals must be able to effectively operate a variety of high-tech devices. Old-style “pen and paper” is being replaced by the use of mobile devices, hand held radios, smart phones, and computer systems that provide real-time incident communication and response. Today, security personnel are often equipped with software-enabled PDAs, which are networked wirelessly with a command-center module and used to capture incidents, send pictures, plot GPS coordinates, and record patrol rounds in real-time while on guard tours or manning a post. Today, mobile devices can help drive performance and compliance. Mobility allows information to be immediately entered at the scene making it more accurate and timely for those who may need to make real-time decisions to respond or deploy additional personnel, equipment or instructions. Today’s advanced technology has significantly advanced private security as a more educated employee is required to effectively manage the day-to-day needs of yesterday’s less sophisticated job description.
Peak Performance: Today’s highly-trained and more experienced security professional are equipped to make better decisions. An officer in the field who is equipped, informed and qualified to solve a problem or respond to a situation brings added value to his/her employer thus helping to reduce risk when compared to an officer who is less-equipped, not informed or waiting for someone else to tell him or her how to react.
A greater number of candidates seeking career opportunities in private security are no longer looking at the profession as a dead-end job rather a career with promotional advancement. In result, today’s “new caliber” security professional has emerged. Often, military veterans or former law enforcement personnel are finding a rewarding second career within the security industry in addition to recent college graduates who are capable of providing best-in-class, peak performance in today’s new age market-place.
