The words security guard quickly bring associations of nightwatchmen sitting in their chair and metal detectors at the entrance of government buildings. But this doesn’t paint the whole picture as security services include way more than these areas of work and the nature of security guards strongly depends on where in the country they are offered. For example, this means that Security Guard Services for Fort Worth look different than the offers from a security provider in New York state.
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Location as an important factor in security
Security services differ in their nature depending on the area they work in. Security guards in rural areas usually deal with large areas that need to be surveilled with a low number of employees. Guards in the city face a completely different challenge. They work in a small area that is saturated with people and where it is hard to discern, who is a security risk and who is just passing by or working.
Often connected to the population density but also to the type of population is the rate of crime. Some high-crime areas need a heavy-handed approach and well-equipped guards. In more peaceful locations the work of a security guard often requires a low profile and at best he isn’t noticeable at all.
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The time factor
Another factor that shapes the security work is when exactly the security is needed. In the daytime, the security risks are generally much lower, and less of an elaborate setup is needed. At night visibility is low and criminal activity is increased. More manpower and tools are needed to provide the same level of security as during daytime activities.
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Concierge service and security
A type of security service that isn’t usually known as part of security work is the concierge service. The uniforms are either nonexistent or of simple design. One won’t see a concierge wearing camouflage pattern shirts in the USA. A security guard in the concierge function doesn’t only need the skills of a security expert, he also needs some soft skills that are usually found in the hotel employees.
Security services that provide concierge services are either companies that run a huge operation or specialized services that focus on concierge security services. Hiring a service that usually provides patrol cars or nightwatchmen for concierge work won’t provide great results as the security guards are not used to that kind of work.
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Patroling the neighborhood
The opposite of the concierge service can be the patrol service provided in rural areas as well as in densely populated cities. Patrols mostly use cars when on the street and help show some presence to stop crimes of opportunity.
If the situation gets out of hand, they can call the police, but security guards can also arrest criminals themselves. Recently the power to intervene if catching a criminal in the act has become slightly hampered by the tendency of local authorities to punish vigilante justice.
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Fire Safety
An aspect of security work often overlooked is fire safety. A well-run business needs to be well-equipped to prevent fires and to stop any small fire that might break out. Part of this work is patrolling the buildings and checking that all firefighting equipment is working and all fire exits are free of obstruction. Additionally, the security guard can detect any problems with company equipment that might lead to a fire or even stop small fires.
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Entrance control
A big part of security guard services is controlling who and what enters a building. Especially big companies with many departments want to make sure that the many people that enter the company premises are also working for the company and not some spy stealing company secrets. Industrial espionage is a problem and even employees can sometimes steal sensitive data, which complicates the work of the security service in this area even further as ways to monitor the data usage of employees have to be found.
Conclusion
Security services such as VP Security provide a wide range of services. Only because an office doesn’t seem to need a nightwatchman doesn’t mean it can’t benefit from contracting the help of a security services expert. It is always a good idea to at least consider hiring some form of security be it in-house or from outside the company.
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