Answer The alarm can kill the security guards

Security guards need to know who works as a mobile patrol officer can be dangerous and in some situations, even fatal. I did my time as a patrol officer in dangerous places in Sydney and quickly learn to assess each situation will attend very fast. I only wish that this training could be included as part of a course of security guards, because most guards have no idea how to participate in a security alarm activation.

In my company we have used a radio code for when another security guard in urgent need of backup and the officer closest answer would be involved. This is one of those times when I have answered the call of the emergency code.

Mobile patrol duty

Mobile patrol officers are assigned to patrol runs each shift that includes a number of customers and the number of site visits that everybody wants. These are known as hits, the number of times you enter a site and check it.

Sometimes you will be instructed by the control room to assist the activation of alarm of a customer's site in your area or if you are closer to the available official mobile.

Alarm activation

The control room has sent an officer on patrol through a cellular response to activation of alarm and called for an inspection as soon as possible. The patrol officer recognized the task and changed their direction to respond. As is the case during long periods of driving and night shifts together can be a bit 'tired and slow to notice unusual events. You just want to get behind the shift and go home to sleep.

Answer mobile site

The official participation and the radio comes up to the control room following all the protocols for activation. The guard can see that the building is safe from his vehicle and goes for a closer look. The building is a standard type of office building with a fence surrounding the storage yard. It seemed landscape had been made some time ago as the grass was a foot high and some bushes nearby were looking ragged.

The mobile patrol guard checked the door and saw that it was safe. A quick look with his flashlight in the surrounding area showed all clear. It returns the radio to make sure everything looked ok. After a check of the alarm system that was canceled and returned to finish his career on patrol.

False again

Towards midnight the control room called the officer again and he has activated the alarm again the site of the previous client and could go check. Thinking about how this would be a long night turned around and returned to the client site.

Upon his arrival he found the same situation as the building appeared secure. Quickly went out of his vehicle and went to the door for a physical. Tested by pushing the door was still locked, and his flashlight showed no signs of intruders.

Back in his vehicle by radio through what looks like a false alarm activation, because nothing had changed. Approved inspection and cleared him from the site.

Irritating alarm loss of time

At about 0200 the guard mobile phone has received another call from the control of the same advice that was alarm activated again so he could go and check. He suggested to them that it was a false alarm and should be ignored.

He answered the alarm and come to the site again. Nothing had changed and he wanted to clear this site to get his race over. Brisk walking to the front door has reached with the arm to push the door.

Deathblow

Moving quickly from the bush by the door a man struck with a bottle of beer VB in my throat, as the guards turned to his attacker. The offender pushed the security guard at the door and pinned him in place while he repeatedly stabbed in the throat to more fully break the glass bottle.

The guard fell to the ground clutching his throat, while the offender has begun to enter the building.

I arrived just in time

The security officer injured just enough time to make the code for emergency help. As the officer was attending the nearest I got the call and headed for the site.

I found the guard on the ground near his car and passed by the loss of blood. Provide first aid and then I called the ambulance after it stabilized.

What happened

The security guard had got lazy to participate in a number of alarm activations from the same site and had assumed that they were false alarms or failures. His radio protocols and techniques for research had become tired and not procedures.

The offender had been close all the time and had been timing the response time by pressing the gate guards until then move away alarmed to see how long the guard took to get there.

The offender also observed as the guard checked the building and decided to wait for the guard to get lazy and make his attack.

What I learned

When it comes to an alarm activation to treat them all equally and at a high risk until you know all the facts. You must also modify the patrol and search techniques so that it is harder to predict your movements.

Always check the areas of concealment before approaching doors or openings

by Paul Baker...