page_title: Security guard
section_title: United States
hierarchical_section_title: Security guard / Qualification / United States
caption_attribution_description: Author: Tolman, Ruel P (Ruel Pardee) b. 1878 Type: Photographic print &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Person, candid &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Painting Date: 1935 Topic: Uniforms &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Men Standard number: SIA2011-0485 and 32070 Physical description: Number of Images: 1 Color: Black and White&#160;; Size: 2.25w x 2.25h&#160;; Type of Image: Person, Candid&#160;; Medium: Photographic print Category: Historic Images of the Smithsonian Notes: The image was taken by Ruel P. Tolman, Director of Smithsonian National Collection of Fine Arts, and is included in a scrapbook of photographs of Smithsonian staff, grounds and buildings, exhibitions, and Washington, D.C. scenes (Section C) Summary: Image of Mr. Richard R. Chaney sitting in a chair in front of a wall full of paintings. Chaney is wearing a guards uniform Persistent URL:&lt;a href="http://siris-sihistory.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&amp;profile=all&amp;source=~!sichronology&amp;uri=full=3100001~!13243~!0#focus" rel="nofollow"&gt;Link to data base record&lt;/a&gt; Repository:Smithsonian Archives - History Div &lt;a href="http://collections.si.edu" rel="nofollow"&gt;View more collections from the Smithsonian Institution.&lt;/a&gt;
context_page_description: A security guard is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets from a variety of hazards by enforcing preventative measures. Security guards do this by maintaining a high-visibility presence to deter illegal and inappropriate actions, looking for signs of crime or other hazards, taking action to minimize damage, and reporting any incidents to their clients and emergency services, as appropriate.
  Security officers are generally uniformed to represent their lawful authority to protect private property. Security guards are generally governed by legal regulations, which set out the requirements for eligibility and the permitted authorities of a security guard in a given jurisdiction. The authorities permitted to security guards vary by country and subnational jurisdiction. Security officers are hired by a range of organizations, including businesses, government departments and agencies and not-for-profit organizations.
  Until the 1980s, the term watchman was more commonly applied to this function, a usage dating back to at least the Middle Ages in Europe where there was no form of law enforcement.
context_section_description: Private security guards have outnumbered police officers since the 1980s, predating the heightened concern about security brought on by the September 11, 2001, attacks. The more than 1 million contract security officers, and an equal number of guards estimated to work directly for U.S. corporations, is much greater than the nearly 700,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. Most states require a license to work as a security officer. This license may include a criminal background check or mandated training requirements. Security guards have the same powers of arrest as a private citizen, called a "private person" arrest, "any person" arrest, or "citizen's arrest". If weapons are carried, additional permits and training are usually required. Armed security personnel are generally employed to protect sensitive sites such as government and military installations, armored money transports, casinos, banks and other financial institutions, and nuclear power plants. However, armed security is quickly becoming a standard for vehicle patrol officers and on many other non-government sites.
  In some states, companies are developing technology to enhance private security. Using behavior analysis, computers can detect threats more quickly with fewer errors in judgement. Using specific algorithms, a computer can now detect aggressive and defensive body language, which triggers an alert to security or proper authorities depending on the event. These systems can also track slips and falls, theft and other events commonly experienced in corporate America. The responsibilities of security guards in the United States are expanding in scope. For example, a trend is the increasing use of private security to support services previously provided by police departments. James F. Pastor addresses substantive legal and public policy issues which directly or indirectly relate to the provision of security services. These can be demonstrated by the logic of alternative or supplemental service providers. The use of private police has particular appeal because property or business owners can directly contract for public safety services, thereby providing welcome relief for municipal budgets. Finally, private police functions can be flexible, depending upon the financial, organizational, political, and circumstances of the client.
  Arizona — Licensed security companies are required to provide eight hours of pre-assignment training to all persons employed as security guards before the employee acts in the capacity of a security guard. There is a state-mandated curriculum that must be taught, and subjects covered must include criminal law and laws of arrest, uniforms and grooming, communications, use of force, general security procedures, crime scene preservation, ethics, and first response.
  California — Security Guards are required to obtain a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, undergo a criminal history background check through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and complete a 40-hour course of required training. This required training is broken down into smaller training sections and time-lines. The first is 8 hours of BSIS-designed instruction on powers to arrest and weapons. Then, within 30 days of getting the individual officers license, they must receive 16 hours of training on various mandatory and elective courses. Finally, within 6 months of getting their license, they must receive an additional 16 hours of training on various mandatory and elective courses. California security officers are also required to complete 8 hours of annual training on security-related topics, in addition to the initial 40 hours of training. The training and exam may be administered by any private patrol operator or by any of a large number of certified training facilities. This training can be in the classroom or online.
  New Jersey — As of 2006 all security personnel employ
caption: A museum guard in 1935.
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