Security guards and gaming surveillance officersGuards, who are also called security officers, patrol and inspect property to protect against fire, theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity. These workers protect their employer�s investment, enforce laws on the property, and deter criminal activity or other problems. They use radio and telephone communications to call for assistance from police, fire, or emergency medical services as the situation dictates. Security guards write comprehensive reports outlining their observations and activities during their assigned shift. They may also interview witnesses or victims, prepare case reports, and testify in court. Although all security guards perform many of the same duties, specific duties vary based on whether the guard works in a �static� security position or on a mobile patrol. Guards assigned to static security positions usually serve the client at one location for a specific length of time. These guards must become closely acquainted with the property and people associated with it and often monitor alarms and closed-circuit TV cameras. In contrast, guards assigned to mobile patrol duty drive or walk from location to location and conduct security checks within an assigned geographical zone. They may detain or arrest criminal violators, answer service calls concerning criminal activity or problems, and issue traffic violation warnings. Specific job responsibilities also vary with the size, type, and location of the employer. In department stores, guards protect people, records, merchandise, money, and equipment. They often work with undercover store detectives to prevent theft by customers or store employees and help in the apprehension of shoplifting suspects prior to arrival by police. Some shopping centers and theaters have officers mounted on horses or bicycles who patrol their parking lots to deter car theft and robberies. In office buildings, banks, and hospitals, guards maintain order and protect the institutions� property, staff, and customers. At air, sea, and rail terminals and other transportation facilities, guards protect people, freight, property, and equipment. They may screen passengers and visitors for weapons and explosives using metal detectors and high-tech equipment, ensure nothing is stolen while being loaded or unloaded, and watch for fires and criminals. Guards who work in public buildings such as museums or art galleries protect paintings and exhibits by inspecting people and packages entering and leaving the building. In factories, laboratories, government buildings, data processing centers, and military bases, security officers protect information, products, computer codes, and defense secrets and check the credentials of people and vehicles entering and leaving the premises. Guards working at universities, parks, and sports stadiums perform crowd control, supervise parking and seating, and direct traffic. Security guards stationed at the entrance to bars and places of adult entertainment, such as nightclubs, prevent access by minors, collect cover charges at the door, maintain order among customers, and protect property and patrons. Armored car guards protect money and valuables during transit. In addition, they protect individuals responsible for making commercial bank deposits from theft or bodily injury. When the armored car arrives at the door of a business, an armed guard enters, signs for the money, and returns to the truck with the valuables in hand. Carrying money between the truck and the business can be extremely hazardous for guards. Because of this risk, armored car guards usually wear bullet-proof vests. All security officers must show good judgment and common sense, follow directions and directives from supervisors, accurately testify in court, and follow company policy and guidelines. Guards should have a professional appearance and attitude and be able to interact with the public. They also must be able to take charge and direct others in emergencies or other dangerous incidents. In a large organization, the security manager is often in charge of a trained guard force divided into shifts; whereas in a small organization, a single worker may be responsible for all security. Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators act as security agents for casino managers and patrons. They observe casino operations for irregular activities, such as cheating or theft, by either employees or patrons. To do this, surveillance officers and investigators often monitor activities from a catwalk over one-way mirrors located above the casino floor. Many casinos use audio and video equipment, allowing surveillance officers and investigators to observe these same areas via monitors. Recordings are kept as a record and are sometimes used as evidence against alleged criminals in police investigations. Related news articles Guard union to ask Mbeki for troops to combat cash heists - 16 Oct 2006 Business Day,At the weekend a security guard was killed in a heist in Durban, and 16 armed men got away with an undisclosed amount in Soweto. ... Car drove at black security guard - 16 Oct 2006 BBC News,A black security guard was racially abused and had a car driven at him after he suspected a couple of stealing from an Edinburgh shop. ... Michigan Security Guard Contractors Agree to Pay... - 16 Oct 2006 U.S. Newswire (press release),DETROIT, Oct. 16 /US Newswire/ -- Two sub-contractors of RSIG Inc., a Southfield, Mich., security company, have agreed to pay $663,813 ... Security guard wounded in church bingo holdup in Mobile - Oct 15, 2006 WTVM,MOBILE, Ala. Police in Mobile are searching for three men in the attempted robbery of a church bingo operation that wounded a security guard. ... Brangelina's security guard pulls revolver on photographer - Oct 13, 2006 Daily News & Analysis,PUNE: A security guard attached to the entourage of Hollywood celebrity couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt on Friday allegedly threatened a photographer by ... Security guard died after a loss of blood - Oct 13, 2006 Mansfield Chad,A SECURITY guard who lost his fight for life after impaling himself on a spike during an horrific fr ... more ». CONCERNED Kings ... February trial date set for former Cornell security guard - Oct 14, 2006 McKeesport Daily News,Former Cornell Intermediate School security guard Thomas Hose now knows when he will stand trial on charges he allegedly held a McKeesport girl against her ... Security guard jailed over cheques fraud - Oct 14, 2006 Peterborough Evening Telegraph,Peterborough Crown Court was told the father-of-four abused his position of trust at the golf club and enlisted the help of three friends to write out cheques ... Police investigate leads in death of Wesleyan security guard - Oct 13, 2006 Virginian Pilot,VIRGINIA BEACH - Police reported no new developments Friday in the investigation of a security officer who was killed Wednesday night at Virginia Wesleyan ... Security guard wounded in shoot-out in Free State - Oct 13, 2006 Citizen,JOHANNESBURG – A security guard was wounded in a shoot-out with a gang of armed men during a heist in the Free State on Thursday, police said. ... Jolie-Pitt security guard threatens photographers in India - Oct 9, 2006 Fametastic,A unnamed security guard protecting Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie has been accused of assaulting and threatening a photographer in Pune, India. ... Security guard manhandles British photographer trying to shoot ... - Oct 10, 2006 Sioux City Journal,The newspaper reported that the security guard had shouted at photographers to stop shooting the couple and moved for Relph when he refused to put down his ... Security guard threatened with a knife - Oct 9, 2006 YourHub.com,A security guard working on the 11400 block of Broomfield Lane saw a man moving boxes of Sharpe monitors from a warehouse in the area at 9:40 pm Oct. ... Va. Wesleyan campus security guard killed while on duty - Oct 12, 2006 Daily Press,By AP. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- A Virginia Wesleyan College security guard was killed while on duty, police said Thursday. Walter Zakrzewski ... Family Remembers Murdered VWC Security Guard - Oct 12, 2006 WTKR Your NewsChannel 3,Friends and family are calling it a senseless murder. A Virginia Wesleyan College security guard was murdered on the job late Wednesday night. ... Police identify victim of VWC homicide as a security guard - Oct 12, 2006 Virginian Pilot,At noon, police identified the victim as a campus security guard -- Walter Zakrzewski of the 8300 block of Canter Ave. in Norfolk. ... More information on Security guards and gaming surveillance officers from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Security guards and gaming surveillance officers occupation Number of Security guards and gaming surveillance officers in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Security guards and gaming surveillance officers Working conditions for Security guards and gaming surveillance officers Significant points for Security guards and gaming surveillance officers Training requirements for Security guards and gaming surveillance officers Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |