Secure and protect propertySome carry arms, but most do notYou could work in stores, office buildings, museums, etc.Consider a law and security college program and certification
For several years in a row, serious crime in the U.S. has fallen,
according to the FBI. But if crime is to continue to decline in the early
21st century, the responsibility cannot be left solely to the police. Security
officers will play a major role.
Every once in a while, security officers get one of those plum jobs that
make friends and family drool -- like a night doing backstage work for a big
rock 'n' roll group or guarding a well-known VIP.
But usually, the work of a security officer is routine. They check safes,
windows and doors to make sure they're locked. Few realize, however, that
this is a service industry designed not just to keep undesirables out, but
to help those who are in.
"Security is a service organization," says Tom Provencher. He is a director
of physical security for an aerospace company in California. "It doesn't mean
you sit there with a club. You also open doors when people are locked out,
help when dignitaries come in. You do a lot of different things."
Security officers are hired in a surprising number of places -- department
stores, office buildings, some larger upscale apartment buildings, banks,
hospitals, department stores, museums and art galleries.
They also work in places you'd expect, like airports and railroad stations,
and even at music festivals or large sporting events, laboratories and government
buildings.
Security officers fall into two categories -- those who are hired by the
company they protect, and those who work for private security companies that
hire out their employees on contract.
The preferred of the two is to "work proprietary," that is, protecting
the company that hires you. But these jobs are drying up as large companies
try to reduce their payroll.
"People who work in proprietary situations are much better off, but those
jobs have just about evaporated," Provencher says.
For example, Provencher's company, a large defense firm with about 2,900
employees, had its own security staff in its first 35 years of business. But
it has gradually switched over to hiring security staff on contract.
Most of the work is done on foot, although in some cases electronic surveillance
may take place. Security officers may also drive patrol cars. Communication
devices are being used more and more often, so guards are expected to be familiar
with the equipment.
In some technologically advanced companies such as Provencher's, the days
of security officers filling in charts at the end of a shift are history.
"We have button-sized chips in strategic locations around the facility,"
he says. "The officer takes his wand and waves it over the chip and it automatically
registers who he is and what time he passed through. That's then downloaded
into a PC and the supervisor can run off a report. There's no going back and
handwriting things in!"
Some of the typical duties security officers perform include checking fire
extinguishers, alarms, sprinkler systems, furnaces and various electrical
and plumbing systems. Although some guards carry weapons, the trend is toward
less use of arms.
Good security officers should pay attention to detail, have good communication
skills, be well groomed and prompt.
And it's not a bad idea to be a bit of a night owl. Guards typically work
eight-hour shifts at night. You'll often work alone, and if an incident does
occur, you'll have to rely on your radio communications for help. That also
means you'll be eating on the job -- no room for dinner breaks here.
"The perception and the reality is that police can't make you safe," says
Provencher. He worked his way up from security officer to a position in management.
Security officers, therefore, fill a real need.
Unlike a police force, security officers are proactive rather than reactive,
says Provencher. He gives the example of car theft. A car parked inside a
fenced area with security patrols is far less likely to be stolen. More businesses
are taking this insurance-minded approach.
You will need some physical qualities to work in this field. In this line
of work, being athletic or at least physically fit will serve you well. If
you have physical mobility needs, entry into this career will be challenging.
Also, good vision, hearing and the ability to stay mentally alert and emotionally
stable while under pressure are important. In some cases, employers may require
you to take a drug screening or lie detector test.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) says guards held more than one
million jobs in the U.S. in 1998. Industrial security firms and guard agencies
employed 60 percent of all salaried or wage-earning guards.
There are about 1.8 million people employed in private security and 685,000
in public law enforcement, according to the American Society for Industrial
Security.
The International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) represents
protection officers in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. It has more than 14,000
members.
Jobs for guards are expected to grow faster than average through 2008,
says the OOH. This will result from factors such as the public's increasing
concerns about security and openings created by workers leaving the field.
"A recent survey indicates that this profession is among the top 10 fastest
growing occupations in the service industry," says Sandi Davies, the IFPO's
executive director.
Harold Grimsley is a security consultant based in Alabama. He says if you're
good at what you do, you'll find a job. "There's a demand for good-quality
security officers," he says. He adds that he knows of companies who are having
difficulty finding qualified people in the field.
The median annual salary for guards was $16,240 in 1998, says the OOH.
Earnings ranged from less than $11,970 to more than $26,640.
Grimsley says security officers' salaries vary widely. He says $7 to $8
an hour would be typical entry-level earnings for those employed by security
companies in his area. Proprietary workers earn more, he says.
Davies says that wages are rising as more states make training for security
officers mandatory and more employers expect it. "That is leading to higher
remuneration, which is good news for a profession with wages that have been
notoriously low."
RegionAverage Annual EarningsAverage Hourly EarningsU.S. National$30,730$12.78RegionOutlook2017 Workforce2017 to 2026 Growth RateU.S. NationalAbove Average1,105,4400.9%
In the U.S., most security guards must be licensed. You must be at least
18 years old and have no criminal convictions. You may also have to pass a
general exam and take training in property rights, emergency procedures and
the seizure of suspected criminals.
Most employers prefer guards who have at least a 12th-grade education,
a driver's license, military experience or experience working with local police
departments.
You can also obtain the certified protection officer (CPO) certificate,
a prerequisite for many entry-level positions. This online or correspondence
course takes you through the basics of security.
To be eligible, you'll need a minimum 10th-grade education or six months
of related experience. It's available through the International Foundation
for Protection Officers.
Here is a sample of related training:
Eastern Kentucky University Department of Loss Prevention and
Safety
Stratton 250
Richmond
,
KY
40475-3131
USA
Internet
:
http://www.lossprevention.eku.edu/
York College of Pennsylvania Criminal Justice
York
,
PA
17405-7199
USA
Internet
:
http://www.ycp.edu/departments/html/crimjust.html
Associations
American Society for Industrial Security
Internet
:
http://www.asisonline.org/
Publications
Security Management
Internet
:
http://www.securitymanagement.com/
Links
Occupational Employment Statistics
The OES has labor market data on over 700 careers
SecurityGuard-License.org
Links for security guard and related organizations
U.S. Department of Justice
The federal department that oversees law enforcement