It is the role of a Security Guard to protect people, property and information. They are responsible to a variety of people:

Security Guard responsibilities to their employer.

As a Security Guard, you have a responsibility to your employer for the security and protection of property. This involves:

• The responsibility to make every effort to ensure premises and property are protected in an appropriate and effective fashion against a variety of natural and man-made threats;
• Preventing, detecting and reacting appropriately to the commission of criminal and quasi-criminal actions on or against the property of the client
• The obligation to perform these duties in a way that enables the client to have confidence that they will not lose business or have to pay a substantial civil claim because of the conduct of security services.

Security Guard Responsibilities to the public.

Security is normally assigned the duty of protecting the public from loss or injury. This includes:

• A responsibility to interact with law enforcement officials and the Justice system, where necessary, such as apprehending and detaining someone who has committed a criminal offence. Security may be able to supplement the efforts of police, performing preliminary investigations or securing crime scenes until the police can arrive. Security personnel may also be a valuable source of information to the police;
• In emergencies, people may look to figures of authority for leadership and guidance. Because of his or her position, a Security Guard is likely to fall into this category;
• Security Guards also possess information that would assist emergency personnel in times of crisis. Using that knowledge in an appropriate manner, for example, by directing firefighters to the easiest/best way to get to the scene of the fire or to the scene of the industrial accident that has occurred on a work site more quickly than they could have found it otherwise. Or, security may be able to warn emergency crews about danger zones within the site;
• Where criminal charges have been laid as the result of information a security guard gave to the Police, and the proper procedures were followed in making the arrest, the security guard will be expected to testify that the evidence was legally acquired, produce and/or identify the exhibits, identify the accused, and present testimony to the court in a professional manner.

Security Guard Responsibilities to themselves

A Security Guard should recognize that he or she is a professional and is involved in a position that involves tremendous responsibility. Often security is responsible for protecting hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars of property and equipment. Consequently, the guard must act in a serious and responsible manner during the performance of his or her duties.