Security guards v/s Security officers
Many people use the terms “security guards” and “security officers” interchangeably.
They mistakenly believe that the two titles mean the same. While there is a little bit of variance between the two roles depending on what province you live in, for industry insiders and professionals, each role has its own specific duties
What is a Security Guard? Security Guard?
A security guard is a colloquial term that people typically use to describe all security professionals. To the public at large, anyone that wears a uniform and carries a set of handcuffs, who doesn’t work for the police department, is a security guard. There are, however, subtle differences between the two roles.
Generally speaking, a security guard works under a security officer. You can view the two roles as a hierarchical chain of command. Security guards also tend to be front line security professionals responsible for more of the lay work whereas security officers handle the big picture tasks.
What is a Security Officer? Security Officer?
A security officer, by comparison, is usually considered to be above a security guard in terms of responsibility, training, and chain of command.
In direct contrast to a security guard, a security officer is much more mobile. They are expected to provide oversight to the other security personnel out in the field, as well as actively patrolling potentially dangerous or high-needs areas. This brings with it an added level of both risk and liability. Therefore, security officers are usually better compensated in proportion to the risk involved.
A large component of the security officer’s role involves managing the other security guards. That means performing active checks on guard posts and patrol routes, but it also means an increased amount of paperwork and administrative duties.