Security guards are seen as a great alternative to police officers. They, of course, are, but they do not have the same rights and obligations as police officers do. Security guards may be in uniform on a property, but their authority is limited as they are not public servants. This is why before you hire their services, it is crucial you understand their legal limitations, and that is as follows.

Power To Arrest

Legally licensed security guards have the power to make a citizen’s arrest if anyone commits a crime or a felony. The only condition applied here is that they must have witnessed it or have reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed a crime. Once the person who committed the crime is detained, they must immediately contact the police to actually arrest the person.

Detain A Citizen For Long

The primary job of every security guard on a client site is to minutely watch different activities of people to identify and stop potential thieves and robbers. If they get caught in the act, as stated before, security guards can detain them for a long time. But that only means until the police do not arrive to further investigate.

Use Reasonable Force

Security guards are more likely to face poor security situations forcing them to use force at times. However, they are expected and trained in such a manner that they use their force in a very limited and reasonable way. They can further use their ammunition in a defensive way keeping in mind that minimum loss may occur.

Jurisdiction Of A Guard

A security guard hired to monitor and patrol a specific property is legally limited to just that property. They enforce rules and regulations made by the owner of the property as long as they are not illegal. They are authorized to stop people from performing prohibited acts and ask them to leave. If the behavior persists, they may arrest the individual and call the police.

Conduct A Search

Security guards are not allowed to search anyone or their possession unless they have their consent. And, yes that includes forced search too, even if a person is caught in the act does not consent. A guard may however search without a person’s consent if any possession has been left unattended in a suspicious circumstance, the person isn’t conscious, or when permission has been granted by contract.

The Bottom Line

Security guards of every security guard company have the same authority as any other citizen of this country. They do not get extra power or privileges like the police officers. Yet their presence alone is what acts as an effective deterrent to crimes on every property. They are prepared to deal with any situation that may arise quickly and calmly to ensure everyone’s security.

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