Having highly trained security personnel is essential to protecting your home, business, and personal assets. You need to ensure you get a security guard with enough experience for such a challenging task.
There are many types of security guards in the Chicago area. Today, we’ll look at some of the options so you can have the perfect starting point.
Why Do You Need Private Security Services?
Business and private property owners face various hazards and threats to their prized investments. Getting security services can give you some peace of mind. Your security team can shoulder some of the burdens by monitoring suspicious behavior and creating timely security reports.
Such contingency planning can help you fend off serious security breaches and provide some much-needed assurance and protection to those who access your property.
Professional security guards come with various skill sets and specializations. Let’s look at the basic type of services you can expect from a security guard.
Basic Types of Guards
State Guards
Governments and other state agencies usually hire highly experienced, trained, and armed security guards. The concerned agency strategically stations them to protect employees and other valuable assets. For that reason, state guards come equipped to play a variety of roles.
Their primary role is to act as sentries—this entails standing guard in courthouses, banking halls, entry/exit points, and other parts of buildings. They also direct the public and can be called into action should there be a threat to government staffers or property.
High intra-personal, technical, and physical skills are essential to securing a state guard job. However, having a less-than-clean criminal record disqualifies loads of candidates.
Contract Security Guards
Contact security guards are the most common guards you see in homes and business premises. They are hired on private contracts by private security firms or agencies.
It’s easy to work with a private contract security service. You only need to sign a contract with a private security firm, and they’ll send you the personnel that match all your security needs.
Personal Guards
Some companies and homeowners prefer personally recruiting security personnel. You can hire them through ads or contract them through private security services—the difference is they’ll report to you. In addition, you’ll pay them directly instead of through their parent firm.
Working in such a way ensures they meet your company’s expectations, boosting trust and loyalty. However, hiring such in-house security guards is prohibited in some countries. Nevertheless, that does little to discourage the trend because personal guards cater to the need of:
- Casinos
- Drug dispensaries
- Banks
- Club and pub bouncers
- Other establishments that need special security arrangements
The Main Types of Private Security Guards
When a company hires the services of a private security company, they have various alternatives. Most security firms will offer some or all the following private security guard services:
A security guard can offer close body protection and look out for your residential and commercial properties. There’s no limit to the assets where you can deploy them.
Here are some of the types of security officers you can get from a private security company:
Home Security
People spend less time at home, creating an opportunity for house break-ins and auto part theft. That’s why some homeowner associations and other neighborhood watch initiatives hire private security firms.
Home security or residential guards can conduct neighbor watches to keep them secure. They are also common in entry points, where they deter thieves from accessing the neighborhood.
Business Security
Retail guards or asset protection officers are a vital part of business security—their primary responsibility is to prevent shoplifting and other types of retail theft. These guards achieve this by performing patrols, monitoring CCTV, and investigating suspicious occurrences at your store.
In most cases, business security officers come unarmed. However, high-end businesses like jewelry stores may require armed retail guards.
Personal Guards
Bodyguards or personal guards offer close body protection to an individual. They are typically used to ensure celebrities, politicians, and other V.I.P.s are safe to live their lives or perform their daily tasks.
Bodyguards are highly trained, experienced, and well-armed to stop any assailant in their tracks.
Patrol Guard
These security officers perform mobile patrol operations using vehicles—their mobility allows them to cover vast areas such as airports, malls, commercial parks, and even entire city blocks. Patrol guards can also work with stationary guards to increase your security net.
Most private security firms use them to respond to security alarms with a high success rate.
Stationary Security
The main task of Stationary security guards is to perform sentry duties—this entails standing or sitting at strategic spots such as entryways and guard booths. As mentioned, they work closely with patrol guards and other security officers to keep an area secure.
Security Guards in Uniform
Uniformed security guards offer an element of authority and visibility to your security initiatives—this deters thieves, vandals, and other criminals from invading your property. The public can also approach them with inquiries in case they need guidance.
Guards in Plain Clothes
Uniformed guards may deter would-be troublemakers but can make the public feel uncomfortable. Nobody likes to feel like they are under constant surveillance—that’s why many businesses hire plain cloth guards to secure their businesses or events.
Aside from mingling with the crowd, they can work quietly in the background to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.
Unarmed Security Guards
The majority of security professionals are unarmed guards. They have various responsibilities, but their main duty is to man entry points and information desks.
Armed Guards
Armed guards usually have previous military or police service. You can also take additional safety and handling training to get a gun permit to get such a job. Candidates also need a clean criminal record to be entrusted with such a duty.
Armed security guards only draw their arms in situations that don’t have another solution. That’s why you’ll find them guarding casinos, jewelry stores, banks, and other businesses that have high-value transactions.
Event Security
Large gatherings such as concerts and conventions also need security. Private events security guard teams typically feature uniformed and plain-clothed guards to offer guidance, crowd control, and ensure safety for all.
Security Video Surveillance
Security firms take offers through additional video surveillance training, allowing them to cut on blind spots and ensure a location is under 360-degree coverage. These video surveillance operators can also monitor your perimeter to report suspicious criminal activity.
Facility Security Personnel
Depots, power plants, construction sites, and other infrastructural assets also need protection. There is also a spike in the theft of construction materials and equipment—that’s why companies get security services for 24-hour protection.
Facility security guards are deployed to such areas. They protect equipment, goods, or construction materials from theft or vandalism. They can also control access to the site and enhance safety by enforcing the use of P.P.E (Personal Protective Equipment).
Can I Hire a Guard from a security company In the Chicago Area?
Are you seeking a security guard to cover a sensitive role in your facility, home, or business? This list gives you a place to start. However, it barely covers the surface of what we can do for you here at S.O.S Private Security.
We’re among the best private security companies in Chicago, IL, leaving nothing to chance where our clients and public safety is concerned.
Our staff includes highly trained officers, a majority with previous distinguished careers in the military or police. We can work within your budget on long and short-term security initiatives.
Visit our website to get started on a security solution that will secure your most valued assets.
Contact us at (708) 341-0928 to learn more about our safety security services or to order reliable personalsecurity guards.
FAQ
Why do I need private security services?
Getting security services can give you some peace of mind. Contingency planning can help you fend off serious security breaches and provide assurance and protection to those who access your property.
What are the basic types of security guards?
There are three basic types of security guards: state guards, contract security guards, and personal guards.
What are the main types of private security guards?
Private security companies offer various types of security guards, including home security, business security, personal guards, patrol guards, stationary security, uniformed security guards, guards in plain clothes, unarmed security guards, and armed guards.
What are the responsibilities of business security officers?
Business security officers are responsible for preventing shoplifting and other types of retail theft.
What is the difference between guards in uniform and guards in plain clothes?
Uniformed security guards offer an element of authority and visibility to your security initiatives, which deters thieves, vandals, and other criminals from invading your property. Guards in plain clothes, on the other hand, may work quietly in the background to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.