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Security Guards and Officers: Is There a Difference?

Our society undervalues security guards. It is evident in movies, television and media. Security guards are often depicted with a negative stereotype. Part of this issue is due to the words we use. The word “guard” does not imply a level of ability or qualification that “police officer” or “firefighter” does.

In fact, many security guards are highly skilled and expertly trained personnel. They have logged thousands of hours in classroom and field training courses. They have been trained to protect our most important assets–our children. Security officers, such as those employed by Private Security Guards, are specialized in active shooter scenarios and advanced first aid.

Security officers are often the first responders on a scene. By the nature of their surveillance and patrol functions, they are most likely to already be on scene or very nearby. And because many of them have specialized medical, emergency and safety training, they are qualified to provide the needed services until other help arrives.

Security officers are in high demand. Statistics from the Department of Labor show jobs are expected increase 19 percent over the next decade, as nearly 200,000 security guard jobs are created.

Headlines about terrorism, theft and other crime continue to dominate the headlines, and citizens are concerned about protecting their safety. Private security guards for hire are highly qualified and expertly trained to help protect our most valuable assets.

As the field of security and surveillance grows and more people are educated about the important role security guards have, the more respect they will earn. And as you can see, it’s well-deserved.