Texas Security Guard Information

When many businesses or organizations decide to inquire about the use of private security guards, one of their first questions often involves the legal authority of security guards while on the job. In Texas, since private security guards are not considered peace officers, they do not possess the same levels of authority as do police officers. However, they are trained in criminal law, and do have the authority to detain a person or persons in a reasonable manner for a reasonable amount of time until police arrive on the scene. This usually means they can detain an individual only if they witness them committing a crime or other illegal act, although situations can vary in some instances. If a guard is armed, they do have the authority to use their weapon in self-defense or in the defense of others, so long as they do so in a manner consistent to what a reasonable person would do under similar circumstances.

Since people who pursue careers as private security guards come from many walks of life, there are many different attributes that go into making a person an excellent private security officer. First and foremost, they must possess a basic skill set and sound judgement, both of which are vital to performing their job in an excellent fashion. When hiring individuals for these positions, Ranger Guard and Investigations believes many qualities of a good security guard can be found in those men and women who have previous experience in law enforcement and military service. Due to this, Ranger always seeks out these individuals for potential openings, and works diligently with local organizations seeking to help veterans make the transition from military to civilian careers. Since these individuals have already shown the ability to deal with high-stress and dangerous situations in a professional manner, they often make the best security guards.

When working as a security guard, it takes a variety of aptitude and training to be well-prepared for the first assignment. At Ranger Guard and Investigations, these two areas are given high priority with all officers, whether they possess significant previous experience or are new to the field. Thus, before beginning any assignment, all officers must pass a battery of aptitude tests that test their judgement in certain situations. Along with this, they are given stringent drug tests, and must also pass detailed background checks that focus on criminal history, employment and education histories, and personal and professional references. Once hired by Ranger, all guards must complete training in numerous areas, including but not limited to Anti-Terrorism Tactics, Defensive Tactics, Criminal Law, First Aid/CPR, Crowd Control and Bag Searches, Patrol Techniques, Surveillance Methods, K-9 Security, Firearms Training, and many other specialized areas.

Once on an assignment, all private security guards employed by Ranger Guard and Investigations are expected to always have a professional appearance and demeanor. This means always wearing a clean and pressed police-style uniform, having shoes that are polished, displaying minimal amounts of jewelry, and sporting a professional haircut. Along with their appearance, they are also expected to communicate in a professional manner with clients and others with whom they interact while on duty. Since it’s inevitable they will at some point deal with those aggressive individuals who may try to provoke them into a physical confrontation through arguing, all officers are trained in verbal de-escalation techniques. Known as Enforcement Through Reinforcement, these techniques have proven to be very effective in keeping many situations from getting out of control.