You’ve decided to get yourself a “Security Guard” but now what to do?  Where do you find a guard? What do you know about him?  What about the company?  Do you need to feed him?  What happens if he goes on leave?  So many questions very few easy answers. Yeah, suddenly you aren’t as convinced as before about getting a guard. Fret not.

Here are some of the things you have to keep in mind:

 

Where do I Hire?

Strongly recommended to consult with neighbors, friends who already have guards or acquaintances in the security field.

Big companies will not be interested in your business if you’re taking under 20 guards from them.

Use smaller firms for requirements under 20 guards.

 

How do I know the company or the guard is reliable?

Good companies will have proper files on their guards going back to the day they were hired. Absence of such a file is a strong indicator of service levels being poor.

The file, at a minimum, should contain a copy of the :

ID of the guard

Police Clearance

Background check

Training tracking (Situation handling and weapon handling)

Certification and/or license

 

How much does a guard cost?

The cost of a guard depends on the service you need. It is best to provide the company your requirement and get a rate. Rates will always be higher for 1 or 2 guards compared to 5 or 10 etc.

 

What type of guard should I get?

This all depends on your need.

 

Home based guard should:

Preferably be between 40 – 50 years  (Younger guards in homes with females present alone can be a risk)

Be living at a close distance to your residence or then have company provided transport.

Be of views similar to yours or not rigidly opposed to them. (Your Religion, Dress, Mannerisms, Food & Drink, Pets must not provoke them)

 

Escort Guard:

In addition to the requirements of a home based guard your escort guard must:

Be Hygienic (he sits in your car)

Have Experience of 5 years in a similar role with specialist training

Knows how to handle small weapons (shot guns may look scary but cannot be used from a car)

Have a functional cell phone at all times

Know how to drive a vehicle (not a must have but a good to have)

 

Guards for your Business:

Get a needs assessment survey done by the company and a professional auditor.

Have a proper Post Order written up and agreed to.

 

So now that I have the guard what do I need to do?

 

Written orders are to be provided to the guard in a language he understands. The company should have already agreed these with you.

The guard when on duty at any location escort, home, business is there for guarding ONLY.

The guard must not be tasked to Open the car door, the gate, the office door etc.

The Guard is a human being and needs personal breaks. Have a toilet at your place for his use. (Incidents often occur because the guard has left his post to go to the washroom in a nearby Mosque, restaurant or open area)

Make sure he is paid a fair wage. (The company must prove to you the salary he actually receives, you may be paying a higher sum to them but the company gives him only a fraction)

Sponsor his meals or allow him to bring his own and heat them at your place. (Incidents often occur because the guard has left his post to go eat at the neighborhood restaurant which is never close by)

Tea, Water should be given by the site owner in appropriate quantities. (A water cooler can be provided, tea be made by other domestic staff or then a small stove given to the guard for the purpose)

Know his name and greet him appropriately and with respect. (Your life is in his hands and he has gun)

If he’s uncomfortable around a pet dog then keep it away from him and his space.

Do not permit him to do any work other than his guarding duties. (He may be willing to do so for an extra buck but it distracts him from his core duty)

Ensure that he works no more than 12 hours a day and gets one PAID leave a week and 2 PAID weeks a year. (Companies discourage this by giving the guard extra money for those days. However the effectiveness of a guard is lost and it’s as good as not having one)

 

THE GUARD IS ARMED, HANDLE HIM WITH CARE.

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