Security guard duties and responsibilities: the full list, by post, with a shift checklist

A security guard's duties are to protect people and property at a site by controlling who comes in, patrolling, watching for problems, reporting what happens and responding to emergencies under the site's post orders. A guard's responsibilities are what they answer for while doing that: being at the post on time, following the post orders, writing accurate reports and handing the post over cleanly.

The titles security guard and security officer are used for the same job in most companies. This guide lists the duties that apply at almost every post, then the duties that change by type of post, and ends with a checklist for each shift.

Key points#

• The core duties are access control, patrols, observing and reporting, emergency response and customer service.
• The post orders for each site set the exact duties: what to check, how often, who to call and what not to do.
• A guard observes, reports and calls for help. Arrest powers are limited and set by state law, so the post orders and company policy decide what a guard may do.
• Reports are part of the job: a daily activity report every shift, and an incident report for anything out of the ordinary.

The core duties of a security guard#

1. Control access to the site#

Check IDs, badges and passes, sign visitors and contractors in and out, keep the visitor log, and stop people who are not allowed in. At gates and loading docks, this includes checking vehicles and deliveries against the list the client gives.

2. Patrol the site#

Walk or drive a set route on the schedule the post orders give, checking doors, gates, fences, lights, alarms and equipment. Many sites put NFC tags, QR codes or GPS checkpoints on the route so each round is recorded with the time.

3. Observe and report#

Watch for safety hazards, damage, open doors, leaks, suspicious people and anything that does not look right, and report it. Where the post has cameras or alarm panels, monitoring them is part of the duty.

4. Respond to alarms and emergencies#

Respond to alarms, medical emergencies, fires and disturbances by following the site's emergency procedures: call emergency services, call the supervisor and the client contact, guide people to safety and stay with the situation until help arrives.

5. Write reports#

Write a daily activity report each shift and an incident report for anything unusual, with times, names, what was seen and what was done, plus photos where the post orders ask for them. Clear reports are the record the company and the client rely on.

6. Enforce site rules#

Apply the client's rules politely and the same way for everyone: parking, restricted areas, prohibited items, opening and closing times.

7. Help people#

Give directions, escort staff to their cars, open doors for deliveries and answer questions. At many posts this is most of the shift, and it is what clients notice.

8. Hand over the post#

Brief the next guard on open issues, keys and equipment, and anything still being followed up, and record the handover.

Responsibilities: what a guard answers for#

• Being on time and in uniform, and never leaving the post without relief or the supervisor's permission.
• Knowing the post orders for the site and following them. Ask the supervisor when an instruction is unclear.
• Accurate reports. Write what happened, when, and what you did. Do not guess or leave things out.
• Staying within your authority. A guard is not a police officer. Observe, report and call for help, and use force or detain someone only as state law and company policy allow.
• Keeping the license current and completing the training your state requires. In California, for example, that means a BSIS registration and yearly training: see how to get a guard card in California.
• Confidentiality. Keep what you see at the client's site to yourself, except in your reports.

Duties by type of post#

Armed posts add the firearm permit and qualification the state requires, and the company's use-of-force policy.

Security guard post checklist for each shift#

Start of shift

• Arrive early, in full uniform, with license and equipment.
• Clock in at the post.
• Read the post orders and any changes, and the notes from the last shift.
• Check keys, radio or phone, flashlight and any site equipment.
• Walk the post: doors, gates, lights, alarms.

During the shift

• Run each patrol on schedule and record every checkpoint.
• Keep the visitor and vehicle logs.
• Write down anything unusual as it happens, with the time.
• File an incident report for every incident, with photos where possible.
• Check in with the supervisor or dispatch at the times the post orders set.

End of shift

• Finish the daily activity report.
• Brief the relief guard on open issues, keys and equipment.
• Clock out only after the relief guard has taken over.

How the duties become post orders#

The duties above are general. The post orders for each site turn them into instructions: which doors to check, how often to patrol, who to call at 2 a.m., what the client wants in each report. See what to include in security post orders, and use the security guard job description template when you hire for the post.

In Guardix, officers read and sign each site's post orders in the phone app, scan each checkpoint on their tours and patrols, and file daily activity reports and incident reports with photos, so the office and the client see each duty done.

Frequently asked questions#

What are the main duties of a security guard?#

Controlling access to the site, patrolling it, observing and reporting hazards and suspicious activity, responding to alarms and emergencies, writing daily activity and incident reports, enforcing site rules and helping people. The post orders for each site set the exact duties.

What is the difference between security guard duties and responsibilities?#

Duties are the tasks a guard performs, such as patrols and reports. Responsibilities are what the guard answers for, such as being at the post on time, following the post orders, writing accurate reports and staying within their legal authority.

Can a security guard arrest someone?#

A security guard does not have police powers. What a guard may do to detain someone is set by state law and by the company's policy, which is usually to observe, report and call the police. Follow your post orders and your training.

What should a security guard write in a daily activity report?#

The post, the shift times, each patrol and checkpoint with times, visitors and deliveries logged, anything unusual seen and what was done about it, and any incidents, with a separate incident report for each.