What Your Overnight Security Guard Should Be Doing

Hiring an overnight security guard is a big investment, and you deserve a guard who takes their work seriously, ensuring that your property is kept safe at all times – especially in a large and populated location like New York City. Of course, night shift guards can sometimes skip the details, especially if no one is present and they think they can get away with doing less. To make sure your guard has the right work ethic, make sure they’re embodying these necessities.

1. They Should Remain Visible

Night shift guards should remain visible and vigilant at all times, regardless of the industry or specific security guard service. Unfortunately, they can sometimes hunker down in one location or get overly comfortable in one area, which diminishes their effectiveness. Instead of staying in one spot, nightshift guards should be moving around and doing rounds about the property regularly.

The visibility of a guard is going to deter would-be criminals. Whether working inside or outside, they should be going around the property on the regular. If they are working alone or on a small team, they will ideally mix up their route so it cannot be easily predicted.

2. They Should Be Proactive

A security guard protects properties from more than just burglars and vandalism. They must keep all of their senses active in order to see, smell, and hear anything strange. For instance, a nightshift guard should be the first on the case if they smell a cable burning–ideally noticing and reacting before the fire gets out of hand. If they smell a chemical leakage, they should take the appropriate response, whether that’s evacuating or calling a clean-up team for assistance.

For many night-shift guards, regularly checking on the status of assets, equipment, and points of entry is part of the list of nightly duties. You should be monitoring your guards to ensure they are consistently staying on top of these things. Being proactive can help prevent many costly and dangerous disasters.

Related: 6 indicators that your business needs a night shift security guard

3. They Should Respond Quickly

Security guards must act decisively and quickly based on their instincts, and that should result in quick action. For your nightshift guards, you should take notice of fast, deliberate, and controlled actions to tackle any problems or threats that may present themselves throughout their shift.

As such, they should always have their radio on them along with keys, weapons, and any other tools they need to properly monitor and secure the property. They should be aware of the position of other guards at all times and be in regular contact with any remote monitor or other person protecting the property to ensure the most efficient and effective security services are being delivered.

If an incident does occur, swift response leads to police showing up quicker. In a populated city like New York, these extra seconds can be precious because it gives the trespasser less time to blend in with the nightlife of the NYC streets.

4. They Should Be Reporting Regularly

When anything suspicious happens, it should be brought to the attention of the security team and supervisors right away. But what about when only minuscule things occur? No security guard should leave anything unreported. Your security guard should regularly report on their shift and anything out-of-the-ordinary that they noticed. Reporting should be a priority as it’s key to confirming the work and effectiveness of your guards.

Related: 11 tips you should implement to prevent burglaries after hours

5. They Should Always Be In Uniform

Whether you hire plain-clothed guards or uniformed security personnel, nightshift guards should never take advantage of the quietness of their shift and ignore basic protocol. They should always come in uniform with all equipment charged and ready. They should display ID if that is required by your company’s policy, even if they are the only ones present on the property.

It’s important that your guard follows company policy to ensure their effectiveness and even their own safety. For instance, if an incident were to occur, your guard will be best prepared if they have everything they need on hand. Displaying an ID will also be essential in the event that they need to call additional security or police for backup.

A guard that continues to follow such seemingly simple pieces of company policy, even throughout the nightshift and quiet parts of the ending, is a good sign that you have a trusting guard with good attention to detail.