Security Training & Future Employment Prospects
Security Training Can Pay Big Dividends
In the wake of September 11th terrorist attacks the demand for security guards has never been greater. It is now estimated that there are approximately two million full and part-time security officers who are employed in both the public and private sectors. This figure far exceeds the number of sworn federal, state and municipal security officers which in the United States is estimated to be approximately seven-hundred thousand. Furthermore, the demand for security officers is also expected to rise dramatically over the next decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks the security guard profession 19th overall for future job growth with an estimated 14% increase in overall demand anticipated over the next decade.
The pay scale for security officers depends largely on the skill level and experience of the officer, local market demand, and the type of employer that is doing the hiring. Licensed armed guards, for example, typically earn about two to three dollars more per hour than unarmed guards. Likewise, hourly pay in high demand states such as California, Illinois, New York and New Jersey typically starts at about ten dollars per hour for unarmed guards while the starting pay scale in low demand states can be about two to three dollars per hour lower.
The best security guard jobs are typically full-time positions provided by private corporations and government institutions. Not only do these types of employers typically provide officers with career positions that pay significantly higher than hourly positions in other industries, they also often provide benefits such as health insurance and pension plans. At the other end of the spectrum, security agencies and part-time employers, such as security guard companies and big box retailers, tend to pay significantly less per hour and provide few or no benefits to their officers.
Most security guard jobs are for unarmed guards. Contrary to popular perception, security guards do not perform law enforcement activities. Unarmed guards generally have the same law enforcement rights and capabilities as private citizens. While it is true that they can perform citizen’s arrests, many employers, at the behest of their insurance companies, discourage officers from doing so because of potential liability risks. The primary purpose of most security officers, therefore, is to act as a deterrent and to “observe and report” any incidents they witness. If a security guard is a witness to a crime or some other event that is of significance to their employer, they generally are required to write and submit an “incident report”. Incident reports are legal documents that can be used in courts of law as evidence in lawsuits of criminal prosecutions.
Armed guards are increasingly in demand to fill security gaps that are, at least in part, the result of cutbacks to public law enforcement budgets. Private security contractors employ armed guards to fulfill government contracts for protecting sensitive military and government sites such as ports and nuclear power plants. Armed guards are also needed to protect businesses that deal in large quantities of cash such as banks, casinos, check cashing stores, and money transport. As mentioned before, armed guards are generally better paid although they are required to get additional training and permits, although they are sometimes required to provide and carry their own firearms.
For anyone who is serious about security training, becoming an armed guard is probably one of the best investments you can make. The 20-30% higher pay scale earned is a big benefit for a small investment in time and money for the training. What’s more, statistics have demonstrated that armed guards are no more likely to fall victim to physical harm on the job than unarmed guards.
