Security officers are usually only discussed when they do something extraordinary. We appreciate the heroic actions of an officer during a violent episode, when they react to a medical emergency, or stop a crime from happening. These actions are important because they illustrate a professional attitude and the courage and judgment security officers demonstrate daily in their work.

The Invisible Work of Security

However, most of what security officers do is routine. Security officers, trained to "observe and report" make countless small decisions during every shift. Should this person be here?  Do I need to write down this interaction? Is this car where it belongs? Is it time for me to step in or to keep observing? 

Before any issue is reported to a higher authority or reaches a supervisor’s desk, security officers have already made hundreds of observations and exercised their judgment numerous times to protect others.

Technology is revolutionizing the security industry and will continue to transform it even further. It is useful for condensing data in reports, identifying patterns in video surveillance, and providing quick and accurate information. All of this is very important, but technology must not blind us to one simple fact. Security work is a very human endeavor.

Technology Should Support Judgment, Not Replace It

Technology can recognize a pattern, but it doesn’t have the ability to interpret the full context behind it. Technology can’t win the trust of a person in a stressful situation, realize that a scared worker needs encouragement and not discipline, or use intuition built over years of experience. Human judgment is critical to security management. 

The physical security industry doesn’t need technology for technology’s sake. It needs tools that reduce administrative burdens and give security officers more freedom to exercise good judgment.

It’s all too common for security officers to struggle with outdated post orders, deficient communications, inefficient scheduling, poor reporting tools, and outdated technology that adds to their workload without providing any value.

The Biggest Obstacles Are Often Operational

Any organization can start demonstrating its appreciation of the people it employs by posing a single question to its security officers: What makes your work difficult? Their answers may surprise you in their simplicity. 

Security officers ask for clear communication, state-of-the-art training, reliable equipment, consistent staffing, easy access to information, and reporting processes that lead to action rather than more paperwork. Fortunately, modern workforce technology allows organizations to spot staffing issues before they become safety or security issues for the officer and the client site. Although these advances don’t make for headline-grabbing news stories, the effect they have on officer efficiency and satisfaction and, on the overall security of the organization, is tremendous.

Security officers constitute one of the greatest untapped sources of intelligence within any business entity. Being ever-present in their surroundings, security officers are often the first to pick up on any potential threats, suspicious activities, unauthorized access, safety violations, maintenance failures, faulty equipment, policy infringements, and anything out of the ordinary that others might fail to see. Security officers don’t only react to a situation; they often spot the danger signals allowing them to prevent the situation from arising in the first place.

Organizations that continuously evolve and improve upon themselves take advantage of this knowledge. They listen, evaluate, and react.

Appreciation is a Continuous Process

True appreciation doesn’t take place during National Security Officer Appreciation Week. It takes place year-round as organizations invest in better digital tools with simplified and streamlined processes, allowing security officers to do their job without being hampered by roadblocks.

The greatest form of appreciation isn’t saying "thank you" to them for keeping us safe; it is doing whatever it takes to make sure they can do just that.