Understanding and acting upon potential risks are the part of the daily routine of a door supervisor. During their time in security training institutes they learn this via security training. This is a very pivotal role to keep the facilities of the country safe and sound. During their period at security training they learn all the aspects of keeping a facility safe from troubles and dangers. Ability to identify potential dangers is quality in high demand when it comes to the private security industry. How can you excel in this art? You just need to keep the following things in mind.
Know your surroundings
To protect your surroundings you must have a proper idea about it. How does it look in an absolute normal day? What are the usual businesses taking place in your surrounding? How many do usually crowd that place? What does happen around your entry gate in an absolutely perfect day? Do you know about all these? If you know these usual occurrences surrounding the facility under your watch, then most probably you will be able to identify if anything unusual or out-of-the-box is happening. So a door supervisor must have the knowledge of the following in order to successfully defend the safety of the facilities:
- Knowledge about the location of the facility
- Knowledge about the neighboring area
- Knowledge about the premises’ policy on crimes
- Knowledge about current risk level
- Ability to assessing threats precisely
- Knowledge about potential crime and terrorist activity surrounding the area
If you have all these knowledge, you will be able to keep the facility safe. But only having knowledge doesn’t ensure action. Hence, you must have an idea about how to act in the situations of crisis.
Risks a door supervisor might encounter
The business establishments and other facilities need protection only because they run the risk of getting attacked by different quarters of criminals if left unprotected. Hence it is needless to say that your career of door supervisor will not be a bed of roses. You may run into one or another risk during your stint in the private security industry. But precisely because of this, the job is exciting. You will be treated like a hero once you thwart a potentially hazardous situation. But for all these, you must have a basic knowledge about the kinds of crimes and risks you may encounter during your career. If you have this knowledge, you can prepare yourself in order to deal with those situations.
There are a number of potential risks and crimes which you may encounter during your life as a security staff. Let us list out a few of them:
- Terrorism
- Drug abuse
- Drug dealing or smuggling
- Trading of counterfeit goods and currencies
- Anti-social activities
- Public disorder
- Robberies
- Thefts
- Shoplifting
- Sexual offences
- Dealings and conflicts between gangs
There can be other potential risks too. But these can be considered as the most common threats you may face. During your security training course you will get the essential knowledge about dealing such crimes.
Dealing a potentially hazardous situation
Now you know how to identify potential risks and the potential risks you may face during your time as door supervisor or a security staff. But knowing all these will not keep the facilities safe. Rather we should say, JUST knowing all these will not keep the facilities safe. You must know how to act in these kinds of situations. There are a few basic things which you must not forget:
- Never panic, and keep calm. This is most probably the golden rule of problem solving. Remember in such situations people under your watch will already be panicked. They will be looking up to you for help. So keeping yourself calm and composed will give them the much needed confidence they need.
- Be delicate. DON’T try to bulldoze your way through the crisis. In delicate situation you must be precise and surgical with your actions otherwise you may get the situation to worse.
- Try to contact the law enforcement at earliest.
- Keep your efforts focused on preserving lives. Provide first aid to people who are in need of it.
- In case of a potential terrorist situation contact the anti-terror hotline of UK government as soon as possible.
- In case of public disorders use your communication skills and conflict management skills.
Follow the guidelines of the security authorities, and don’t try to do anything out-of-the-book when the situation is not under control. Help as much as you can to protect others, but protect yourself too.
The role of communication skills during conflicts
As a security staff in an establishment, your duty is not only to keep a watch rather you have to be capable of potential conflict situations. To manage a probable conflict situation you have to recognize any incident which can cause a trouble in the establishment under your watch. Once you recognize a probable conflict situation you can move forward to assess and reduce the risk of conflict. To prevent a conflict your communication skill is the first weapon in your arsenal. Through a positive and constructive communication you can avoid 9 out of 10 conflict scenarios. To be able to persuade and diffuse such situation you must recognize the array of factors that can inhibit or trigger a conflict in the particular situation. Once you get to these key points, with you great communication skill you will be able to avoid most of the conflicts or you will be able to diffuse any ongoing conflicts by intervening. While working a door supervisor you may find yourself in different kind of conflict with the clients as you need to enforce the entry policy and other policies placed by your employer. But believe me if you maintain a behavioral standard and have a good understanding about conflict management you will definitely be able to diffuse most of the situations. These skills will definitely earn yourself credits from your employer, and it will further cement your position as a door supervisor in the security industry.
Are you up for all these? The career of door supervisor is definitely an exciting one, right? If you are looking forward to become a SIA licensed door supervisor and work in the private security industry, enroll now for the security training course for the door supervisors. Hurry up! A successful career is awaiting you.