II.B – Observation & Documentation

California Security Officers with Registrations (guard cards) must receive 40 hours of training as follows:

• 8 hours “Powers to Arrest” prior to an Officer standing post.
• 16 hours of training within 30 days of issuance of registration, 8 of which must consist of two four-hour courses from the mandatory modules and 8 of which must consist of elective courses.
• 16 hours of training within 6 months of issuance of registration, 8 of which must consist of the remaining two four- hour courses from the mandatory modules, and 8 of which must consist of elective courses.

This course module, titled “Observation & Documentation,” is in compliance with Business and Professions Code Sections 7583.6 and 7583.7 and Title 16, Division 7, Article 9, Section 643 of the California Code of Regulations.

This course corresponds to module II.B of the BSIS Course Outline. This is a mandatory course under the Course Outline and satisfies the requirement for 4 hours of training under the mandatory section of the Security Officer Training Laws and Regulations.

II.B Observation & Documentation – 4 hours

Course Outline & Syllabus

• The officer will be provided with an understanding of the requirements for writing an effective report.
• The officer will be provided with an understanding of the principles and basic elements of field note taking.
• The officer will be provided with an understanding of the role of observation and description in private security.
• The officer will be provided with an understanding of the patrol function as it relates to private security.
• The officer will be provided with an understanding of the appropriate questioning techniques.

Report Writing

1. Purpose
2. Types of Reports
   1. Shift or Daily Logs
   2. Vehicle Logs
   3. Visitor/Contractor Logs
   4. Material Control Passes/Logs
   5. Incident Reports
   6. Risk Management
3. Note-taking
   1. Sample Reports
      1. Theft
      2. Accident/Injury
      3. General report – Who, What, Where, How, Why?
      4. Legal Ramifications of Reports

English as a Second Language

1. Awareness of Individuals
2. Responsibilities when dealing with individuals for whom English is not their primary language

Observation and Patrol Techniques

1. Use of Senses
2. Factors Affecting Observation
3. Observation Process
   1. Attention
   2. Perception
   3. Report
4. Physical Descriptions of Scene
5. Incident Scene
   1. Survey
   2. Methods of Search
      1. Consensual Searches
      2. Pat Search
      3. Bag/Purse Search
      4. Spiral

6. Types of Patrols
   1. Fire prevention
   2. Theft Prevention
   3. System Failures and Accident Prevention
   4. External
      1. Vehicles
      2. Bicycles
   5. Internal
   6. First Patrol

Asking Appropriate Questions

1. Situations requiring security officer response
   1. Injury or accident
   2. Property damage or loss
   3. Verbal and physical confrontation/argument
2. Locate and identify witnesses
   1. Photo ID (California Driver License/other)
   2. Name and address
   3. Phone number
   4. Social security number
3. Specific questions to ask

Observing Suspects/Suspicious Activity

1. Recognizing the difference between normal and suspicious activity
   1. Experience of the security officer
   2. Training received by the Security officer
   3. Reasons a suspects appears unusual
2. Physical descriptions
   1. Physical appearance
   2. Physical traits
   3. General impressions