Hiring Security Officers Some buildings and businesses are just now determining that they need security personnel and want to have their own people on staff (versus outsourcing to a security agency). Most of these questions below are important to consider even if you are hiring an agency— you want the same sort of confidence the answers should provide. Consider what sort of situations your security people will encounter. Will there be a lot of contact with tenants or customers, or very little? Is the danger of violent crime a major concern, or protecting property? How do you evaluate the people who apply and assess their abilities to cope with a criminal situation, or a disaster, or a tenant that's locked him or her self out of their office? In short, how can you make sure your security people will be an asset and not a liability. The key is "training." Evaluate the training and experience of the prospective security officer and how it applies to your needs. Ask yourself, and the applicant, many questions. Technique - Ask about techniques used to train officers. The three most common training techniques are: observation, experimentation and experience. The most well-rounded training employs all three. Hands-on Experience - Ensure training includes real-life role playing and drills. Flexibility - The applicant’s training credentials may seem first class, but how diverse has the training been. Fundamentals are terrific. However, if the officers know only how to body guard high officials but not how to respond to dead batteries, your facility might have a problem. Providing security for an office building is much different than for a hospital, a university, or manufacturing facility. Making the right decisions on security officers can make a huge difference in tenant and employee satisfaction...Literally it might be a life-or-death decision.