Difference Between a Security Guard and a Watchman.

The security industry is ever growing with new trends emerging daily. The risk and vulnerability increasing, and the need for new measures is paramount. This article aims to enlighten safety seekers on the importance of hiring trusted professionals to guard their property. The key differences between a security guard and a watchman have been tabulated below for clarity.

With rising cases of incidence and crimes committed by so-called security guards against their employers, including, the stealing of items such as gas cylinders, air conditioners, and other valuables for sale by the security on duty, we aim to distinguish security operatives from watchmen to enable employers to make better decision in hiring the right individuals for their property.

• Who is a security guard?

A security guard also known as a security operative is a professional who is trained and vetted by an authorized security company to operate and safeguard lives and properties with their skills and knowledge.

The sole responsibility of a security guard is the protection of lives and property, assessment of risk, and prevention of loss or damage to assets.

• Duties of a security guard

The security guard is trained and vetted by the right authorities and has the following obligations to their employers:

• Protection of lives and property within the assigned premises. 
• Use of basic equipment for defense in situations of unrest pending the arrival of the Police authorities.
• Admission of strictly authorized people and vehicles in and out of a premise.
• Performance of errands within their security duties only.
• Regular assessment of property for potential risks or vulnerabilities.

• Who is a watchman?

A watchman is an individual without training or basic security operations and management skills. The sole responsibility of a watchman is to man the gate and watch over the surrounding environment. Essentially, these individuals have little knowledge about risk assessment and loss prevention.

• Duties of a watchman

The watchman also has key roles they play in the property of assignment and they include:

• Manning the guard house or gate-house.
• Completion of basic tasks such as environmental clean up, car wash, and weeding.
• Basic watch on the property within and outside the compound. 

• Another word for security guard

Another word for security guard is security operative

• Another word for a watchman

Another word for watchman is gateman

• The difference between a security guard and a watchman

• Who should I hire between the two options?

Both the security guard and watchman are essentially employed with the sole aim of safeguarding lives and property.

The need to know the right individuals to hire in matters relating to security is paramount as a little mistake in this process can lead to really disturbing outcomes including;

Loss of assets 

Increased vulnerability as a result of the activities of the security employed such as association with potential criminals within the area 

As a result of the above, it is advised to hire from a trusted source, particularly a security company.

Benefits of hiring from a security company.

The best decision in your hiring process starts with the selection of the best company to cover your needs, and the benefits of hiring from a security company include:

Verification of personnel: Before deploying a security operative to a property, an important step is the verification of selected operatives to ascertain the genuity of their identity. This verification is conducted on various forms of identification data such as national identification numbers, addresses, and others. This assures property owners of maximum safety of their property

Professionalism: Hiring from a security company assures individuals of the best service in terms of communication, operations, and customer service from the operatives. As a result of the training given to these operatives, they operate at the highest standards at their location of assignment. 

Risk detection and prevention: Before a bit is activated, assessments are carried out at the property to detect possible risks and recommend mitigation strategies. This is the first step to understanding the environment and threats that could limit the company’s 100% security assurance. 

Indemnity cover: It is important to understand the need to adopt recommendations generated from an assessment to assure the property owner of compensation for negligence of their operatives when a loss occurs. Indemnity cover protects the property owner’s assets from loss as a result of negligence on the part of the security operative on location.

Progressive training of operatives: Security operatives receive progressive training from time to time on emerging security trends and mitigation strategies for potential risks and threats to lives and properties.

Standard operating procedures: Security operatives work with standardized processes peculiar to the needs and requirements of the property and activities that go on daily.

In hiring a security operative for your property, it is important to understand the need to have an individual who is well-trained and vetted because security is a serious business, and caution should be taken in employing the right individual. Whether you are hiring from a security company or not, consider the factors of training and verification.