REVIEW WITH RELIEF OFFICER EVENTS, ISSUES, ETC.

After reporting on-duty, the arriving officer should meet with the officer to be relieved so that he/she may be briefed on any event or incident that occurred during the previous shifts. Often, an event such as an electrical power failure, false alarm, water leak or some other maintenance related event has occurred. It is essential for security officers to communicate with one another. Whenever one security officer is unaware of a situation or event that, in the opinion of the client, all officers should be aware of, the credibility of the entire security officer operation is called into question.

Most significant events should be documented in writing.

Generally, officers assigned to different shifts at the same post will utilize “pass along logs” to ensure that appropriate information is passed from officer to officer and

shift to shift.

For example, it is not unusual that when a group of visitors arrive at the facility for their presence to be conveyed to security via a telephone call to the security officer on duty.

Failure to properly note such a change in the normal routine could prove to be extremely embarrassing when the visitors arrive.

The following are examples of incidents which should be communicated from one officer to another:

  • An employee return to pickup their personal vehicle left on site.
  • Lights have been left on in one section of the facility for a specific reason, and therefore should not be turned off.
  •  A special delivery is expected for a part that the maintenance department is anxiously awaiting.
  • Human Resources has just suspended an employee who has not yet left the premises. Once they have left company property, they are not to return.
  1. Another security officer needs to be contacted due to the client’s request for extra coverage.

The relieving officer is to attempt to reach the person at home.

No matter the situation or event, all communication that is considered essential or important needs to be communicated to the officers arriving for work. This information should also be documented in writing, and that the information was communicated to the relieving officer.