Security guards stand tall against any possible incident on site but sooner or later a guard may find himself as a first responder to a crime scene. And therefore his response may alter the course the case may take in the further investigations.

However important it may seem, this aspect of guard training is often ignored or even if it is included in the training program, there are high chances that it is given the least importance.
But the rule to follow while training the guards is to prepare them for the worst.

Let us understand the basic principles of crime scene management step-by-step where the security guards are in unique position to play an important role in identifying suspects, protecting evidence and can help investigators making use of the Guardso security guard mobile app and security reporting software.

1. The Golden Hour Principle:
Upon discovering any crime scene, the security guard should first STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, and SMELL. The things you notice when you first encounter a crime scene can lead to vital investigative clues. What would be most helpful in the case would be to turn on watch mode in your Guardso so security guard mobile app that whatever you discover at the crime scene is recorded for future reference and also serve as proof as to what was the initial situation when you entered the site.

The training process should train the guards to be quick in accessing the crime scene.
If the offender is still present on site or is fleeing, the security guards must make a decision whether to confront or pursue him or to report.

This depends on multiple factors as:

  • Company policy: which should be accessible to you at all times on your security guard mobile app
  • Training imparted in tackling such situations.
  • Equipment available at your disposal at the time and your physical capabilities.

2. Providing Emergency Care:
It is of utmost importance that any harm to human life has to be prevented. Look out for an injured person in need of medical aid. If you yourself are unable to help, call for 911 and report the case immediately to dispatch center using the security guard mobile app. Ensure that there are minimum fatalities.

It is invariably crucial that you enter the crime scene cautiously and avoid disturbing any potential evidence which may or may not be visible to the naked eye. Take special care not to contaminate or disturb evidence or you may be jeopardizing investigations and lead your private patrol firm to legal issues.

3. Establishing Command Presence and Securing Crime Scene:
Before an investigating agency can reach the crime scene, the security guards have to be in command. Your knowledge and experience help you establish command presence on the scene which is reflected in how you handle the situations with a calm and authoritative demeanor.  

After establishing command presence, it is important to secure and isolate the crime scene so that the evidence is not disturbed. It involves directing unauthorized persons out of the scene and setting up barriers until law enforcement arrives. Staying connected with the control room with Guardso mobile app is also crucial.

4. Turning Over Control of the Crime Scene to Law Enforcement:
After the crime scene has been taken over by law enforcement, being able to communicate the crucial details is a key skill of handling a crime scene and has to be included in the training.

5. Documenting Actions And Observations:
The security guard is a first responder and may be asked to testify in the court. Therefore it is important that the should create a comprehensive report using the security reporting software so that no details are missed and it may be further communicated to the control room and the client. Guardso allows security guards to create comprehensive reports which may be used in further investigations if needed by the agencies.

Also, if your shift at the site has ended and another guard has to take over the scene, you can hand him over the details by creating passdown logs on the security guard mobile app to make him aware of the situation on the site.

6. Analyzing the Response:
After your part has been done, it is time to analyze how well you managed the situation and what improvements were needed. This analysis will help decide the improvements needed in future training programs to ensure the security guards get better at crime scene management. For this, you can make use of the reports submitted from the ground and videos/images as collected using watch mode with Guardso. This will help not only in ensuring best services to the clients in the future in such situations but will also reflect in good performance reviews of the security guards.

The foundation of crime scene management is following time-proven crime scene response protocols and understanding the basic principles of criminal investigation. Inculcating these two into the security guard training programs have proven to be immensely beneficial to the security guards, private patrol firms and the clients alike.