When you are working as a security guard, at some point or another, you may have to perform bag checks. This means carefully checking handbags, backpacks, purses, and other types of bags to make sure that they are not entering the venue with any illegal items.
Bag checking is a common security routine that is done outside of various venues, schools, and other similar sites with large crowds. While metal detectors are used by some organization to complete this task, other prefer the more traditional method of manually inspecting each bag by security personnel.
Here, we have shared a few tips that a security guard can employ to effectively perform bag checks outside of a venue.
Observe People In The Line
Instead of only focusing on each bag you are handling, you should also keep an eye on your surroundings. Always monitor the people in line, even those who are a bit away from you. By monitoring these people, you might come across an early warning sign.
Look for someone who maybe seem nervous or someone who is handling his/her bag such a way that he/she is trying to conceal something. If you can detect such an individual, you should check his or her bag even more carefully.
Be Aware Of Risks
It might be easy to put your hands into a bag and search around to make sure no illegal items are in there. But while doing so, you should always be careful about your own safety. The bag might contain something sharp, such as an uncapped syringe or knife. These could cause you harm if touched in an unsettling way.
Use a baton or some similar instrument to move items aside, and always wear thick gloves while performing these acts. And when you need to look through the bag more thoroughly, don’t be afraid to take items out of the bag.
Don’t Haste
When you are performing bag checks in a long lineup, and people are clamoring to get through the checkpoint, you can easily feel rushed. However, keep in mind that your role isn’t just to speed up the process and let people get into the venue. Your job is to make sure everyone who enters is safe.
Do things orderly, and don’t be fast. Don’t hesitate to ask people to stand back in line if they are trying to speed you up by pushing forward.
Check The Bag In The Presence Of The Owner
You should always inspect bags in front of its owner, because some of them may accuse you of taking something during the check. And this issue could get serious if you have turned away to check the bag and took it out of the owner’s sight.
Place the bag in front of you and the owner on a table. Search through the contents of the bag orderly. This way, no one will be able to accuse you of stealing something from their bag.
Put Things Back As They Were
As a security guard, while you work to keep everyone safe, it is also your duty to treat everyone with respect. And after you have completed your search, putting peoples’ things in the bag as they were is a part of that respect. Don’t shove everything you took out back in the bag and tell them to move along. A careless approach such as this could lead to conflicts, which will disrupt your ability to do your job. So, you should always treat people as well as their property with respect.
These tips can help a security guard effectively perform bag checks and keep everyone safe inside without disrespecting the people in line.
