Being A Law And Private Security Officer In Today’s Workforce

May 1st, 2017 / By John Oke Police Foundations Faculty Head

Let’s start with the past history of security guards in North America. Private security officers came into existence when a need for extra security was seen by companies that needed to transport money and gold over long distances during the early settlement of western North America. The local train robbers of the time took advantage of the lack of security by the local police and robbed at will.

security professional standing watch

The need for extra security has grown since the time of train robbers. Private security can be a rewarding career with opportunities for advancement.

 

Soon, several companies were formed that supplied private security officers for these companies which helped to prevent the train and stage coach robberies. Many of these companies exist even today, such as Wells Fargo.

With the ever increasing rise in population and the need for more security the industry has grown in leaps and bounds and today the number of private security officers outnumbers the public police 3 to 2.

In today’s day and age of an ever increasing need for people to fill the private security positions, the opportunities for employment and promotion are increasing.

The recent changes in legislation requiring better training and higher standards for those employed as security personnel has brought the job of security guard into a more respectable employment opportunity.

Also, as the public police move forwards to a more integrated community based policing strategy, the recognition that the security
industry can be a valuable tool for the public police has become apparent.

So is being a private security officer right for you?

If you want a rewarding career with the possibility of advancement then perhaps private security is the right job for you.

It is an ever expanding industry who now is expanding into almost all aspects of law enforcement and is now much more than sitting at a video screen watching a condo building.

Click here to learn more about our Police Foundations and Security program at triOS!