Access Control Is More Important Than You Think

One of the duties of many low-level security guards is access control. These are the guards you see stationed at doorways or information desks; they typically aren't armed and are just there to check IDs and contact police if needed. The guards often have some training in restraining intruders, but mostly, they act as the first level of access permission. Given that description, you might think the job of access control is not that crucial, but it is, and you need to have people in those positions who are good at spotting potential trouble before anything starts.

True Level of Importance

Spotting someone who could be a problem before that person actually tries anything is one of the keys to preventing trouble at a business or residential complex. That calls for skill in reading body language, spotting incongruities between the person's story and what they appear to be doing, and spotting signs that the person may have something extra like a weapon on their body. This is a job that calls for more than someone to sit and check IDs. Find companies like Bar Homes Security & More that have plenty of experience with this. 

First Line of Defense on the Property

A guard who can spot trouble can help prevent that trouble from getting further into the property or from pulling something at the guard desk that could harm anyone nearby. For that reason, you need the guard to be able to call the police and possibly subdue the person early on -- but the guard also has to be able to avoid harming those who are likely not a threat. This can be a difficult choice because sometimes suspicious behavior and plain nerves can show similar behavior (for example, someone in an airport security line who is sweating and nervous could be about to pull something -- or they could be afraid of planes and flying. It takes skill to tell the two apart so the poor kid with anxiety isn't suddenly thrown to the floor by police).

Will There Really Be Time to Call Police?

You also have to realize that there may not be time to call the police, so the guards need to know what actions to take to protect the people and property around the suspect. That requires special training, and some of the best training is practiced by people who have been private security contractors in Israel. With constant threats of bombings and stabbings, guards there have had to become vigilant regarding the actions of the people around them. This skill translates well to access control guarding.

If you need a guard who can help stop trouble before it happens, find people who were trained and who worked as guards in Israel or who received the same type of training here. Those are skills that are invaluable if you want to protect people around you.