Introduction to the Security Industry
Not publishedof exam
Canadian Legal System & Security Professionals
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Basic Security Procedures
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Communication for Security Professionals
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LEAPS De-escalationCommunication PracticesRadio DisciplineBias-Free Standard
Documentation and Evidence
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Notebook DisciplineEvidence & Privacy LawChain of CustodyPIPA Confidentiality
Emergency Response Procedures
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Health and Safety
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Quick Facts
- Exam
- ABST Licensing Exam
- Credential
- Security Service Worker Licence
- Pass Mark
- 80%
- Time Limit
- Not published by Alberta
- Modules
- 7; weights not published
- Course
- 40-hour ABST course
- Licence Fee
- $100; valid 2 years
- Rewrite Window
- 2 years from course start
Training vs Temporary Licence
Training licence
- Valid only 30 days
- Not portable between employers
- For enrolled trainees only
Temporary licence
- Valid 60 days
- Issued at a registry agent
- Bridges to the mailed card
Trainee vs applicant
SSIA & Licence Types
- SSIA
- Security Services and Investigators Act
- Security Programs
- Licenses and regulates workers
- Registrar
- Reviews complaints, suspends licences
- Standard licence
- $100; valid 2 years
- Dual licence
- $160 security + investigator
- Training licence
- 30 days; not portable
- Temporary licence
- 60 days; bridges to mailed card
- Registry service charge
- $9 if filed in person
Eligibility & Checks
- Minimum age
- 18 years or older
- Work eligibility
- Eligible to work in Canada
- English standard
- CLB Level 5 fluency
- Criminal record
- Must have none
- Criminal record check
- Mandatory police records search
- Vulnerable sector search
- Mandatory, screens vulnerable-persons offences
- Record checks
- Expire 90 days after issue
Force Ladder
Presence → Verbal → Soft Control → Force
Presence: deter just by being thereVerbal: try LEAPS firstSoft control: minimum physical contactForce: always the last resort
Petty Trespass vs Premises Act
Petty Trespass Act
- Open land, fields, lawns
- Apprehend → before judge/JP
- Fines $2,000 / $5,000
Trespass to Premises Act
- Buildings and structures only
- Apprehend → deliver officer ASAP
- Fines up to $200,000
Land vs building
Citizen's Arrest — s.494
- s.494(1)(a)
- Witnessed indictable offence, any person
- s.494(2)
- Owner, authorized person, property offence
- "Finds committing"
- Must witness the act itself
- 2012 amendment
- Allows reasonable-time-after arrest
- s.494(3)
- Deliver arrestee to police forthwith
- Offence scope
- Indictable; owner arrests: any criminal
SSIA Complaint Clock
File 90 → Investigate 90 → Review 30
90 days: file with employer90 days: employer investigates fully30 days: request Registrar review
Citizen's vs Peace-Officer Arrest
Citizen's arrest (s.494)
- Any person may arrest
- Must deliver forthwith to police
- No lethal flight power
Peace-officer arrest (s.25)
- Extra force to stop flight
- Can pursue a fleeing suspect
- Backed by statutory authority
Limited vs full powers
Trespass Response Picker
- Trespass on open land→Petty Trespass Act(Apprehend, then before judge/JP)
- Trespass in a building→Trespass to Premises Act(Deliver to officer ASAP)
- Person refuses to leave→Treat as a trespasser(Not a use-of-force issue)
- Bag or person search refused→Deny entry only(Cannot seize items or force)
- Need to prove notice given→Oral, written, or posted signs(Signs at every entrance)
Use-of-Force Sections
- s.25(1)
- Force justified if necessary
- s.25(3)
- Lethal force needs death/GBH risk
- s.26
- Excessive force stays criminal
- s.27
- Prevents offence before it happens
- s.34
- Self-defence; reasonable response test
- s.35
- Defence of property; reasonable test
- s.25(4)/(5)
- Peace officers only; lethal flight
s.25 Force vs s.27 Prevention
s.25 (during arrest)
- Justifies necessary force
- Lethal force narrowly limited
s.27 (before offence)
- Stops injury-causing acts early
- No arrest required first
During vs before
Trespass Acts Compared
- Petty Trespass Act
- Covers open land, fields
- Premises Act
- Covers buildings and structures
- PTA apprehension
- Take before judge or JP
- Premises Act apprehension
- Deliver to officer ASAP
- PTA notice
- Oral, written, or posted signs
- Premises Act notice
- Oral, written, or entrance signs
- PTA fines
- Max $2,000; $5,000 repeat
- Premises Act fines
- Max $10k; $25k repeat; $200k corp
Charter Rights & Complaints
- Charter s.7
- Life, liberty, security of person
- Charter s.8
- No unreasonable search or seizure
- Charter s.9
- No arbitrary detention
- Charter s.10
- Right to counsel without delay
- R v Lerke
- Citizen's arrest binds the Charter
- SSIA s.24
- Complaint to employer, 90 days
- SSIA s.25
- Employer investigates within 90 days
- SSIA s.26
- Registrar review within 30 days
Patrol, Access & Key Control
- Patrol pattern
- Vary route and timing
- Access control
- Match photo ID to face
- Consent search
- Person may refuse any time
- Refused entry
- Deny entry, not force
- Post orders
- Can restrict below legal limit
- Key control
- Logged keys create audit trail
- Alarm activation
- Assume genuine; always respond
LEAPS Model
Listen → Empathize → Ask → Paraphrase → Summarize
Listen: give full attentionEmpathize: show you understandAsk: open-ended questionsParaphrase: reflect their words backSummarize: confirm what's agreed
LEAPS vs Use of Force
LEAPS de-escalation
- Verbal, used first
- Lowers emotional tension
Use of force
- Physical, last resort
- Used only if LEAPS fails
Talk first, force last
LEAPS & Communication
- L
- Listen fully
- E
- Empathize with the person
- A
- Ask open questions
- P
- Paraphrase what you heard
- S
- Summarize to confirm
- Bias-free duty
- Treat everyone consistently
- Radio discipline
- Brief, clear, confirmed traffic
- Guard's role
- Often the client's public face
Notebook vs Incident Report
Notebook
- Personal and chronological
- Written in the moment
- Refreshes memory in court
Incident report
- Formal written summary
- Submitted after the incident
- For employer or client
Personal vs formal
Notebook, Evidence & Privacy
- Note timing
- Write notes immediately after
- Objective entry
- Describes only what was observed
- Subjective entry
- States a conclusion; avoid it
- Correcting notes
- Single line through, then initial
- Notebook vs report
- Personal log vs formal summary
- Notes in court
- Refresh memory, not replace testimony
- Chain of custody
- Who held evidence, when
- PIPA
- Alberta's private-sector privacy law
PASS Extinguisher
Pull → Aim → Squeeze → Sweep
Pull: release the pinAim: at the baseSqueeze: the handle leverSweep: side to side
Emergency Response Picker
- Fire is discovered→Activate the alarm first(Then clear and close doors)
- Fire is small and contained→PASS extinguisher technique(Only with a clear escape)
- Bomb threat call received→Checklist, then alert supervisor(Don't decide to search alone)
- Medical emergency occurs→Check scene safety, then EMS(First aid within training only)
- Evacuation is needed→Confirmed nearest exit(Walk quickly; never run)
- Active threat or violence→Alert, secure, avoid contact(Call police immediately)
Fire Response & PASS
- Fire discovered
- Activate the alarm first
- Clear area
- Evacuate, close doors and windows
- Fight fire?
- Only if small, with escape
- P
- Pull the pin
- A
- Aim at the base
- S (squeeze)
- Squeeze the handle
- S (sweep)
- Sweep side to side
- Rating label
- Check class before using
Fire Classes
A Wood, B Liquid, C Electrical, D Metal, K Kitchen
A: ordinary combustibles like woodB: flammable liquids and gasesC: energized electrical equipmentD: combustible metalsK: commercial kitchen oils
Bomb & Medical Response
- Bomb threat call
- Use the checklist; capture wording
- Call details
- Don't discuss with others
- Search decision
- Supervisor or police decide, not you
- Medical scene
- Check safety before approaching
- First aid
- Give only what you're trained for
Evacuation & Violence Response
- Evacuation route
- Use nearest confirmed-safe exit
- Evacuation pace
- Move quickly; never run
- Last person out
- Close doors; do not lock
- Mobility needs
- Arrange help for anyone needing it
- Active threat
- Alert others, move to safety
- Violence response
- Avoid confrontation; call police
PPE vs Procedure
PPE
- Reduces known-hazard risk
- Gloves, hi-vis, eye protection
Procedure
- The actual safety step
- PPE supports it; doesn't replace it
Gear vs steps
WHMIS & PPE
- WHMIS
- Hazard labels and SDS sheets
- PPE role
- Reduces known-hazard risk only
- PPE limit
- Doesn't replace the real procedure
- Space assessment
- Check from the doorway first
OHS Rights & Duties
- Safe lifting
- Bend knees, keep load close
- Fatigue risk
- Shift work slows reaction time
- Report injuries
- Report promptly, even near-misses
- Right to refuse
- Refuse work with undue hazard
- Refusal limits
- Can't endanger others; no discipline
Common Traps
Petty Trespass vs Premises Act
Land → apprehend before judge/JP ≠ Building → deliver to officer
Citizen's Arrest Is Not Custody
Guard arrests, then delivers forthwith ≠ Only police hold true custody
Finds Committing Means Witnessed
s.494 needs direct witnessing ≠ A report alone isn't enough
Consent Search Isn't a Legal Power
Person may refuse at any time ≠ Guard's only remedy is deny entry
PPE Doesn't Replace the Procedure
PPE reduces known-hazard risk only ≠ The real safety step is procedure
Training Licence Isn't Temporary Licence
Training: 30 days, for trainees ≠ Temporary: 60 days, for applicants
Notebook Notes Don't Replace Testimony
Notes refresh memory in court ≠ Live testimony is still required
Last Minute
- 1.Pass mark is 80% exactly.
- 2.7 ABST modules; weights not published.
- 3.Citizen's arrest: deliver forthwith to police.
- 4.Petty Trespass Act covers open land.
- 5.Premises Act: deliver trespasser to officer.
- 6.Try LEAPS before using any force.
- 7.Licence fee $100; valid two years.
- 8.Rewrite exam anytime within two years.
- 9.PASS = pull, aim, squeeze, sweep.
- 10.Workers may refuse unsafe work tasks.
- 11.Carry your original licence while working.
- 12.Baton requires 40-hr course and recert.
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