3.1 Communication Skills

Why Communication Matters for the BST Exam

The Basic Security Training (BST) curriculum treats communication as a cross-cutting skill under both Professionalism & Ethics and Personal Safety. On the JIBC BST Assessment (SCRT-1656, 75 multiple-choice questions, 90 minutes, 70% pass, closed book), you will see scenario items where two of the four options are technically true but only one matches what a professional, non-police guard should say or do.

The Security Services Act (SBC 2007, c.30) makes a guard a private citizen with no police powers; s.44(5) specifically prohibits holding out as a "police officer," "peace officer," or "detective." Your words are therefore your primary tool of authority; force is a last resort under Criminal Code ss.34-35 (self-defence / defence of property), reasonable and necessary, minimum force.

The Communication Cycle

Every interaction loops through four stages:

1. Sender — forms the message (words, tone, gesture)
2. Message — the encoded content, verbal and non-verbal
3. Receiver — decodes and interprets, filtered by mood, language, culture
4. Feedback — the receiver's response that confirms or corrects understanding

A guard who skips the feedback stage — talking at someone instead of with them — misses cues that the person is escalating or misunderstanding.

Three Channels of Communication

Research in emotionally charged encounters consistently shows that paraverbal and non-verbal cues carry more weight than the actual words. A calm script read in a sharp, fast tone will escalate, not de-escalate.

Active Listening

Active listening means concentrating on what is being said rather than formulating your reply. Techniques:

• Restate — "So you're telling me your badge expired yesterday."
• Clarify — "When you say 'the back door,' which one do you mean?"
• Reflect feeling — "You sound frustrated about the wait."
• Summarize — "Let me make sure I have this right before I write it up."

Open vs Closed Questions

Use closed questions to lock down facts for the report; use open questions early in an encounter to let the person tell their story and to lower their arousal.

Barriers to Communication

• Language — BC's public is multilingual; speak plainly, avoid jargon, and use an interpreter service when available.
• Disability — face people with hearing impairment, do not assume a wheelchair user needs verbal help; ask first.
• Intoxication — alcohol and drugs distort processing; lower your rate of speech, simplify, do not argue.
• Stress — high stress narrows the listener's attention; repeat key information and confirm understanding.
• Cultural norms — direct eye contact, personal space, and touch vary across cultures; observe and adjust.

Radio and Phone Reporting

Guards spend a significant share of shift time on radio and phone. BST expects concise, factual, documentation-ready reports.

Documentation-Ready Language

Reports go to the client, may go to police, and may end up in court. Write and speak so the words can stand alone later:

• Factual — describe what you saw and heard, not what you believe.
• Objective — no opinions about guilt or character.
• Non-conclusory — write "slurred speech, unsteady gait, odour of liquor," not "intoxicated." The conclusion ("intoxication") is for a court or a nurse.

Conclusory words ("he was aggressive," "she was lying") are the single most common report-writing defect on the BST exam and the most likely wording to be challenged in court.

Communicating with Public, Employer, and Police

• The public — identify yourself by role ("security for this site"), state the request, offer a reason, keep it brief.
• The employer/client — follow the post orders; escalate anything outside them; document in the daily log.
• Police — call when force is or may be required, when a crime is in progress, or when someone refuses to leave after a lawful direction. Identify the location first, the actor, the weapons (or "no weapons seen"), and what you need.

Key Do/Don't List

Do

• Keep a 1.5–2 m reactionary gap when speaking with an unknown person
• Match the person's vocabulary (without mimicking accent)
• Pause to let them answer

Don't

• Touch someone to get their attention unless safety requires it
• Use slang, profanity, or sarcasm
• Promise outcomes outside your authority (e.g., "you won't be charged")

Takeaways

Communication is the guard's first force option and the skill the BST exam tests most heavily under Professionalism. Choose the option that is factual, objective, and least escalatory. Documentation-ready language protects you, the client, and the public — and it is the same wording the exam scoring key expects.