4.2 Code of Conduct & Licence Conditions

4.2 Code of Conduct & Licence Conditions

Why this matters for the BST exam: Section 4.2 produces a steady stream of scenario questions. The exam tests not whether you can recite the Code of Conduct, but whether you can apply it: when force becomes "unnecessary," when a term on a business card violates the Act, when handcuffs are lawful, and what you must do after any use of force. Knowing the Code's structure lets you eliminate two of four options on most ethics items instantly.

The Code of Conduct (Security Services Regulation s.14)

The Code of Conduct is set out in the Security Services Regulation under section 14. It is not aspirational guidance — it is a binding condition of every security worker licence. Breaching the Code is a breach of licence conditions and can trigger Registrar enforcement (see §4.3). The core duties are:

• Comply with all laws — federal, provincial, and municipal. A guard on shift is still bound by the Criminal Code, the BC Trespass Act, municipal bylaws, and the Liquor Control and Licensing Act.
• Act honestly and with integrity — no misrepresentation, no falsifying reports, no conflicts of interest.
• No unnecessary force — force must be reasonable, proportionate, and necessary to the lawful purpose; the moment it stops being necessary, it must stop.
• Respect for persons — no discrimination, no abuse, no degrading treatment; this aligns with the BC Human Rights Code.
• Carry and display the licence (a statutory duty under SSA s.8 that sits alongside the Code) — workers must carry their licence while working and produce it on request.
• Report changes (SSA s.9, also statutory) — within 14 days, report to the Registrar a change of residential address, a criminal charge, or a conviction.

What "No Unnecessary Force" Means in Practice

The BST exam almost always includes at least one item where a suspect is restrained after they have stopped resisting, or where a guard "makes an example" of a disruptive patron. The Code's "no unnecessary force" rule means force is permitted only so long as it is:

1. Necessary — there is no less restrictive option available in the moment;
2. Proportionate — the level of force matches the threat (verbal > escort > control > restraint);
3. Lawful in purpose — tied to a citizen's arrest, trespass ejection, or self-defence, not punishment.

The moment the threat ends, the force must end. Continuing to restrain a cooperative subject "until police arrive" can still be lawful under a citizen's arrest, but adding pain or humiliation converts it to unnecessary force and a Code breach.

Use-of-Force Reporting (Policy 3.7.2.1)

Use-of-force reporting is not in the Regulation itself — it is a licence condition imposed by the registrar through Security Programs Division policy 3.7.2.1, which rests on the record-keeping duty in Regulation s.7(1)(g). The policy says every security worker licensee must maintain use-of-force reports detailing incidents where (a) the licensee used any type of force against another person while engaged in security work, including where a restraining device, firearm or other weapon was used, and (b) a dog used by the licensee for security work attacked a person.

Read that carefully, because the exam does. "Any type of force" is broad — escorts, take-downs, handcuffing and strikes all count — and the duty does not depend on whether anyone was injured or complained. The policy prescribes no deadline; it requires the report to exist and be maintained. Employers almost universally require it before the end of the shift, and that is the standard to work to, because a report written days later carries far less weight. Failing to maintain the report is a licence-condition breach and grounds for licence review.

Prohibited Terms — s.44(5)

Section 44(5) of the SSA prohibits a licensee from using any of the following terms in their business name, advertising, or self-description:

• "Detective"
• "Law enforcement"
• "Peace officer"
• "Police"

The rule protects the public from confusion. A guard who tells a patron "I'm with law enforcement" or prints "Police-style Security" on a vehicle has breached s.44(5). On the exam, watch for any answer choice that has a guard using these words — it is wrong.

Restricted Equipment

Not everything a guard might want to carry is lawful. Two pieces of equipment are heavily regulated:

A standard BST-licensed guard working a retail or event post cannot carry a firearm and cannot carry handcuffs unless they have completed AST and have Registrar authorization. Armoured-car guards are the only category where firearms are contemplated, and even then the worker needs a federal ATC, employer authorization, and the employer's armoured-car business licence.

Code of Conduct Duties at a Glance

Practical Scenario: Ejecting a Patron at a Liquor Establishment

You are working door security at a licensed bar. A patron becomes aggressive but is not yet violent. The Code of Conduct framework tells you to escalate proportionately: verbal direction first, then an escort offer, then a controlled ejection using only the force needed to overcome active resistance. You cannot strike or handcuff a patron who is merely loud. Once the patron steps outside and stops resisting, force must stop. If any physical contact beyond a verbal direction occurs, policy 3.7.2.1 requires you to maintain a use-of-force report — regardless of whether the patron was injured or complained — and employer policy will normally require it before the shift ends. Misidentifying yourself as "law enforcement" while doing the ejection would be a separate s.44(5) breach on top of any force issue.