Chapter 6
Public Relations
Abstract
In this chapter, the student will learn about the significance of the security program's image, as well as the public's and internal organization's perception of a security officer. Also, it is emphasized that security officers work in highly visible positions, so their actions are critical in maintaining positive public relations. Additionally, an officer's attitude and appearance are points of importance.
Keywords
Appearance; Attitude; Conduct; ImagePublic relations is the way in which a security officer acts and interacts within an organization. It is measured in the amount of cooperation he or she gives and receives from others while carrying out responsibilities for prevention and protection. The essence of public relations is creating and maintaining an environment in which you can operate effectively.
For many years, the security officer was viewed as the inept, sleepy night watchman who stood by while all manner of crime was perpetrated against his employer (Figure 6.1). The typical stereotype was that of the elderly, retired gentleman working a night watch to supplement his income. It was often expected, if not encouraged, that the guard would sleep between his rounds. Besides this poor image, the guard was thought to be poorly trained, poorly supervised, and not given adequate instructions on what to do or how to do it. Typically, the watchman’s duties involved a periodic walk-through, punching a watch clock, locking and unlocking doors, checking for fires, and turning out lights. Little was asked or expected and, consequently, little was received.
In recent years, that image has slowly begun to change. The old night watch, fire detection, and other functions are being done electronically. The security officer is now being given more responsibility for interacting with other employees, taking incident reports, investigating unusual incidents, providing crime prevention information, and operating sophisticated computer-driven security monitoring stations. Indeed, the watchman’s jobs have evolved into that of a professional security officer. More often than not, in a crisis situation, the security officer is viewed as a leader and looked upon to resolve issues and conflicts.
Instead of hiring their own watchmen or guards, more companies are hiring professional security managers and contract security agencies with well-managed and well-trained security officers to meet their security manpower needs. The security industry has taken great strides in screening and training security officers. Security professionals now have advanced degrees—not only in security and law enforcement subjects, but also in business and administration.
Image
The effectiveness of any security program is measured by its ability to get involvement from as many people in an organization as possible. If the image of the security program is perceived to be that of a professional unit employing competent professional security officers, then it will achieve far greater success than one that is not.
The cornerstone of this program is the security officer. His or her success is measured largely by the cooperation and support received from within the organization. If the perception of the officer is poor, his or her ability to be effective will suffer. If the perception is that of a professional, the officer will be treated with more respect and deference and will likely be more successful.
For the security officer to be perceived as part of the business, the officer must act as an integral part of that business. To the degree that he or she is capable, the officer is responsible for protecting other employees and the environment in which they work. If the officer can focus on that responsibility—and do it well—then he or she does in fact become an integral part of the business.
Conduct
Although the role of security officer is vastly different from that of police officer, both work in a fishbowl. The security officer works in a highly visible position where duties and actions are often carefully scrutinized and examined, and thus do not allow for inappropriate behavior. Because the security officer is so visible, his or her actions—good or bad—are very apparent.
It is important for the security officer to think before acting. Some questions a security officer may wish to ask himself or herself before taking action in any situation include the following:
• What resources do I have at my disposal?
• What will the result of my actions be?
• How will my actions impact others?
• How will my actions be observed by others?
• Of the options that I have, which is the best course of action for this situation?
If security officers asks themselves these questions, they are more likely to take the appropriate action in a given situation.
Attitude
Perhaps the single most important aspect of good public relations for the security officer is attitude. The only thing that a security officer has total control over, in a given situation, is the way he or she responds to that situation.
Although officers can do little to predict or control a situation, they can control how they react to that situation. If the response to a situation is anger, excitement, aggressiveness or any number of other emotions, that response will likely not improve the situation. If, on the other hand, the response is well thought out and professional, the security officer has a much greater chance for success.
Attitude is best explained in this quote by Charles Swindoll:
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitudes we will embrace for the day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… We are in charge of our attitudes.
If you, as the security officer, respond to a situation with anything other than a positive attitude, you are giving up control of the situation. Furthermore, you are perhaps showing others that you are out of control. If you respond to every situation with a positive attitude, you are giving yourself the best opportunity for success, no matter what the situation. If others expect you, the security officer, to respond to every situation with a positive attitude, then you have elevated your profession because you have elevated the expectation. This makes the security officer more valuable.
Appearance
The security officer’s appearance is most important. Your uniform should be clean and neatly pressed, and you should be well groomed. Otherwise, you either will be a distraction or go unnoticed. Neither is acceptable.
Appearance is a combination of a neat uniform, a well-groomed officer, and a professional presence. Anything that detracts or distracts from one’s presence diminishes the appearance of the officer. Even a well-groomed officer can make the mistake of detracting from an otherwise good appearance by absently doing things, such as wearing too much cologne or perfume, wearing distracting jewelry or hairstyle, chewing gum, slouching, or engaging in some other activity that diminishes appearance.
Importance of good public relations
Earlier in this chapter, we talked about the importance of creating and maintaining a good environment in which to operate (Figure 6.2). If your role in the organization is to protect it, it makes sense to have a good relationship with the people you are protecting. For security officers to be effective, they must understand the environment in which they work and the people they are serving. If the officer works in an office building, for example, then it might be important to know the work habits of the various tenants and their employees. If the officer knows, for example, that one of the tenants has several women who work late in the evening, then he or she would want to make an extra effort to observe the women as they leave the safe confines of the building. If the officer sees suspicious activities around one of the firms, he or she might need to bring it to the attention of their employees, who should then notify building management or the tenant directly.
Smart tenants will appreciate the fact that the security officer is watching out for their employees and business interests.
Changing the perceptions
Although the security industry has made great strides in recent years, some people still think of security officers as they did in the old days. Indeed, many in our industry still think of themselves as nothing more than a watchman. The officer who refers to himself as “just a guard” or “just working security” is the worst enemy of the security profession. To hear security people refer to themselves in such a self-effacing way is unfortunate. How can others be expected to understand and respect the value of the security profession if those who are a part of it do not?
The first order of business is to understand the importance of the security officer. If you were not important, you would not be there in the first place. Companies do not hire security officers because they like the way they look in their business. Security officers are hired because they are needed to perform a valuable service. If you do not believe that, you are wasting your time in this profession and should begin looking immediately for another line of work.
Finally, learn to communicate with people. To change people’s perceptions, you have to know and understand them. This does not mean making small talk with them or engaging in idle conversation. It means asking them what their security needs and expectations are, what special security problems or concerns they may have, and how you can work together to maintain a quality level of security. Done effectively, this will provide a better understanding of their needs and will demonstrate your interest in providing a quality service.
By the same token, the people you serve need to understand your responsibilities. The more they know about security, the easier it is for them to recognize your value. Although it is inappropriate to talk about sensitive material or information, it is very appropriate to answer people’s questions about the security function and your responsibilities in their environment. Do not be afraid to explain what you do or to ask people to let you know when something is suspicious or out of the ordinary. When someone asks you about security, take advantage of the opportunity to let them know how important it is for them to let you know when something is going on.
Summary
• The effectiveness of any security program is measured by its ability to get involvement from as many people in an organization as possible. If the image of the security program is perceived to be that of a professional unit employing competent professional security officers, then it will achieve far greater success than one that is not.
• The cornerstone of this program is the security officer. The officer’s success is measured largely by the cooperation and support received from and within the organization. If the perception of the officer is poor, his or her ability to be effective will suffer. If the perception is that of a professional, the officer will be treated with more respect and deference and will likely be more successful.
• Although the role of security officer is vastly different from that of police officer, both work in a fishbowl. The security officer works in a highly visible position where duties and actions are often carefully scrutinized and examined, and thus do not allow for inappropriate behavior. Because the security officer is so visible, his or her actions—good or bad—are more apparent.
• Perhaps the single most important aspect of good public relations for the security officer is attitude. The only thing that a security officer has total control over, in a given situation, is the way he or she responds to that situation.
• The security officer’s appearance is most important. The uniform should be clean and neatly pressed and the officer should be well groomed; otherwise, he or she will be a distraction or will go unnoticed. Neither is acceptable.
Discussion questions
1. What is the single most important element of public relations?
2. Why is communication important in good public relations?
3. When is perception more important than reality?
4. Why is communication so important in maintaining good public relations?
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