Security Report Writing
A document that a security officer writes during their shift which captures events
that occur.
Types:
Daily Report- a detailed summary of events, routine and any unusual thing you
notice during your shift
Incident Report- details of a specific incident that occur on the property you are
responsible for.
Accident Report - Any accident that occur on the property you secure
Maintenance - logs the conditions of the security equipment and grounds that you
protect offering report on things that needs repairs, updates or replacements.
Summary - a summary of occurances within more than one shift, this requests your
assessment on potential areas of vulnerabilities.
Importance
an accurate security reporting is essential in preserving the physical safety of a
space. reports that offer adequate details on events provide insight regarding
potential hazards or weakness.
How to write.
1. Take notes
2. Start with a summary - This section should not include every detail but should
provide basic information about the type of situation and overall outcome.
Example: "Officer Mark Adams responded to a complaint about a disorderly person in
sector 10-A of the building. The person was identified as Eleanna Ryan. The
situation required de-escalation tactics and was resolved with voluntary removal on
behalf of Ms. Ryan."
3. Detail the narrative - Use the five W's (who, what, when, where and why). In
reporting why something happened, try not to make assumptions about other people's
intentions. Instead, focus on your actions and be clear in expressing that your
motivation comes from following protocol.
Add accurate timestamps and logical line breaks
Tips:
i. Avoid emotional language - write in third person and use the past tense.
ii. Avoid abbreviations and conjunctions.
iii. Be prompt
Example security report
Remember, your report should show a third-person perspective. You should also write
it in the past-tense and avoid emotion or bias. Here is an example of an objective
security report that details information about an incident:
Incident Report
Name of Officer on Duty: Armando Valdez
Date: 02/06/2019
Time of Initial Interaction: 7:16 p.m.
Time of Resolution: 8:35 p.m.
Location: Second-floor entrance to Delilah's Accessories, Quadrant 2-C
Name of Involved Parties: Madison Parker, Janell Thomas, Andrew Parker, Vivien
Thomas, Roger Crane, Officer Armando Valdez and Officer Rachel Quan
Threat Level: Yellow
Use of Physical Force: None
Incident Summary:
Officer A. Valdez responded to a phone call from Delilah's Accessories associate —
Roger Crane — regarding suspected shoplifting. Minors Madison Parker and Janell
Thomas were suspected, and Minor Protocol was followed by the officer and all other
security personnel. The minor, Madison Parker, was found to have items on her
person that were unpaid for and a 30-day Bar From Entrance was put in place for Ms.
Parker. The incident concluded with both minor children being escorted off the
premises by their legal guardians.
Narrative Report:
At 7:16 p.m., Officer Valdez received a call from Delilah's Accessories associate,
Roger Crane. Mr. Crane said that he suspected two girls were attempting to shoplift
items from the store. At 7:19 p.m., Officer Valdez reported to the Second-floor
entrance of Delilah's Accessories—Quadrant 2-C—to assess the situation. At this
time, the officer asked the subjects their names and ages. After reporting their
ages (Madison Parker,14, and Janell Thomas,13) the officer followed Minor Protocol.
Officer Valdez called Officer Rachel Quan to report to the location. The officers
requested that the two minors come with them to the security office to discuss the
complaint. Ms. Parker and Ms. Thomas were cooperative and no force or physical
contact was made by either officer. Officer Quan asked to see Ms. Parker's jean
jacket and purse as well as Ms. Thomas's backpack. She then inspected the contents.
Upon finding Delilah's Accessories brand nail polish and a bracelet in Ms. Parker's
purse, questioning stopped. The legal guardians of both minors were contacted and
asked to come to the premises so they could be present during questioning. Their
guardians were informed that police involvement would be necessary if a parent or
legal guardian was unable to be present.
Both Andrew Parker and Vivien Thomas arrived at the security office at
approximately 7:50 p.m. Officer Quan photocopied their driver's licenses and
determined that Andrew Parker was Madison Parker's father and Vivien Thomas was
Janell Thomas's mother. At this time, Officer Valdez explained the above
information to both Andrew and Vivien. The remainder of the questioning was done in
the presence of both Mr. Parker and Mrs. Thomas.
Madison Parker admitted to taking the nail polish and the bracelet without paying
for them and expressed remorse for doing so. Janell Thomas stated that she was
unaware that Ms. Parker had taken anything from the store and expressed that she
did not take any items without paying for them. Officer Valdez issued a warning to
Ms. Thomas and issued a 30-day Bar From Entrance for Madison Parker. Her father was
given documentation of the bar from entrance. It was also explained that had the
girls left the store with the items, then law enforcement would have been called.
The incident concluded with both minor children being escorted off the premises by
their legal guardians. Officer Valdez added Madison Parker's name and age to the
30-day Bar From Entrance list.
