Unarmed Security Guard Requirements For New York

Security positions in New York are not one size fits all.

The opportunities are as varied as the employers in the state.

While many of the requirement are the same, the destinations are not.

Like any other journey, your must choose your path in security based on where you want to go.

Picture yourself at the door of one of Manhattan's finest dance clubs. As the door host, it is your job to screen guests for legal age, dress code compliance and intoxication. Your presence assures potential guests that your are looking out for their welfare so that they can have a great time. It is not to frighten the clientele. As such, you need to offer a friendly and welcoming smile as you ask them how they are doing and whether you can see their identification. Your powers of observation are critical, since you have only seconds to evaluate their sobriety and attitude. Your goal is to prevent problems before they begin. Effective communication and observation are critical to your success. Your leadership skills may also come in to play if you are to supervise or coordinate lineman who prescreen guests. Their job is to identify issues before the guest has stood in line for a half hour.

Inside the club, security personnel attempt to deter patrons from unruly behavior before it begins. In rougher establishments, untrained bouncers may grab rowdy guests and physically toss them out. This is not the image a better club wants to portray. Security personnel should be able to blend into the crowd, carefully observing situations that may escalate and defuse them quietly. Good judgement is exceptionally important as is the ability to talk to clients without threatening them. In this way, the club maintains a positive reputation as a great place to go and avoids law suits and negative press. When force is necessary to remove a non-compliant customer, security should have the skills necessary to do so quickly and decisively to minimize the effect on other guests.

The door hosts and linemen may be expected to dress similarly to the clientele. Inside, some establishments want their security staff to dress that way, but more have found it important that they stand out from the crowd as a visible presence. They will often wear collared polo shirts with "Security" embroidered in large letters.

New York is famous for its fabulous shopping opportunities, with nearly 5,000 members of the Retail Council of New York State. This provides another avenue for those interested in security jobs. Notable retailers such as Bloomingdale's and Tiffany’s are on a constant search for professionals to protect their assets, share any suspicions with the loss prevention department and maintain a secure environment for the customers. As a visual security officer, you would normally be stationed near the doors, monitoring the comings and goings of the visitors. You would stay in two-way communication with store detectives and armed personnel, in case of serious threats. Your goal would be to create a positive presence to give customers a sense of security while avoiding intimidation. You could be called upon to administer first aid and CPR. 

From that entry level position, security officers can grow to store detective or loss prevention officer. If you have a high school diploma or equivalent and good communications skills, you may find yourself on a fascinating pathway through the world of retail security. Continued education and experience can take you through electronic surveillance and other aspects of loss prevention.

New York is also home to many corporate headquarters, manufacturers and research firms, all of which are very concerned with security. As a security guard at a manufacturing company, you may walk rounds to prevent and interrupt vandalism. You might be required to check badges to prevent unauthorized visitors. You might be required to  monitor surveillance cameras to prevent theft. Each company has specific security needs that may vary greatly from other businesses. As with other security positions, you will likely be required to interface with people in a friendly but professional manner. Companies that work with government contracts may require background checks and government clearances. Security personnel may interface with these operations.

Security officers may be armed or unarmed. The needs of the employer dictate which is appropriate. The dangers you may face as an unarmed security officer will be significantly lower than those of an armed officer. Employers generally engage consulting companies to help them asses the dangers so that the correct level of security is in place. The unarmed security officer is in no greater danger than any other employee.