Security officers serve on the frontline providing watchful eyes at events and venues and offering advice and support to keep everyone safe.

They are sometimes referred to as the fourth emergency service as they help to fill the gap left by overstretched police resources in maintaining law and order. They are the feet on the ground at major events as well as providing a high profile deterrent at public buildings such as airports and hospitals.

But do they have the same powers as the police and can a security guard detain you?

Our officers at Zed Security and Guarding are trained and licensed and all use their experience to make sure events run smoothly and everyone there is kept safe. However, there are always some who are there to exploit a situation – thieves looking for an easy win or others who have too much to drink which escalates into violence.

This is when security officers step in. While they do not have the same powers as police officers, they do have the legal authority to prevent crimes and the power to detain people under certain circumstances. These powers are the same as any individual in the UK and detention by a security guard is permitted as a citizen’s arrest.

There are certain caveats in detaining someone which must be followed carefully. Security guards can only detain someone who is suspected of committing a crime and they can only detain a suspect while the police are called to make a formal arrest. They are legally allowed to detain someone to prevent them from escaping or from committing further offences but only for a reasonable period of time. They should also explain to the person detained why they are doing so and should let them know their rights.

Physical force can be used but only if the security guard is acting to prevent harm or to ensure others’ safety or if a suspect is being detained having committed a crime.

Thanks to their training, our security guards know what they legally can and can’t do. They also know they would be committing a crime themselves if they falsely imprison someone and could face arrest themselves.

Any suspect should also be treated with respect and if there has been an altercation which results in the person who has been detained being injured, medical help should be sought straight away. If the person who has been detained thinks it has been done so unlawfully or the security guard has breached their human rights, they have every right to raise the complaint with the police when they arrive as well as the option of taking further legal action.

Through careful and conscientious action, security guards will help to ensure people are kept safe to go about their daily life without fear.