The notion of “vigil” appeared in ancient Rome, when the Emperor Augustus created a specialized body in charge of a night police and firefighting mission: The body of urban vigilantes. The term vigil therefore entered common language very early on, and we see that it is still frequently used today, especially by the media.
Commonly associated with a rather negative image, resulting from a time when anyone could claim to join the ranks of the profession, the ” vigil ” gradually evolved into the security guard under the notable influence of the actors of the profession ( private security companies, unions) and the French state which has implemented legal and regulatory changes and created the National Council for Private Security Activities (NCFPSA).
PROFESSIONALIZATION AND SPECIALIZATION
Now largely professionalized and regularly checked, the security companies orange county professions are today recognized for their usefulness, as well as for the competence and efficiency of their staff.
Beyond compulsory initial training, security guards are also trained in the specifics of the sites on which they work. They are found today in all sectors of activity; within airports, large industrial groups (in particular Seveso classified sites ), in the tertiary sector (high-rise buildings, amusement parks, banks, theaters, shops, etc.), or even during cultural or sportsmen.
During Euro 2016, we saw the involvement of some 12,000 security agents mobilized across the country, and everyone remembers the action of this security agent who by driving back one of the three terrorists in France has avoided a major tragedy.
REQUIRED QUALITIES
The first quality required to exercise the profession of security guard is integrity. Each private security agent must demonstrate flawless ethics and unfailing honesty.
The sense of observation and reactivity are also essential qualities. The attention paid to the details of his work environment regularly allows the arrest of ill-intention individuals by the police services. Suspicious behavior, unusual changes,… must be detected quickly in order to act effectively.
Finally, empathy and the ability to remain in control are also required, especially in situations of potential aggression. A specific management training aggressiveness has also been developed to help security officers to understand its mechanisms and the diffuse.
ROLE OF THE SECURITY GUARD
The essential role of the security guard is to protect people and property. This task covers both the general notions of safety (prevention of malicious acts) and security (prevention of accidental events, involving in particular the intervention of first aid, and fire fighting).
He is also the guarantor of the correct application of the safety and security rules on the site which he supervises (instructions, safety protocol , etc.)
We sometimes lend the security guard a welcoming role: it’s a big mistake. The law [1] clearly establishes that the exercise of private security professions must be exclusive. Failure to comply with this obligation entails the legal penalties provided for the illicit loan of labor or the offense of bargaining (if damage to the employee involved).
In this context, the principle of co-responsibility of the principal (the company for example) vis-à-vis the illegal practices of its security provider has been reaffirmed by the public authorities. Private security companies, just like contractors, are now aware of the criminal penalties incurred by those who attempt to circumvent their social and / or fiscal obligations.
It is therefore strictly forbidden for a security guard to carry out any action outside the scope for which he is employed.
SECURITY GUARD, A PROFESSION OF THE FUTURE
Beyond the conventional role now attributed to the security guard, it is likely that in the future, they will be gradually entrusted with tasks complementary to those of the police forces, as is already the case in the field. airport security. Whatever the content of these future missions, there is no doubt that this profession is set to evolve, and that for the time being, security agents are already actively participating in security co-production in close collaboration with the public authorities.
