Security Officer's
            Handbook
       U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
     Facilities Management and Services Division
Security, Property and Transportation Management Branch
              401 M Street, S.W.
            Washington, D.C. 20460
                 July 1998

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MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT    Security Officer1 s Handbook

FROM       C  Steven Zeigler, Acting Chief
             Security, Property and Transportation Management
             Branch

TO          EPA Contract Security Force

      This Handbook has been prepared to provide you with a basic guideline for performing
duties as a Security Officer with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EPA places
significant emphasis on the safety and security of its employees and expects a great deal from the
Security Officers it employs for this purpose  The information in this handbook will provide you
with some of those expectations as well as give you some specific information to aid you in
performing your job

      We appreciate the good work and dedication shown by our Security Force

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Security Officer’s Handbook
Table of Contents
Part I Page
Importance of an Officer
Part 2
Standards of Conduct 3
Part 3
Uniform StandardsfPersonal Appearance 5
Part 4
Genera’ Duties/Guard Force Duty Book 7
Part 5
Communications 11
Part 6
Roving Patrols 14
Part 7
Report Writing 17
Enclosure:
EPA Form, 1480-38, Incident Report

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Part 1
importance of a Security Officer
Over the years the degree of importance that
has been placed on the security field and the
need for educated, trained professionals to
join the field has risen dramatically Gone
are the days when the stereotypical “guard”
served more as a caretaker, with no
authority, no responsibility and no
expectations Today’s Security Officer is
expected to be a well trained, educated,
articulate individual capable of assuming
responsibility for the protection of life and
property, and displaying authority in a fair,
unbiased, and ethical manner
Along with the increase in responsibilities
and authority comes an increase in the role a
Security Officer plays within the agency
Today’s Security Officer is not only
expected to provide for the protection of life
and property, but they must also possess a
significant degree of training, expenence and
knowledge before they are even considered
for a Security Officer position The
following are some of the training
requirements an officer must fulfill as well as
a couple of examples of the responsibilities
an officer is entrusted with
An officer working on EPA’s
contract must be certified through the
General Services Administration
(GSA) Certification consists of
formal classroom training and
successful passing of a written test
After GSA certification and before an
officer is allowed to work in an EPA
facility, they must receive orientation
training provided by the agency This
training is to provide the officer with
site specific requirements and the
expectations that EPA has for its
officers
Officers must know and enforce the
EP 1 t ’s rules and regulations The
Security Officer must be thoroughly
knowledgeable of EPA’s Post
Orders, Special Orders and Operating
Instructions
Officers are called upon to gather
information on incidents, interview
victims and witnesses, and prepare
detailed written reports The
Security Officer will often be the first
person contacted when an incident
has occurred (See Part 7)
They must control the movement of
persons and property entering and
exiting a building Following EPA
guidelines, a Security Officer is
responsible for ensuring that only
authorized persons are allowed to
enter a building and violators are
immediately detained, and, for
preventing the removal of property
from the premises that has not been
authorized
Officers must assist in the evacuation
of a building during emergency
situations Because the Security
Officers will be the focus of attention
during an emergency, their actions
will have a direct Impact on whether
an evacuation is conducted in a safe
and panic-free manner or it develops
into chaos
As you can see, the emphasis placed on the
training, education, experience and
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knowledge of a Security Officer is
significant This increased emphasis is
directly related to the importance that has
been placed on the role of the Security
Officer at EPA
Along with the need for an educated, trained
and experienced Security Force is the need
for officers that meet certain suitability
requirements and who possess high ethical
and moral standards In order to fill the
expanded roles that today’s Security Officer
plays, agencies seek people who possess
certain character traits that are
commensurate with the degree of trust and
the level of importance that EPA places on
them A few of the character traits that are
expected of today’s Security Officer are
Pride
Honesty
Dependability
Discipline
Judgement
Trustworthiness
Loyalty
Professional Bearing
High Moral Character
In addition to these character traits, it is
equally important that each officer possess a
pleasant, helpflil and positive can do attitude
when dealing with the public The actions,
or reactions, of an officer when meeting or
greeting the public will have an impact on
the public’s perception of the officer and
EPA It is important that an officer never
allow the negative attitudes of others to
influence his/her own emotions Officers
must also possess a degree of tact and
diDlomacy in order to neutralize or diffuse
tense situations An officer must be able to
“read” a situation and be capable of
determining the type of approach to take
In summary, remember - EPA depends on
you You are a professional working in a
profession that is entrusted with the safety of
human lives and the security of millions of
dollars in resources Take pride in your
profession and conduct yourself as a
professional
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Part 2
Standards of Conduct
(Portions extracted from 4 ttachmeni 7, Contract #68-W6-OO 19)
There is a great deal of responsibility
associated with the duties performed by
today’s Secunty Officer Controlling access
to a facility, aiding personnel in need,
providing for the safety and security of the
people and resources they are entrusted to
protect, and providing a calm, authoritative
presence during stressful and confusing
situations are just a few Because of the
responsibilities an officer must take on, it is
expected that a person serving in that
position is a trusted member of the
community with high moral character,
integrity and personal standards As a guide
to officers who have been entrusted with this
responsibility, the following Standards of
Conduct were developed to provide officers
with a visible road map that will aid them in
achieving the highest level of individual
performance and professionaism
Be courteous and demonstrate good
manners towards employees, Federal
officials, and the general public.
Maintain a respectful and helpful
attitude in all endeavors
Maintain a neat, clean and business
like appearance and comply with
dress standards while on duty
Report to work physically fit and
menially alert. Employees feeling
otherwise shall make appropriate
notification to their supervisor and
request necessary relief or
instructions.
Report any circumstances which may
adversely affect his/her performance
on a particular assignment to their
immediate supervisor prior to the
assignment.
Remain on duty until properly
relieved, never desert a post and
remain alert a! all times while on
duty.
Refrain from discussions concerning
duty assignment(s), particularly
manpower, security precautions, or
procedures, except with those
persons having a need to know.
Do not knowingly give false or
misleading statements or conceal
materialfacts in connection with
employment, promotion, any records
investigations or other proper
proceedings.
Refrain from any activity which
would adversely affect the reputation
of the agency
A void personal and business
associations with persons known to
be convicted felons or known to be
connected with criminal activities.
This does not apply to immediate
family members.
A void any criminal, infamous,
dishonest, immoral, or notoriously
disgraceful conduct Habitual use of
mt oxicants to excess, or illegal use
of drugs is prohibited.
Demonstrate the highest slandard of
personal and moral conduct
expected of Security Officers.
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Always perform assignments in
accordance with prescribed
regulations to the best of your ability
and in accordance with safe and
secure working procedures.
Report serious violations of
prescribed rules and regulations.
Report violations of statute law to
appropriate management officials.
Do not possess narcotics, dangerous
drugs, controlled substances, or
marijuana either on or off duty.
Security Officers shall abstain from
the consumption and possession of
alcoholic beverages while on duly
and shall not report for duty or work
under the rnfluence of inloxicants or
drugs.
Do not engage in any discussions
concerning EPA internal matters,
policies, grievances, or
personalities; financial, personal, or
family matters with EPA employees,
family members, and friends of the
above.
Do not entertain, socialize, or enter
into business arrangements with,
give legal advice or grant special
favors to EPA employees, family
members, andfriends of the above.
Do not gamble or unlawfully bet or
promote gambling on Government-
owned or leased premises.
Do not disclose any official
information, except to EPA or other
officials having a need-to-know. Do
not make any news or press releases.
Do not accept or solicit gifts, favors,
or b :bes in connection with official
duties.
Do not use official identification for
other than official purposes.
Do not discriminate against nor
sexually harass EPA or fellow
employees or members of the general
public.
Do not make statement(s) about
fellow employees or officials with
knowledge of the falseness of the
statement or with ruthless disregard
of the truth which would be a
defamatory falsehood made with
malice.
Do not fail, unnecessarily delay, or
refuse to carry out a proper order of
a supervisor or other official having
responsibility for the work.
Do not possess, use, lose, damage,
or otherwise take Government
property or the property of others
without authorization
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Part 3
Uniform StandardsfPersonal Appearance
As one of the most visible persons within an
activity, the uniformed Security Officer must
portray an image of professionalism that
makes them stand above the rest Often
times, the first person an employee or visitor
comes in contact with is the Security Officer
The officer wearing a sharp, crisp uniform is
looked upon as a professional, dedicated
individual who takes his or her
responsibilities seriously, while the
perceptions formed based on an officer who
presents an untidy, unkempt appearance will
be negative Because the appearance of one
reflects upon the image of many, it is
important that each officer takes pride in
their appearance, wears the uniform with
dignity and sets a personal standard of
excellence in the wearing of the uniform and
the way they look
Uniform Standards
Uniforms will be maintained neat,
serviceable andfree of wrinkles, dirt,
stains, etc.
Wear only the uniform authorized
Wear the uniform only while on duty
or when in-transit to/from the
official duty location
Wear only the accessories that have
been authorized for wear, i.e.,
nametag, company patch, whistle,
and metal breast badge
The long sleeve shirt with tie/tab will
be worn beginning November i.
The short sleeve shirt with tie/tab
will be worn beginning June 1.
Officers assigned to a Rover position
do not have to wear the tie/tab when
wearing the short sleeve shirt.
When relieving a fixed post, the
Break Guard will wear the tie/tab.
When the blazer is worn, the tie/tab
will be worn.
The tie/tab will be the break away
style
Garrison (equipment) belt will be
black with black leather accessories,
i.e, keys/rap, handcuff case,
flashlight holder, radio case.
Shoes will be kept shined and will be
black low quarter or high topped,
lace type with police or plain toe and
standard heeL
Grooming Standards
Fingernails should be free of dirt
and no longer than the end of/he
fingertip
Hair will be kept neat and clean
The height of the hair, from scalp to
highest point of the coiffure, is not to
exceed 2 Y inches.
Hair must not fall below the
eyebrow
A female officer ‘s hair will not
extend below the bottom edge of her
blouse collar.
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A male officer ‘s hair cannot cover
the top of the ears, or the shirt
collar, when standing.
Men ‘s sideburns must be neatly
trimmed and extend no lower than
the bottom of/he ear, constant in
width (not flared), and end with a
clean-shaven horizontal hne.
Mustaches are to be neatly trimmed;
they may extend no more than a half
inch beyond and afourlh inch below
each corner of/he lips and go no
higher than the nose/me.
Hair ornaments, such as flowers and
combs, may not be worn, but i/ems to
hold hair in place (bobbypins,
hairpins) may be worn if/hey are
concealed as much as possible and
of a color that blends with the hair.
Makeup may be worn by female
officers provided itis subdued and
natu,’al looking
Jewelry, such as earrings, necklaces,
chains, or religious insignia around
the neck, or buttons or pendants on
the uniform may not be worn. Rings
may be worn but only on the third
finger of either hand.
Undergarments that can be seen
through or above a uniform shirt
must be white Female officers must
wear supportive brassieres.
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Part 4 General Duties
Guard Post Duty Book
Each post is provided with a Guard Post
Duty Book This book contains just about
everything an officer needs to know to carry
out their duties and provides an immediate
quick reference for situations which arise
that an officer may not be completely familiar
with Because these books, and the
information they contain, are updated
continuously, each time an officer assumes a
post, they should review it for any changes
affecting the operation of the post
The Guard Post Duty Book is divided into
individual sections The following identifies
what is contained in each section and the
purpose of each particular document The
numbers preceding each section below
correspond with the actual locations in the
Guard Post Duty Book
I POST ORDERS:
For each post located at Waterside Mall and
the Fairchild Building, there is a set of Post
Orders that apply specifically to that post
The Post Orders outline the officer’s
responsibilities for the operation of the post
and provide specific duties that must be
performed by the officer, and at what time
those duties are to be performed Post
Orders also define some of the do’s and
don’t’s an officer must comply with while
operating the post, such as
You will not leave this post until
properly relieved
You must immediately report all
incidents to the Guard Control
center
You are responsible for receiving.
securing and accounting for all
found property turned over to you
You will not eat food nor drink
beverages while on post. (Breaks are
provided for this purpose.)
You will not watch television or
listen to a radio, with the exception
of those provided for official use,
while on post.
You will not read, write or study
unissued materials. (Reading your
Guard Force Duty Book is
authorized)
Personal telephone calls are
prohibited
Sleeping on duty and dereliction of
ty will not be tolerated and will
result in immediate disciplinary
action.
Also included, in Section 6 of each Post
Order, are the specific duties of each
particular post Within the specific duties are
the post’s hours of operation, any specific
actions that the officer must take during the
course of a shift, and a Time Phase Schedule
that provides specific times when certain
actions must be taken
II GSA RULES AND
REGULATIONS GOVERNING
PUBLiC BUILDINGS AND
GROUNDS - Federal Property
Management Regulations Title 41,
Code of Federal Regulations,
Subpart 101-20.3:
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This document identifies certain prohibitions
that must be adhered to and enforced on
Federal property and grounds It includes
information on such prohibitions as
Creating a disturbance, loitering,
disorderly conduct, etc.
Gambling
Use of alcoholic beverages (unless
specifically approved) and narcotics.
Soliciting, vending and debt
collection.
Posting, distributing or affixing
pamphlets, handbills, flyers, etc.
(unless specifically authorized).
Dogs or other animals, except seeing
eye dogs, other guide dogs and
animals used to guide or assist
di sa bled persons
Transporting bicycles on elevators
or via stairways, or parking in
offices (41 CFR Ch. 101-20.104-3)
Explosives or weapons. (Weapons
are covered under Title 18, Usc
Section 930)
Situations have been encountered where
persons have attempted to circumvent some
of the above prohibitions An alert,
knowledgeable officer who has read the
GSA rules and regulations would know that
Federal law prohibits the items listed above
and a source of reference is immediately
available to them when these situations are
encountered
111 GUARD POST EMERGENCY
PROCEDURES:
This section contains checklists that detail
actions that an officer must take when an
emergency situation affecting their post
occurs Th following checklists are
included in this section
Fire/Fire Alarm Procedures
Bomb Threat Procedures
911 MedicaUPolice Emergency
Procedures
Demonstralion Procedures
Personnel Trapped in Elevator
Procedures
Each of the checklists identified above
describe specific actions that an officer must
take when a particular situation occurs
Officers must become thoroughly familiar
with the contents of these checklists and
know their role and responsibilities during
emergencies An officer must be capable of
taking quick, decisive action without delay
so that situations can be controlled and
neutralized
IV OPERATING INSTRUCTiONS:
Operating Instructions (Ols) are a set of
instructions that provide, in detail, the
procedures that officers will abide by in
enforcing certain elements and programs
They serve as a reference and teaching guide
so the officers will be provided with the full
extent of their responsibilities in complying
with requirements The following Ols are
included in the Guard Post Duty Book
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01 #1 Access/Egress Control
Procedures
01 2 Property Removal Control
Procedures
01 #3 Found Property Procedures
& Disposition instructions
01 #4 Key Control Procedures
01 #5 USSI Janitorial Personnel
Access Control Procedures
01 #6 Physical Checking of
Perimeter Doors
0! #7 Operation of the X-ray!
Magnetometer Screening Station
Ols serve as an extension of the individual
Post Orders and are referred to often in the
Post Orders Officers should know the
content of each 01 and how to apply the
information they contain When in doubt,
Ols should be referred to in order to resolve
any questions or doubts
V SPECIAL ORDERS:
In some instances, situations will arise that
require an immediate change, or an addition
to, normal operating procedures The
vehicle used for ensuring all officers are
informed of the change or addition is a
Special Order Special Orders are
supplements to the Post Orders and
Operating Instructions They define a certain
policy or procedure that is not otherwise
covered in Ols or Post Orders, or, provide a
change to information that is already
co tatned in the Ols and Post Orders They
are also used to periodically update
procedures that in themselves are constant,
but certain portions of information change on
a recurring basis For example, Special
Order 96-05, Permanent Property Pass -
though the procedures for use of the
permanent property pass are constant, and an
0! exists ex laining these procedures, the
color of the pass itself changes periodically
Each time the color is changed, a new
Special Order is issued informing officers of
the new color to be used Another example
is SO 97-03, Unannounced Security Checks
Even though there is no change in the policy
or procedures for the unannounced checks,
the personnel conducting the checks may
change, therefore, a new Special Order
would be issued
At the beginning of each officer’s shift, a
review of all Special Orders should be
conducted to determine if any new orders
have been issued and to re-familiarize
yourself with the orders that have not
changed
VI BARRED PERSONNEL:
Certain persons will commit acts that will
cause them to be barred from the premises
When this happens, Special Order Bar
Notices are issued to alert the officers on
each post that the person identified on the
order is prohibited from entering the
premises In most instances, the bar notice
will contain a brief narrative as to why the
individual has been barred, the effective date
of the bar notice, any special instructions in
the event an officer encounters a barred
person, and a photograph and/or a physical
description of the person Each officer
should be thoroughly familiar with the
information contained in bar notices Should
a barred person attempt to gain entry to the
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premises, they should be stopped and the
Security Management Staff notified
immediately
VII KEY ISSUANCE REGISTER
(EPA Form 1480-51):
The post to which an officer is assigned will
determine which, if any, keys and Rusco
Cards that officer will sign for and turn in at
the beginning and end of each shift The Key
Issuance Register that is maintained in the
Guard Force Duty Book is the “master” list
of the keys/cards that are assigned to the
post That is, the officer does not use this
form when signing for the keys, the Record
of Keys Issued (EPA Form 1480-47) is used
for that purpose The Key Issuance Register
provides the officer with information on
exactly which keys/cards are assigned to a
specific post Whenever an officer signs for
keys, they should review the Key Issuance
Register to ensure that they have all the keys
that they are supposed to have for that post
Remember, the financial liability that can be
incurred as a result of missing or
unaccounted for keys can be substantial To
cover yourself, always verify and if there’s a
discrepancy, report it immediately
VIII SAMPLE FORMS:
Sample copies of the EPA Officer’s
Operations Log (EPA Form 1480-46), EPA
Property Pass (EPA Form 1700-9), and the
EPA Incident Report (EPA Form 1480-38)
are provide I in this section These are forms
that each officer should be familiar with and,
in the case of the Officer’s Operations Log,
complete during each tour of duty (See Part
7, Report Writing, for additional information
on preparation of the Incident Report Form)
IX KEY PERSONNEL PHOTOS:
Certain persons within EPA are categorized
as key personnel and because of their status,
they are not required to present an EPA
identification when entering the premises
Within this section is the photo of each of
these persons Each officer should be
thoroughly familiar with the names and faces
of the persons in this section
As you can see, the Guard Post Duty Book
contains quite a bit of information Each
piece of information provided is an effort to
give you, the professional Security Officer,
the tools necessary to perform your job
effectively and efficiently
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Part 5
Communications
The need for accurate, clear and concise
communications within a Security Force can
not be understated Without an effective
communications link between officers on
post, supervisors and the Guard Control
Center, instead of an alert, well informed and
well prepared Security Force you have
confusion, uncertainty and in some instances,
chaos in the extreme, the lack of effective
communications can lead to bodily harm to
an officer when, because a situation is not
communicated to an officer accurately,
clearly and concisely, they are not prepared
for what they may encounter
Communications comes in many forms The
primary means of communications for the
Security Force is the radio The radio allows
officers immediate communications with the
Guard Control Center and allows the Guard
Control Center to communicate instructions
to individual officers or the entire force at
one time Secondary and alternate means of
communications are the telephone, duress
alarm, whistle, flashlight, hand and arm
signals, and of course, person-to-person
voice communications in the following
paragraphs, we will take a look at the
different types of communications and the
role and contribution each has in
distinguishing between an ineffective and
uninformed Security Force and an alert,
professional Security Force
Radio
As stated earlier, the radio is the pnmary
means of communications When used
properly, it is a quick, efficient and reliable
means of communicating to one or multiple
members of the Security Force The Guard
Control Center serves as the hub for all
Security Force radio communications and, as
such, is responsible for maintaining control
over the radio traffic, providing “all post and
patrol” announcements and instructions,
dispatching ‘officers and receiving and
responding to all transmissions from posted
officers The key to effective radio
communications is the degree of control the
Guard Control Center exercises over radio
communications If the officer operating the
Guard Control Center routinely allows
unauthorized radio transmissions, does not
instill proper radio discipline and relinquishes
control of radio traffic, then the result may
be confusion and a lack of a central,
authoritative voice On the other hand, an
operator who takes charge of the radio net
and maintains strict control over the radio
traffic will have a direct impact on the
effectiveness of the radio in serving its
intended purpose The following are some
do’s and don’t’s regrading use of the radio
They apply not only to the operator, but to
each officer equipped with a radio
As the huh of all security force
communications, all transmissions
should be to and through the Guard
Control Center. Individual Security
Officers should not “go direct” with
other officers unless requested to
and approved by the Guard Control
operator
When an officer on post is
communicating with the Guard
Control Center, they should begin
the radio fransmission with the call
sign of the Guard Control Center -
followed by their assigned call sign
For example - “Guard Control this
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is Post I. ” The reason for this is so
the last thing the Guard Control
Center operator hears is the call sign
of the officer who transmitted.
On the other hand, the Guard
Control Center operator, when
transmitting to individual officers,
should begm the tranmission with the
call sign for Guard Control -
followed by the call sign of the
officer(s) being called For example,
“Guard Control to Post I. ” Again,
this is so the last thing an officer
hears is the call sign of the officer
being called
Whenever making a radio
tranmission, always use your
assigned call sign. The use of
personal names is prohibited
Keep radio transmissions short and
to the point - accurate, clear and
concise’ If you need to impart more
information, use the telephone
Do Not discuss personal issues over
the radio.
Do Not enter into confrontations
over the radio
Never discuss issues over the radio
that you wouldn ‘t want general
members of/he public to be aware
of such as specific security
procedures, security staffing
problems, information that has an
impact on an individual ‘s privacy,
etc Remember - Security Officers
are not the only people who hear
what ‘s being discussed over the
radio. Anybody passing by an
officer at the time of a transmission
is probably going to hear what ‘s
being discussed If there ‘s a need to
discuss this type, or other sensitive
types of information, it should be
done’ over the telephone or in person.
Always maintain your composure
and calmly articulate situations - no
matter how stressfuL As a
professional Security Officer, you re
expected to be in control of your
emotions and a calming influence
while chaos surrounds you. If you
succumb to the emotions that rise in
the heat of the moment, then your
communications will oftentimes be
unintelligible and garbled
Never use profanity over the radio.
A void “walking over” the
transmissions of others. Only one
radio can transmit at a time.
Attempts by multiple users to
transmit at the same time will result
in unintelligent, distorted and
garbled transmissions.
Always end your transmission with
the term “Over” so others will know
that you ‘ye ended your transmission
The radio, when used effectively, is sri
essential communications tool that keeps
officers informed of what’s going on and
provides instant communications during
emergency or contingency operations By
practicing sound radio discipline, each officer
is contributing to the safety of their fellow
officers and the professionalism of the
Security Force
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Telephone
As a secondary, or alternate means of
communication, the telephone serves as a
back-up to radio communications and a
means for the officer to expand upon
information provided via the radio or discuss
sesnsitive issues that would not be
appropriate for discussion over the radio
The telephone also serves a vital customer
service by allowing officers to communicate
with EPA employees and contractors who
are visited by personnel from outside the
agency The following are a couple of
restrictions on the use of the government
telephone
Personal calls are not authorized.
The telephone is for official
government use only and is not to be
used for making personal calls.
When making official calls, try to
limit the time spent on the phone.
Tying up the line for an extended
period of time prevents others who
may be trying to contact you from
doing so
Duress Alarm
Each fixed post is equipped with a duress
alarm The duress alarm allows the
officer to surreptitiously communicate to the
Guard Control Center that there is a problem
at their location Any time an officer
encounters a situation that they feel may
endanger themselves or others, or immediate
assistance is needed and the use of the radio
or telephone’ may only exacerbate the
situation, they should not hesitate to activate
the duress alarm
Other Forms of Communication
The whistle, flashlight, and hand and arm
signals are all means of communication that
an officer has at his or her disposal
Different situations will dictate what form of
communication will be used When stealth is
needed, the most appropriate way to
communicate between officers is through
hand and arm signals Whereas, if an officer
needs to gain the immediate attention of
people, the whistle may be used, while the
flashlight would be appropriate during a
power outage or decreased visibility
It ’s important that each officer know the
various methods of communication, aside
from the obvious use of radio and telephone,
so that should an officer find him or herself
in a situation where a radio is inappropriate
or a phone unavailable, there are other
alternatives
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Pan 6
Roving Patrols
A proactive, aggressive and visible Security
Force relies on the use of Roving Patrols to
maintain order, provide a security response
capability and give building occupants a
feeling of safety and security A “Rover”
serves as the security eyes and ears for the
agency A conscientious and alert Rover will
know all the various nuances of their patrol
zone, such as the faces of the peov!e that
work there, the normal working hours of
peop]e in the area, what doors are normally
locked and when, and unfavorable trends
such as a series of thefts that may have
occurred in the area, to name a few Armed
with this knowledge, it is easier for the
Rover to observe or detect when something
is not right or something is out of the
ordinary
While on routine patrol, the Rover is
expected to observe and report situations
that appear to be out of the ordinary The
Rover also provides a response capability -
responding to incidents that occur within the
confines of EPA controlled space,
neutralizing the situation as best they can,
requesting further assistance as necessary,
gathering pertinent facts and preparing
detailed, thorough and legible reports
Incidents such as medical emergencies,
thefts, assaults, personnel trapped in
elevators, etc, are all examples of
occurrences that the Rover can be dispatched
to and that the Rover must be prepared to
handle with tact, diplomacy and
professionalism
The following are some of the do’s and
don’t’s that a Rover should be aware of and
practice routinely
in order to stay informed of
additions or changes to policy
and/or procedure, it is essential that
each person assigned rover duties
review the Guard Post Duty Book/or
that post at the beginning of each
shiff In addition, if there was a
previous relieffor the roving post
being assumed, question the off-
going rover to find out if there are
any pass-ons or other information
that you should know about
Upon assuming duties, verifr that
you have all required equipment -
particularly that all keys and Rusco
cards are accounted for.
During your routine patrol rounds,
you should be courteous to all
personnel you come in contact with.
Make an effort to say hello, and have
a nice day Don ‘t allow the attitudes
of others influence you.
Guard against ind?fference When
dispatched to an incident that you
may consider to be routine,
remember - it may not be so routine
to the caller Show the proper
respect and concern for the person
and their predicament regardless of
the situation.
Oftentimes you may be asked to
assist a person in entering a locked
room If the person is an occupant
of the room they wish to enter (this
can be verified by looking the
person ‘s name up in the EPA
telephone book or checking the
office area for signs that it is that
person ‘s office - such as a name
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plate with their name on it), then if
you have the proper key, you can
allow entry. However, if you can ‘t
verify that the person is an occupant
of the room, the Rover should
politely and tactfully advise the
person that ihey can ‘I be allowed
entry - along with the reason they
can’t be allowed entry. Unless the
person is an actual occupant of the
room, they are not Jo be allowed
entry. Part of the Rover ‘s
responsibility is to provide for the
safety and security of EPA personnel
and resources. By letting a person
into an office that is not theirs, the
privacy of the actual room occupant
could be violated and the potential
for other problems arises. In these
situations, you may ask the requestor
to contact the Security Management
Staff or the Security Support Staff if
they are unsatisfied with the Rover ‘s
explanation Always record this
information in the Officer ‘s
Operations Log.
Keep the Guard Control Center
informed of your status Whenever
you observe or encounter a situation
or incident, immediately notify the
Guard Control Center
During emergency situations, the Security
Officer is the on-scene figure of authonty
and the person most people will observe,
question and rely on for guidance and
assistance This is a great deal of
responsibility because the Security Officer’s
actions during stressful or chaotic situations
are going to have a direct impact on the
emotions of the public around them If a
Security Officer exhibits panic and
uncertainty, this may translate into fear by
the general public and result in panic
situations A calm and composed Security
Officer will ease the fears of the general
public and provide them with a feeling of
confidence that whatever may be occurring -
is under coiftrol Below are some tips for
officers who find themselves in a stressful or
chaotic situation
Remain calm’
When making radio transmissions
speak slowly, clearly and in a normal
tone
Maintain an authoritative stance and
when providing instructions to
members of/he genera/public, speak
sternly but politely.
Be patient but firm with people who
ask questions. When situations
happen, it ‘s common practice for
people to want to know what ‘s going
on; however, your duties may
preclude you from providing as
much information as they want. For
example, when the fire alarm sounds
and you’re asked “Is there afire 7 ”
or “Should I evacuate 7 “, you should
politely but firmly advise them that,
“Sir or Madam, the fire alarm is
sounding and for your own safety
you must evacuate the building.”
There may also be times where you
may know exactly what ‘s going on
but in the interest of avoiding panic,
you will be instructed not to pass
your knowledge along For example,
if there ‘s a bomb threat and the
building is being evacuated - in
order to avoid a potential panic, you
15

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may be instructed not to tell the
general public why they are being
evacuated.
During emergency situations, there are a
number of tasks that the Security Officer
might be assigned to do Among them are
assisting in an evacuation, preventing people
from entering a cordoned area, responding to
an entry point to meet and escort emergency
response personnel to a scene, and providing
comfort to people who have been involved in
an incident Regardless of the task, the
professional Security Officer is expected to
perform at a level commensurate with the
degree of responsibility, trust and confidence
that has been placed on them, by both their
company and the people they are working to
protect
Building Checks
Another duty of the Rover is the physical
checking of all building perimeters and
internal office space To assist the officer in
conducting these checks, a Guard Force
Tour System has been developed The tour
system consists of two elements the Daily
Security Checksheet and the Guard Force
Checklist
The Daily Security Checksheets are posted
at various locations throughout the building
The locations where a checksheet are posted
are indicated on the Guard Tour Checklist by
a double star (**) In most locations, they
are posted on the external portion of a door -
thus requiring the officer to open a door in
order to get to the checksheet and annotate
their intitials and time While this is being
done, the officer should also be verif ying that
any door alarms that should have activated
when the door is opened are operating
properly, and if not, notification is made to
the Guard Control Center The officer
should also veriFy that the doors themselves
are in prope’ working order and there is no
evidence of vandalism or any attempts at
forced entry Again, any discrepancies
should be reported to the Guard Control
Center as well as annotated in the Officer’s
Operations Log
The Guard Tour Checklist provides each
post with a specific list of areas that must be
checked throughout the course of a shift
Most checks are to be conducted twice per
shift and the results of these checks
annotated on the form Any discrepancies
that are noted can be listed on the Guard
Tour Checklist, or, if space prohibits,
annotate “See Operations Log” and provide
an explanation there When conducting the
Guard Tour, the officer should use it as an
opportunity to get to know the people and
areas of the patrol zone and not just confine
themselves to the checklist itself The
checklist should be used as a guide, or
starting point, for the officer to get around
and put into practice their skills of
observation, prevention and detection
Entries that are made in the Officer’s
Operations Log that reflect problems or
discrepancies must be made using red ink
This applies not only to the Guard Force
Tour System but to any situation that an
officer encounters that may require the
attention of the Security Management and/or
Security Support Staff
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PART 7
Report Writing
All Security Officers must be prepared to
write a report that provides a detailed
account of incidents or events occurring on
government property The standard report
form used at this facility is the 1480-38,
Incident Report Form Its purpose is to
communicate information to be used as an
official record of events which have occurred
on the premises The information the officer
provides in the report will not only serve as
the official record of an incident or event, but
may also be used as a source of information
for flirther inquiries or investigations weeks,
months or years after the initial report was
taken When writing a report, simply state
the facts of the incident or offense Keep the
report simple and concise All report writers
should note the time they learned of the
incident, their time of arrival on the scene,
and the time they returned to normal service
It is imperative that the Security
Management Staff be notified and given all
information about the incident or offense
prior to returning to normal duty activities
Normally, the Incident Report Form will not
be completed as the inquiry is being
cdnducted, but later when the officer can sit
down, collect his or her thoughts, and
prepare a useful, comprehensive report
Each officer should have a note pad and pen
for taking notes at the scene and recording
all information pertaining to the incident
After the response is terminated, the officer
can then return to a more appropriate
location and take the time needed to transfer
the information from the notes onto an
Incident Report Form An officer should,
however, always take a blank form to any
incident they respond to The blank form
can serve as a reminder of certain questions
to ask or information needed to complete the
form
Blank Incident Reports are left at the fixed
posts throughout the EPA Remember that
each numbeted block on the 1480-38 must
be filled except as indicated below Let’s
briefly go over the items on the form
1. Report Number Leave this space
blank This is a designated control
number used by Internal Security
2. Dale of Report: Date that the
officer is filling out the report
3. Type of Incident. Self-
explanatory “Other” would be a
harassment situation, irate employee,
medical emergency, etc
4. Specific Location: Note the
Building or section (WT, ET, SE
Mall, NE Mall, etc), and Room
Number (if the room has an
alphabetic suffix after it, for example,
NEB 102 A, list that information
also)
5 Persons Involved There are four
columns and three rows in this
section Additional input can be listed
on the back of the form, on an
additional form, or on a separate
sheet of bond paper List the primary
individuals, such as the complainant,
primary witness and suspect, if
possible Make sure you have the
correct spelling of all the names
involved Get the individuals’
office/branch and corresponding mail
17

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codes with their phone numbers
not leave any spaces blank
how many different entrances/exits
are there to the particular area, etc 7
6. Narrative: A detailed description
of the events is needed here If it
becomes necessary to write more
than is available on the sheet, use
additional forms or a blank sheet of
bond paper The key to a good
narrative is that when you’ve finished
writing it, read it over If it doesn’t
answer all the questions you have,
then obtain the necessary additional
information and include it in your
report Among the report items to
note are
WHO was involved, including
witnesses, and what do they do/how
do they figure in the incident (are
they a secretary, branch chief
mover, demonstrator, etc.)? Who
was the last person to leave an office
andfirst to enter, did anybody see
anyone in the area that ‘s not
normally supposed to be there, etc. 2
WHAT was ihe occurrence, i.e.,
theft, assault, harassment, injury,
etc., and what circumstances
precipitated the occurrence 7 For
example: the victim of an assault
criticized the alleged assailant last
week in front of several people.
Provide as much “background”
information as is available.
WHEN and WHERE did the
incident occur. Ask such questions
ar when was ihe lasi lime the item
was seen; was the room where a theft
occurred locked or unlocked; is it
normally left locked or unlocked;
There are times when the people
involved or the evidence is presenl to
help explain WHY or HOW the
incident occurred, but normally
these questions can ‘1 be answered
immediately, or within the scope of
the officer ‘s inquiry.
Although space is provided
elsewhere on the form, list any
pertinent information on property
missing or damaged in this portion
as well. Depending on the incident,
find out if any employees were
recently terminated, had harbored
any hostilities against anyone; who
is responsible for property storage?
How were the items stored - in a safe
or desk, was the person ‘s door
secured 7 if the incident involved a
missing credit or bank card, what
bank issued the card 7 if the incident
involves vehicles, then you should
obtain information on the vehicle(s)
such as color, tags, type, etc).
7 Property Taken This section
covers incidents involving Theft or
Damaged goods If no property was
involved, list “N/A” in the block
a. item Description - Self-
explanatory
b. Quantity - How many of
the items were taken 7
c. Ownership - Was it
government or personal
property 9
18

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d. Value - What is the
approximate cost of the item?
In some instances where
government property is
involved, a property invoice is
available and can be provided
e Brand Name - Who made
the affected item - Sony,
Ford, Dell? It must be listed
f Model - The particular
brand name item (i e, Ford’s
1992 Escort LX)
g Ser,alNumber-If
available
h. EPA Property Number -
The EPA places a property
control sticker on all of its
property Try to find out
what the property number
was, if available, and list it
Again, in some instances you
may be able to get a copy of
the property inventory if you
ask for it
i Property was• - Was the
property secured or
unsecurecP
8. Not ificazions Note the time and
date each listed official was
contacted In all instances of theft of
government property, the Federal
Protective Service will be notified -
either by the responding officer or the
Guard Control Center If a theft
involves personal property, it is the
victim/complainant’s option as to
whether they want FPS to be
notified “Other” would involve, for
instance, the Health Unit, Guard
Control (if contacted by Rover or
fixed post), or Building Services
Desk/Town Center Management
The “This Section is for EPA USE
ONLY’ will be left blank
The officer will clearly PRINT their
name, and then sign the form in the
spaces provided
There are different responses for the various
calls you may receive that may concern
report writing Let’s go over a few instances
Incidents and Offenses
When you receive a report of an
incident or offense, you will notify
the Guard Control Center (who, in
turn, will contact Internal Security)
and respond immediately to the
location of the incident Assess the
situation at hand in order to
determine the proper response While
the Guard Control Center is notifying
the proper officials for response,
attempt to accumulate as much
information as possible It is
imperative that the names and
telephone numbers of all personnel
involved (victims, witnesses,
offenders, if available) are obtained
immediately Attempt to learn the
name and telephone number of the
closest relative so they can be
notified if the victim is taken to the
hospital If medical response is
pending, obtain the arriving
ambulance’s number, the time of
arrival and departure, and the
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hospital to which the victim is being
transported
Fires
In case of a fire, obtain the following
information for inclusion in your
report
The time of amval and
departure
the Fire Engine Companies
responding to the scene
the identifying numbers of the
fire trucks
the Fire Department’s on-
scene commander
Bomb Threats
When an officer is the direct recipient
of a bomb threat, they should
immediately retrieve their Guard
Force Duty Book and open up to the
Bomb Threat Checklist Obtain as
much information as possible and
notify the Guard Control Center
The Guard Control Center should
immediately notify the Security
Management Staff
When a building occupant notifies
you of a bomb threat, you must
obtain that person’s full name, room
number, telephone number, and the
time of the call Ask the person who
notifies you whether he or she can
identify the person who called him or
her Again, refer to the Bomb
Threat Checklist located in the Guard Force
Duty Book and make appropriate
notifications
Demonstrations
Refer to the Demonstrations
Che klist in the Guard Force Duty
Book In addition to the items listed
in the checklist, the officer should
also attempt to obtain the following
information
1 How many protestors are
there”
2 What is the demonstration
about
3 Who is demonstrating”
4 Is the demonstration
peaceful or violent 7
5 When did the protestors
arrive 9
6 If they are carrying signs
or banners, what do they
say”
7 If they are making
statements, what are they
saying”
Utility Emergencies
In all cases of utility emergencies,
including ievator stoppages, power
outages, broken waterpipes, gas or
oil leaks, air conditioning outages in
computer rooms, etc, record the
time of the emergency, the people
involved and their pertinent
information, the time that proper
authonties were notified and the
name and time of arrival of the
responding elements Also list the
time the emergency was resolved
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I 2. Date of Reoort
1 1. Report Number
Incident Report i-
Leave Blank
3.Type of Incident
Theft Assault Robbery Vandalism B&E Found Property Other (Specify) Check 1 or Specify Other
4. SpecifIc Location (BuIldIng/Room Number)
Give Room Number/Alphabetic Suffix, i.e ., A, B, C, etc.Ils it a Cubicle Within a Bay Area?/ls It West
Tower, East Tower, NE Mall, Mall, 9 ;
5. Persons involved: (indicate Status (C) Complainant (V) Victim (W) Witness(S) Suspect (N) Notable ) ___________________
Last Name, First, Middle Initial
Status
Program Office
Phone Number
COMPLETE ALL BLOCKS
S. Narrative: Indicate Who. What. When, Where, Why. and How (Use blank sheet if necessary)
List ALL people who share a common space Was anyone out of the ordinary observed in the
area? Give a detailed description of item(s) missing. What types of Security Locking Devices is
the office(s) equipped with? Were the locking devices used? Who was the first person to enter
the office the day the property was discovered missing and who was the last to leave the day
prior 9 Who’s responsible for inventory control? How many people have keys/combinations to the
area? Was anyone recently terminated 9 Who knew the property was in the area? Talk to
everyone that was in the area during the time frame If a witness is on travel check back when
they return PROVIDE A DETAILED NARRATIVE.
7. Property Taken
a. Description of Item
Color/Size
b Quantity
How Many 1 ’
C. Ownership I
Government or Personal
d. Vaiue
Estimate or Actual
e. Brand Name
I Model
g. Serial Number
it. EPA Property Number
Normally Found on Face
Name or Number
Found on the Back or in
Check Property
If Available
of Item the Property Inventory Inventory,
i Property was. j. Date and Time Last Seen k. Date and Time Discovered Missing
Secured Unsecured Self-Explanatory Self-Explanatory
8. Notification This SecIlon s for €PA Office Use Only’ “
Agency Time Notified Custodiai Account Leave Blank
Number.
Federal Protective Service (202) 708-1111
Custodiai Officer
EPA Security Office 260-6352 or 2010
Custodial Phone Number
Police Department
Date Dustodaai Officer
Fire Department Engine Co. Notified:
Ambulance Type of locks on Room
Other (Specify)
Printed Name of Person Filina Report Signature of Person Filing Report
Your Name - Printed or Typed Your Signature in Ink
.
I
Self-Explanatory
EPA Form 1480-38

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