The class of Property Guard (PRG) was introduced in 2010 under The Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010. The general meaning of property guard as per the act is:
In this Act, property guard means a person who for valuable consideration, either by himself or herself or in partnership with any other person, carries on a business—
(a)
guarding, elsewhere than on premises owned or occupied by himself or herself or his or her firm or any of his or her partners, any real or personal property belonging to another person; or
(b)
monitoring in real time, elsewhere than on premises owned or occupied by himself or herself or his or her firm or any of his or her partners, any of the following:
(i)
a burglar alarm or similar warning device intended to immediately alert a person or persons to the presence of a person or persons in a place:
(ii)
a camera or similar device; or
(c)
responding to any device in paragraph (b)(i) or (ii) that has been activated and that is on any part of any premises that are not owned or occupied by himself or herself or his or her firm or any of his or her partners.
(2)
A person is not a property guard solely because he or she does the work described in section 8.
To a client or to a security person themselves a Property Guard monitors and protects buildings, building assets and the property or land the building or asset is located on. Assets also include people located on the property at the time whether visiting, working or socialising.
The class of Property Guard can be supplied as a service to:
- Restrict access to buildings, land or property
- Secure buildings and or property
- Protect property as equipment or personal items
- Prevent unauthorised access to buildings or land
- Monitor site activity, provide a security presence and conduct site patrols i.e. 24/7 onsite security
- Monitor from onsite access control and CCTV systems
- Mobile patrol response to an onsite alarm activation to check, clear and secure a site
A security person assigned to carry out the role and duties of a Property Guard must have knowledge on the fact there is a section of the law that allows the security person the ability to conduct their duties to ensure a safe and secure site. That law is The Trespass Act 1980.
It is important that all security personnel understand that the company they work for has been engaged by a client who is the legal occupier of the land, therefore the security person can conduct duties on behalf of the legal occupier acting on the client’s behalf to ensure property, buildings or the site is secure and or protected.
This only applies to property owned or managed by that client. Property Guards have no legal rights outside the property boundary or in public areas (unless engaged by a local council).
This allows a Property Guard in circumstances where a security breach has occurred, an unlawful act or crime has been committed to quote The Trespass Act 1980 verbally asking a person or persons to leave the property.
The normal process is to inform a person or persons verbally three times to leave the property quoting the Trespass Act 1980 each time before the police are called instigating the situation to the next level.
The use of CCTV is common practice nowadays with footage and timelines being recorded allowing an additional element of safety and protection to Property Guards if their own safety and the safety of others is at risk when dealing with an incident or situation.