Private Security Officers are on the Front Line Everywhere in Maintaining Public Order and Security in the Current Crisis

Washington, D.C., April 15, 2020  salutes security officers across the United States who are playing a crucial role in public safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  There are over 1,000,000 private security officers in the United States, outnumbering public law enforcement personnel by a margin of more than two to one.   As the current crisis severely strains law enforcement resources, private security companies and their dedicated, hardworking security officers increasingly are being relied upon to provide vital security and support, including maintaining social distancing and other health and safety requirements, at hospitals, government facilities, and essential businesses.   They are also safeguarding non-essential businesses and other venues such as schools that have been closed but still require security.   While such public-facing roles come with increased public exposure, security officers throughout the U.S. are showing up for duty every day. 

Recognizing the essential nature of private security and private security officers during this crisis, the Department of Homeland Security/Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency includes “personnel (front line and management)” in “private security” in the category of essential critical workers related to “Law Enforcement, Public Safety and Other First Responders”.  Also, included in that important category is “Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures.”

In the United States, the vast majority of security officers are employed by contract private security companies.  This means the security officers currently providing security and public safety services on-site at medical centers, critical infrastructure and manufacturing facilities, nursing homes, grocery and hardware stores – practically everywhere --- are not employees of those essential businesses.  Nonetheless, it is those contract private security officers and their companies who are ensuring the safe, continued operation of those essential businesses.   Their contributions are often overlooked by politicians and the media.  

Accordingly, as Congress, the Federal government and state and local governments look to provide accommodations or premium compensation to essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the essential service role played by security officers and the essential business role played by private security companies cannot be overstated, nor overlooked.    

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CITIGUARD WISHES YOU A HAPPY AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON!

During this very special Holiday Season time of the year, we at Citiguard wish to deeply express our heartfelt desire that the Holiday spirit of joy, in all of its expressions, be the very best gift to be received.

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Are You at Risk?

 

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The Changing Role of the Security Guard during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Los Angeles

During the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, all over the world, security guards are seeing their roles change as they have been enlisted to assist the community and the government in combating the COVID-19 in what may once have been seen as non-traditional security roles.

During this unprecedented time, security firms in the Los Angeles are asking their teams to pivot. From planning the logistics and security for the world’s largest critical care units for treating patients with coronavirus, to performing free local patrols to client premises during the lockdown to volunteering to assist the elderly, vulnerable or ‘at risk’ individuals who are unable to leave their homes, security companies of all sizes are stepping up to the challenge. 

In a few short weeks, the sight of a security guard outside stores has become commonplace to ensure the safety of shoppers, limit the number of people who can enter a shop at any one time, and ensure social, or physical, distancing is maintained in stores. Prior to COVID-19, the retail guarding focus was traditionally aimed towards loss prevention and employee safety, although still an issue, it is no longer its sole focus. 

Citiguard  is now providing security personnel to hundreds of supermarkets across the country to assist with crowd management, ensuring social distancing is respected, and making sure the elderly, and key workers get access to their shopping hour. 

Patrolling, key-holding, incident assistance, high-risk product protection to prevent theft, and worker welfare checking are only a few of the roles security guards routinely fill. But with most high streets and retail parks now shuttered, there has also been an increase in the need for mobile patrols in the Los Angeles to ensure the security of empty and closed commercial, retail, or office premises  and additional security fire watch patrols.

Although drastic changes have been made to the market, such as removing all seating and changing to takeout options only to keep customers safe, the market will have security guards screening people before they go in and keeping track of numbers to control crowds. 

Fortunately, some security companies were already equipped to meet the new challenges posed by the COVID-19 coronavirus before its outbreak. Thanks to new and improving security software, clients can have clear visibility into what’s happening at a vacant site through their own client portals. If an incident should occur, instant notifications are also sent and received by the appropriate person. Finally, the head office can communicate up-to-date COVID-19 (or other) information directly with teams on sites via message boards. If instructions change, information can be sent through updated post orders, and verified if the new instructions are acknowledged. It is precisely this kind of future-proof technology that is helping keep security guards safe as they work to keep the world a safer place. By adopting readily-available technology such as cloud applications that are optimised via cellular networks, security firms can be more efficient and increase the value of the service that they provide. 

Citiguard security guards may not be recognized as often as front line heroes like the medical personnel, security guards are key workers, working behind the scenes to support critical infrastructure. Please don’t forget to recognize these outstanding women and men and the crucial work they are doing to keep everyone safe and secure on social media using front line security to show them we care.

Our team works hard every day to assure the security and safety of our clients and their properties! 

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Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Businesses and employers can prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19. Employers should plan to respond in a flexible way to varying levels of disease transmission in the community and be prepared to refine their business response plans as needed. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), most American workers will likely experience low (caution) or medium exposure risk levels at their job or place of employment (see OSHA guidance for employerspdf iconexternal icon for more information about job risk classifications).

Businesses are strongly encouraged to coordinate with stateexternal icon and localexternal icon health officials so timely and accurate information can guide appropriate responses. Local conditions will influence the decisions that public health officials make regarding community-level strategies. CDC has guidance for mitigation strategiespdf icon according to the level of community transmission or impact of COVID-19.

All employers need to consider how best to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and lower the impact in their workplace. This may include activities in one or more of the following areas:

1. reduce transmission among employees,
2. maintain healthy business operations, and
3. maintain a healthy work environment.

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COVID-19 Community Mitigation Framework

Community mitigation activities are actions that people and communities can take to slow the spread of infectious diseases. Community mitigation is especially important before a vaccine or drug becomes widely available.

Mitigation strategies include

• Personal protective measures (e.g., handwashing, cough etiquette, and face coverings) that persons can use at home or while in community settings
• Social distancing (e.g., maintaining physical distance between persons in community settings and staying at home)
• Environmental surface cleaning at home and in community settings, such as schools or workplaces.

Individuals, communities, schools, business and health care organizations all have a role to play in community mitigation, and policies, like limits on large gatherings, restrictions on businesses, and school closures, are often needed in order to fully implement community mitigation strategies

Each community is unique and because some of these measures can be very disruptive to daily life, appropriate mitigation strategies will vary based on the level of community transmission, characteristics of the community and their populations, and the local capacity to implement strategies.

Consideration is needed for all aspects of a community that might be impacted, including populations most vulnerable to severe illness and those that may be more impacted socially or economically, and select appropriate actions. When selecting mitigation strategies, states and communities should be guided by the local characteristics of disease transmission, demographics, and public health and healthcare system capacity. Mitigation strategies should be able to be scaled up or down depending on the evolving local situation.

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Prevent Getting Sick

You can take steps to protect yourself and others during a COVID-19 outbreak.

• The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Recent studies indicate that people who are infected but do not have symptoms likely also play a role in the spread of COVID-19.
• There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.

Our team works hard every day to assure the security and safety of our clients and their properties! 

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