Lesson 1: The Security Services Act and your licence
Security work in British Columbia is licensed under the Security Services Act and the Security Services Regulation. The province's Security Programs Division handles licensing, and the Act has the minister appoint a Registrar of Security Services (section 49).
Under section 2, you must not do security work, or present yourself as available for it, unless you hold a valid security worker licence, are exempt by regulation, or the registrar has decided the work is only incidental to your main job.
What counts as a security guard service
The Act says a security guard service includes a person who guards or patrols property, guards a person, works to prevent loss of property, or provides door security at an establishment licensed under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act.
Who can get a licence
- You must live in Canada and, unless exempt, be at least 19 years old (section 3).
- The registrar may refuse a licence to an applicant who is a peace officer (section 4).
- Your licence shows which kinds of security work you may do, and whether you are authorized to use dogs or restraints.
The Regulation lists 16 licence types. Some of them are:
| Examples of BC licence types |
|---|
| Security guard |
| Security guard under supervision |
| Armoured car guard |
| Private investigator |
| Security alarm response |
| Security consultant |
| Locksmith |
Lesson 2: Rules while you are on duty
Carry and show your licence
- Section 8 says you must carry your licence while doing security work and show it to any person you present yourself to as a security worker.
- The province says it must be the physical licence. A photo of it is not accepted.
- Armoured car guards and door security at liquor establishments do not have to show it to anyone who asks.
- Give your licence only to a police officer or a Special Provincial Constable working for the Registrar.
Report changes within 14 days
Section 9 says you must report to the registrar within 14 days if you change your home address, are charged with a crime, or are convicted of a crime. The province also asks you to report a legal name change and becoming a peace officer.
Words, uniforms and vehicles
| Topic | BC rule |
|---|---|
| Words you may not use | "Detective", "law enforcement", "peace officer" or "police" to describe your security work or business (Act, s. 44(5)) |
| Shirt or sweater | The word SECURITY on the chest, in letters at least 1.25 cm high (Regulation, s. 12) |
| Jacket or vest | SECURITY on the back, in letters at least 5 cm high |
| Name | The uniform shows the name of the person who employs or engaged you |
| Not allowed | A uniform that looks like a police uniform, an ID badge, or a Sam Browne belt (shoulder strap linked to a waist belt) |
| Patrol vehicles | SECURITY on both sides in letters at least 7.5 cm high, with the employer's name and phone number; no markings or light bars that make it look like a police or emergency vehicle (s. 10) |
Equipment
Section 11 bars weapons prohibited by the Criminal Code and any other item designed to debilitate or control a person or animal. The province gives batons, pepper spray and tasers as examples. The registrar may authorize some equipment, and your licence shows whether you may use restraints such as handcuffs.
Lesson 3: Conduct and use of force
Section 14 of the Regulation sets conditions the registrar can place on every licence. They work as a code of conduct. A licensee must:
- Act with honesty and integrity, and obey all federal, provincial and municipal laws
- Treat all people equally, without discrimination
- Not use profane, abusive or insulting language or actions
- Not use unnecessary force
- Respect privacy and keep information confidential unless the work or the law requires it
- Cooperate with police when the law requires it
- Not be unfit for duty because of alcohol or drugs
- Not make false statements or complaints
- Not misrepresent their licence or the nature of their authority under the law
What BC counts as force
The province defines force as an action to make someone comply with your directions or to control what they do. Examples are blocking someone's way, physically moving or restraining a person, using handcuffs and using a weapon. Every use of force must be recorded on SPD Form 0513 (Use of Force Incident Report) or an equivalent, and given to your manager if you work for a security business. Businesses must keep use-of-force reports for at least 2 years.
The Criminal Code
Section 25 says a person authorized by law to do something, acting on reasonable grounds, may use as much force as is necessary for that purpose. Section 27 allows as much force as is reasonably necessary to prevent certain offences that would likely cause immediate and serious injury to a person or property. Force beyond what is necessary is not protected.
Lesson 4: BC's Trespass Act
British Columbia has its own Trespass Act. It lets an occupier, or a person the occupier authorizes, control who comes onto premises. As a guard, you are usually an authorized person.
Offences under section 2
- Entering premises that are enclosed land
- Entering premises after getting notice that entry is prohibited
- Doing a prohibited activity after getting notice
- Not leaving, or not stopping an activity, as soon as practicable after an occupier or authorized person directs it, or coming back afterwards
Enclosed land includes land surrounded by a lawful fence, a natural boundary, or both, or land posted with no-trespassing signs under section 4(1).
How notice is given (section 4)
- Orally or in writing, or
- By a sign posted at or near an ordinary point of access
- A sign naming an activity, or showing a picture of it, with an oblique line through it, is enough notice that the activity is banned.
- For signs to make land "enclosed", a sign must be clearly visible in daylight from the approach to each ordinary point of access.
Section 6 lets an occupier or authorized person with reasonable grounds demand a person's correct name and address. Refusing is an offence. Under section 3, a person charged with trespass has a defence if they had the occupier's consent, other lawful authority, or a colour of right (an honest belief they had a right to be there).
Lesson 5: Arrest and handing over to police
This is a key BC point: under section 7 of the Trespass Act, the power to arrest without a warrant belongs to a peace officer (or a conservation officer). The Act does not give owners, occupiers or guards an arrest power. If a trespasser will not leave, call the police.
A guard's arrest powers come from section 494 of the Criminal Code:
| Vorschrift | What it allows |
|---|---|
| 494(1)(a) | Anyone may arrest a person found committing an indictable offence |
| 494(1)(b) | Anyone may arrest a person they believe on reasonable grounds has committed a criminal offence and is escaping from and freshly pursued by people with lawful authority to arrest |
| 494(2) | The owner or person in lawful possession of property, or a person they authorize, may arrest a person found committing a criminal offence on or in relation to that property, at that time or within a reasonable time after if police cannot feasibly make the arrest |
| 494(3) | Anyone who is not a peace officer must deliver the person to a peace officer forthwith |
- Decide if you truly have the power to arrest. If not, observe and report.
- Tell the person they are under arrest and why.
- Call the police right away.
- Use only force that is necessary, and record it on Form 0513.
- Hand the person to police and write your report.