Australia Security Guard Study Guide (Cert II) 2026

How security licensing works in Australia

Australia has no national security licence. Each state and territory has its own law, its own regulator and its own licence classes. What is the same almost everywhere is the training: unarmed guards and crowd controllers usually complete the Certificate II in Security Operations (CPP20218) with a registered training organisation (RTO).

Read your state's own guide for its licence classes, application steps and any extra courses or tests.

Competency-based training

Australian vocational training is competency-based. You do not sit one big exam at the end. Instead, your RTO assesses each unit, usually with a written knowledge test, practical role-plays and observed tasks. You are marked competent when you show you can do the work to the required standard. Some states add their own step. Western Australia, for example, has a written Security Competency Test after the course, and New South Wales adds a pre-enrolment assessment and a state licence course.

What the Certificate II covers

Queensland and Victoria also require the first aid unit HLTAID011 Provide first aid. Some higher licence classes, such as armed guard or bodyguard, need a Certificate III and more advanced first aid.

The role of a security officer

A security officer protects people, property and information. Most of the job is about noticing problems early, being visible so that crime is less likely, and passing on accurate information.

Assignment instructions

Every site has assignment instructions (also called post orders). They are the client's written instructions for your duties, limits and procedures at that site, such as patrol times, who may enter, and who to call in an emergency. Read them before your first shift and whenever they change.

Professional conduct

• Wear your uniform neatly and carry your licence as your state requires.
• Be polite and helpful. People cooperate more with an officer who treats them with respect.
• Keep client information confidential, including alarm codes, rosters and site layouts.
• Treat everyone fairly. Refusing entry or service because of race, disability, sex or similar grounds is unlawful discrimination.
• Never stay silent about a mistake. Report it so it can be fixed.

Your legal powers

A security licence does not give you police powers. In general, an unarmed security officer has the same legal powers as any other person, plus the authority that the owner or occupier of the property gives you. If you go beyond those powers, you can be charged, sued and lose your licence, even if your employer told you to do it.

Asking people to leave

The owner or occupier, or someone they authorise such as you, can ask a person to leave private premises. Every state has laws that make it an offence to stay after being lawfully asked to leave. Ask politely, give the person a fair chance to go, record what happened and call police if they refuse. Force is a last resort and must be reasonable.

Searches and conditions of entry

Security officers generally cannot search a person or their property without consent. Many venues make a bag inspection a condition of entry and show this on signs. If a person refuses, you can refuse them entry or ask them to leave, but you cannot force a search.

Privacy

You will see personal information such as names in visitor logs, CCTV images and incident details. Use it only for your job, keep it secure and never share it on social media or with friends.

Evidence and crime scenes

• Keep people out of the scene and touch nothing.
• Record the time, who was there and who entered or left.
• If you must take charge of an item, record who held it and when, from the moment it was found. This is called continuity of evidence or chain of custody.
• Hand the scene and any items to police when they arrive.

Citizen's arrest in general terms

Every Australian state lets an ordinary person arrest someone without a warrant in limited situations. This is often called a citizen's arrest. The exact rules are set by each state's law and are worded differently, so learn your own state's version during training. The general principles below apply in most places.

Breaking venue rules is not a crime

Breaking a dress code, owing money or being rude is not a reason to arrest someone. In those cases you can refuse entry or ask the person to leave.

If you are not sure

If you are not sure an offence has happened, do not arrest. Watch from a safe place, write down a good description and call police or your supervisor. An unlawful arrest can be false imprisonment or assault.

Use of force: the law and the principles

This section covers the law and principles only. Practical defensive techniques are taught and assessed in person by your training organisation.

Australian laws allow a person to use force in self-defence, to defend another person, to protect property and to make a lawful arrest, but only force that is reasonable in the circumstances. Anything more can be assault. If there is a dispute, a court decides whether the force was reasonable by looking at the whole situation.

Key rules

• Talking is almost always the first option and solves most problems.
• Force may never be used to punish someone or get revenge, for example after an insult.
• Stop using force as soon as the threat has ended.
• Do not chase or tackle someone who is simply running away when nobody is in danger. Note a description and report it.
• Holding a person face down can make it hard for them to breathe. Monitor anyone who has been restrained and get medical help if needed.
• Batons, handcuffs and similar items are controlled by state law and need the right licence permission and training.

After using force

1. Make sure everyone is safe and anyone injured gets first aid or an ambulance.
2. Tell your supervisor and, where needed, police.
3. Write a full, honest report as soon as possible, explaining what you saw, what you did and why.
4. Keep any CCTV and witness details.

Communication and radio

Good communication prevents most problems. It includes what you say, how you say it, how you listen and your body language.

Listening and questions

• Active listening means giving full attention, nodding and repeating back what you heard in your own words.
• Open questions such as "What happened next?" get people to explain. Closed questions such as "Is this your bag?" get a yes or no.
• Non-verbal signals such as crossed arms, eye contact and tone of voice send strong messages.

People with different needs

• If someone speaks little English, use simple words and gestures and arrange an interpreter for anything important.
• If someone is deaf or hard of hearing, face them, speak clearly and offer to write things down.
• Speak to the person directly, not only to their companion or carer.

Radio

Think before you press the button. Keep messages short and clear, use call signs, and say "copy" or "received" to confirm you understood. Ask for a repeat if you did not. Use the phonetic alphabet to spell names and car registrations.

Shift handover

Tell the incoming officer about incidents, open issues and special instructions, and record the handover in the log.

Managing conflict, intoxication and crowds

Warning signs

Watch for a raised voice, swearing, clenched fists, pacing, staring and moving closer. Common triggers include long waits, feeling ignored or disrespected, alcohol and other drugs.

De-escalation

• Stay calm and speak slowly in a low, steady voice.
• Keep more than an arm's length away and keep a clear exit route. Do not get cornered.
• Listen and show empathy, for example: "I can see you're frustrated about the wait."
• Avoid pointing, arguing, threats or telling someone to "calm down".
• Offer choices so the person can back down and save face.
• If two groups are arguing, separate them and speak to each side.
• If things get more dangerous, withdraw to safety and call for backup or police.

Intoxicated persons

Signs of intoxication include slurred speech, unsteady walking, glassy eyes and loud or aggressive behaviour. Some medical conditions look similar, so stay alert. If a person collapses or cannot be woken, call 000, give first aid and stay with them. Never put them outside alone.

Removing a person

1. Ask the person politely to leave and explain why.
2. Give them a reasonable chance to go.
3. Get backup and tell your supervisor if they refuse.
4. Use force only as a last resort, and only what is reasonable.
5. Record the incident.

Crowds

Watch crowd density. Overcrowding can lead to crushing. Tell your supervisor straight away and help stop or slow entry to the area before people are hurt.

Emergencies

Calling Triple Zero

In Australia the emergency number is 000 (Triple Zero). Calls are free. The operator first asks whether you need police, fire or ambulance. Stay calm, speak clearly and give the exact address or location. 106 is a text-based emergency call service for people who cannot use a voice call.

Fire

If you find a fire, raise the alarm and make sure 000 is called. Only try to put out a small fire if it is safe, you have the right extinguisher and you are trained.

Evacuation

Follow the site's emergency plan and the instructions of the people in charge, such as the chief warden.

Bomb threats and suspicious items

• If you receive a threatening call, stay calm, keep the caller talking and write down their exact words, voice and background noises. Use your site's bomb threat checklist.
• If you find a suspicious item, do not touch or move it. Move people away and report it following your site procedure.

Medical emergencies and alarms

Call 000, give first aid within your training, keep the area clear and send someone to meet the ambulance. Treat every alarm as real until it is checked: approach carefully, look for signs of entry or fire and report what you find.

Work health and safety

Safe Work Australia publishes the model work health and safety (WHS) laws, and each state and territory has its own law. Victoria uses the term occupational health and safety (OHS), and WorkSafe Victoria publishes OHS guides for security work such as crowd control. The basic duties are similar.

Hazards and risks

A hazard is anything that could cause harm, such as a wet floor. Risk is how likely the harm is and how serious it could be. The most effective control is to remove the hazard completely. Signs, instructions and personal protective equipment are the least effective because they depend on people's behaviour.

Common hazards in security work

• Sharps: never pick up a syringe with bare hands. Use tongs or gloves and a sharps container, or block off the area and report it.
• Working alone: use check-in calls so help comes quickly if you do not respond.
• Fatigue: trouble concentrating or nodding off is a warning sign. Tell your supervisor.
• Violence: plan your exit routes and get backup early.
• Hazards on site, such as a broken step: make the area safe if you can and report it.

Notebooks and incident reports

Your notes and reports may be read by your supervisor, the client, police and a court. They must be accurate, clear and written as soon as possible after the event.

Notebook rules

• Write in pen, in order, with no gaps.
• Rule a line through blank spaces so nothing can be added later.
• Correct mistakes with a single line so the original can still be read, and initial it.
• Never tear out pages or use correction fluid.
• Use the 24-hour clock (2130, not 9.30) to avoid confusion.

Facts, not opinions

Write what you saw and heard. "The man was unsteady and his speech was slurred" is a fact. "The man was drunk" is an opinion.

Describing a person

Work from head to toe: sex, approximate age, height, build, hair, face, clothing and footwear. Note features that are hard to change, such as tattoos, scars and height, because clothes can be changed quickly.

Patrols, access control and escorts

Patrols deter crime and find hazards, damage and security breaches. Before you start, check your radio, torch and notebook and read your instructions.

• Vary your times and routes.
• Use all your senses: the smell of smoke or gas, or the sound of breaking glass, matters.
• If you find a forced door at night, do not go in alone. Stay outside, report it and wait for police or backup.

Access control

• The aim is that only authorised people and vehicles enter.
• When checking photo ID, compare the photo, check the expiry date and look for signs of tampering.
• Record visitors' names, who they are visiting and times in and out.
• Watch for tailgating, where someone follows an authorised person through a secure door.
• Report lost access cards so they can be cancelled.
• Use a key register so there is always a record of who has each key.

Screening

Screening checks people and items for things that are not allowed. If you find something that may be dangerous, follow the site's procedure and do not handle it unsafely.

Escorting people and valuables

Vary routes and times, stay alert and do not talk about the job. Predictable movements make an escort easier to target.