Alabama Security Officer License Practice Test 2026: Practice test 4

1. Question 1 of 20

   What is access control?

   • ALocking all fire exits during business hours
   • BMaking sure only authorized people and vehicles enter an area
   • CCounting visitors for marketing reports
   • DTurning the building lights and alarms on and off at set times
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Making sure only authorized people and vehicles enter an area

   Access control uses checks such as ID badges, sign-in sheets and locks to keep unauthorized people out.

2. Question 2 of 20

   On patrol you find a broken window and signs that someone forced their way in. What should you do first?

   • AGo inside alone to catch the intruder
   • BStay outside, call the police and your supervisor, and watch from a safe place
   • CClean up the broken glass so no one is hurt
   • DWait until morning so the day shift supervisor can decide what to do next about it
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Stay outside, call the police and your supervisor, and watch from a safe place

   An intruder may still be inside. Entering alone is dangerous and can destroy evidence.

3. Question 3 of 20

   You see a spill on the floor of a busy hallway. What should you do?

   • ATell a few people nearby to be careful and do nothing else
   • BWait until someone slips, then report it
   • CWalk around it and continue your patrol
   • DGuard or mark the area, report it for cleanup and note it
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Guard or mark the area, report it for cleanup and note it

   Slips are a common cause of injury. Officers should make hazards safe and report them right away.

4. Question 4 of 20

   What does federal guidance tell people to do in an active shooter situation?

   • ARun, hide, fight
   • BStop, drop and roll
   • CDuck, cover and hold
   • DStay, call and wait
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Run, hide, fight

   The Department of Homeland Security advises running if there is a safe way out, hiding if not, and fighting only as a last resort.

5. Question 5 of 20

   What is good practice when using a two-way radio?

   • AHold long personal conversations
   • BShout into the microphone
   • CUse code words you made up so others cannot understand you
   • DThink before you speak and keep messages short and clear
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Think before you speak and keep messages short and clear

   Others may need the channel for an emergency. Clear, brief messages are easier to understand.

6. Question 6 of 20

   Why do many sites make visitors sign in and wear visitor passes?

   • ATo slow visitors down
   • BBecause a single federal law requires it at every building with security officers
   • CSo security knows who is on site, why they are there and when they leave
   • DTo collect personal data to sell
   Show answer

   Answer: C. So security knows who is on site, why they are there and when they leave

   Visitor logs and passes help staff spot people who do not belong and help account for everyone in an emergency.

7. Question 7 of 20

   A shopper is loud and upset at the service desk. What should the security officer try first?

   • AHolding the shopper's arms
   • BCalm, respectful conversation
   • CThreatening to call the police right away
   • DPepper spray
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Calm, respectful conversation

   Talking is the first and safest option. Physical force is a last resort and only when it is lawful and necessary.

8. Question 8 of 20

   What is "deadly force"?

   • ATouching someone's shoulder or arm without their permission
   • BForce likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
   • CAny force used at night
   • DPlacing handcuffs on a person
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Force likely to cause death or serious bodily injury

   State laws allow deadly force only in very narrow situations, such as an immediate threat of death or serious injury.

9. Question 9 of 20

   When should a security officer write notes about an incident?

   • AOnly if the police come to the site
   • BAt the end of the week
   • CAs soon as possible, while the details are fresh
   • DOnly if a supervisor asks for them at the end of the shift
   Show answer

   Answer: C. As soon as possible, while the details are fresh

   Memory fades quickly. Notes written right away are more accurate and more believable in court.

10. Question 10 of 20

    You find a fire in a storage room. What should you do first?

    • AFinish your patrol first and report it when you get back to the security desk
    • BRaise the alarm and call the fire department, following site procedures
    • CTry to put it out alone, no matter how big it is
    • DOpen all the windows to let the smoke out
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Raise the alarm and call the fire department, following site procedures

    Early warning saves lives. Only try to fight a small fire if you are trained, it is safe and you have a clear way out.

11. Question 11 of 20

    An employee forgot their ID badge and says, "Everyone knows me, just let me in." What should you do?

    • ALet them in because they look familiar
    • BLet them in if they promise to bring the badge tomorrow and sign the log
    • CTell them to go home for the day
    • DFollow site procedure to confirm who they are before letting them in
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Follow site procedure to confirm who they are before letting them in

    Access rules apply to everyone. Confirming identity the approved way protects the site from people who only pretend to belong.

12. Question 12 of 20

    When should a security officer consider making a citizen's arrest?

    • AOnly when state law allows it, employer policy permits it, and it is safe and necessary
    • BWhenever someone breaks a site rule
    • CAny time the officer has a feeling someone is guilty
    • DWhenever a customer or the client asks for it and agrees to sign a written statement
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Only when state law allows it, employer policy permits it, and it is safe and necessary

    Citizen's arrest rules differ by state and carry real legal risk. Many employers tell officers to observe and report and let police make arrests.

13. Question 13 of 20

    Why must a security officer never say or suggest that they are a police officer?

    • APolice officers may ask the officer to work for them
    • BClients only allow it during night shifts when the police are busy elsewhere
    • CPretending to be a police officer is a crime and can lead to lawsuits
    • DIt makes incident reports harder to write
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Pretending to be a police officer is a crime and can lead to lawsuits

    Impersonating a law enforcement officer is a criminal offense. It also exposes the officer and employer to civil lawsuits.

14. Question 14 of 20

    What is the main purpose of a security patrol?

    • ATo prevent and detect problems such as fires, hazards, theft and intruders
    • BTo find people to arrest
    • CTo check the quality of employees' work and report anyone who does not seem busy
    • DTo keep the officer busy until the shift ends
    Show answer

    Answer: A. To prevent and detect problems such as fires, hazards, theft and intruders

    Patrols let officers spot and report problems early, and a visible officer deters crime.

15. Question 15 of 20

    What are "post orders"?

    • AWritten instructions that describe an officer's duties at a specific site
    • BOrders given by police officers to security staff at a crime scene they control
    • CA list of people who are banned from all stores
    • DLetters that arrive in the mail for the client
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Written instructions that describe an officer's duties at a specific site

    Post orders tell officers what to do at their post, such as patrol times, access rules and emergency contacts.

16. Question 16 of 20

    What should a security officer do after any use of force?

    • AAsk the person to sign a paper saying they were not hurt
    • BSay nothing unless the person who was hurt makes a formal complaint to the client later
    • CLeave the site before anyone asks questions
    • DGet medical help if needed, tell a supervisor and write a detailed report
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Get medical help if needed, tell a supervisor and write a detailed report

    Every use of force must be reported in detail. Medical care comes first if anyone is hurt.

17. Question 17 of 20

    Which statement about a security uniform is true?

    • AIt gives the officer the right to search anyone on the client's property
    • BIt allows the officer to direct traffic on any public street
    • CIt shows the officer works for the site, but it gives no police powers
    • DIt allows the officer to hold people for questioning
    Show answer

    Answer: C. It shows the officer works for the site, but it gives no police powers

    A uniform makes an officer easy to find and can deter crime. It does not turn the officer into a law enforcement officer.

18. Question 18 of 20

    During a fire evacuation, what should people NOT use?

    • AEmergency lighting
    • BStairs
    • CMarked exits
    • DElevators
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Elevators

    Elevators can stop working or open onto a fire floor. People should use the stairs.

19. Question 19 of 20

    A person who was struggling stops resisting and is now calm. What should happen to the officer's use of force?

    • AIt should increase so the person does not try again
    • BIt should stay exactly the same
    • CIt should stop or be reduced right away
    • DIt should continue until the police arrive
    Show answer

    Answer: C. It should stop or be reduced right away

    Force must end when the threat ends. Force used after a person stops resisting is not reasonable and may be a crime.

20. Question 20 of 20

    What three things does a fire need to burn?

    • AHeat, fuel and oxygen
    • BGas, smoke and oxygen
    • CWater, wood and wind
    • DSmoke, flames and heat
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Heat, fuel and oxygen

    This is the fire triangle. Remove any one of the three and the fire goes out.

Keyboard: 1–4 to answer, Enter for the next question.

The real test: 70% on the written training test