CSS Legal Compliance & Ethical Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes a 'duty of care' obligation for a security supervisor?
- The requirement to carry a firearm at all times
- The legal obligation to act reasonably to prevent foreseeable harm to others (Correct answer)
- The duty to report all incidents to law enforcement within one hour
- The requirement to obtain a signed waiver from visitors before entry
Correct answer: The legal obligation to act reasonably to prevent foreseeable harm to others
Duty of care requires security supervisors to act as a reasonably prudent person would to prevent foreseeable harm to those on the premises.
Question 2: Under U.S. law, a private security officer making a citizen's arrest generally may detain a person only when:
- The officer suspects the person may commit a future crime
- A felony has been committed in the officer's presence (Correct answer)
- The client verbally authorizes the detention
- The person refuses to show identification
Correct answer: A felony has been committed in the officer's presence
Most state laws permit citizen's arrests only when a felony is actually committed in the officer's direct presence.
Question 3: ASIS International's Code of Ethics requires security professionals to:
- Prioritize employer profitability above all other considerations
- Conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, and respect for the law (Correct answer)
- Avoid cooperation with law enforcement to protect client confidentiality
- Refuse all assignments that involve conflict of interest regardless of disclosure
Correct answer: Conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, and respect for the law
The ASIS Code of Ethics calls on security professionals to act with integrity, uphold the law, and serve the public interest.
Question 4: A security supervisor is asked to sign an incident report that contains inaccurate information written by another officer. The correct action is to:
- Sign the report to maintain team solidarity
- Refuse to sign and require corrections before submission (Correct answer)
- Submit a separate addendum without correcting the original
- Delay submission until the discrepancy resolves itself
Correct answer: Refuse to sign and require corrections before submission
Signing a false report makes the supervisor legally liable for the inaccuracies; corrections must be made before submission.
Question 5: Which law prohibits employers, including security firms, from discriminating in hiring and employment practices based on national origin, religion, sex, or race?
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Correct answer)
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
Correct answer: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the primary federal law prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
Question 6: When a security supervisor accepts gifts or gratuities from vendors seeking contracts, this conduct is considered:
- Acceptable if the value is under $25
- A conflict of interest and violation of ethical standards (Correct answer)
- Permissible if disclosed to a supervisor
- Standard industry practice and legally protected
Correct answer: A conflict of interest and violation of ethical standards
Accepting gifts from vendors creates conflicts of interest that compromise objectivity and violate most professional codes of ethics.
Question 7: The ADA requires security supervisors to provide 'reasonable accommodations' to individuals with disabilities when:
- The accommodation costs nothing to implement
- The accommodation would not create an undue hardship on the employer (Correct answer)
- The individual has documentation from a physician
- The client site already has existing accessible infrastructure
Correct answer: The accommodation would not create an undue hardship on the employer
The ADA mandates reasonable accommodations unless they would impose an undue hardship—defined by significant difficulty or expense—on the employer.
CSS Legal Compliance & Ethical Standards 3
Which of the following best describes a 'duty of care' obligation for a security supervisor?