SAIWA Security Competency Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A client requests a task outside the security agent's licensed scope. What should the agent do?

Politely decline, explain it is outside their licensed scope, and notify their employer (Correct answer)
Perform the task secretly
Comply to maintain good relations
Demand extra payment

Correct answer: Politely decline, explain it is outside their licensed scope, and notify their employer

Agents must not perform tasks outside their licensed scope. Decline and report to employer.

Question 2: What primarily determines the maximum capacity of a venue in Western Australia?

The venue owner's preference
The number of security staff available
The size of the car park
Fire safety regulations and liquor licence conditions (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Fire safety regulations and liquor licence conditions

Venue capacity is determined by fire safety regulations and liquor licence conditions.

Question 3: During patrol, a security agent discovers an unlocked door that should be secure. What should they do?

Wait by the door
Investigate for signs of intrusion, secure the door, document the finding, and report it (Correct answer)
Lock it and continue
Ignore it as staff probably left it open

Correct answer: Investigate for signs of intrusion, secure the door, document the finding, and report it

An unlocked door requires investigation, securing, documentation, and reporting.

Question 4: Which of the following is a mandatory requirement for an individual applying for a Security Officer and/or Crowd Controller Licence in Western Australia for the first time?

Being a member of the Security Agents Institute of Western Australia (SAIWA).
Holding a valid driver's licence.
Successfully completing a written examination based on their training course content. (Correct answer)
Having prior experience in law enforcement or the military.

Correct answer: Successfully completing a written examination based on their training course content.

Amendments to the Security and Related Activities (Control) Regulations 1997 require that all new applicants for Security Officer and/or Crowd Controller licences must pass a written exam based on their training. This is administered by SAIWA on behalf of the WA Police Force Licensing Services.

Question 5: A patron removed from a venue attempts to re-enter through a side entrance. What action should the crowd controller take?

Use physical force to prevent approach
Allow re-entry as they may have calmed down
Ignore them and focus on the main entrance
Deny re-entry, communicate firmly, and alert team members to monitor all access points (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Deny re-entry, communicate firmly, and alert team members to monitor all access points

Re-entry should be denied, the patron informed firmly, and all team members alerted.

Question 6: After making a citizen's arrest, the agent realises they may have the wrong person. What should they do?

Pretend nothing happened
Continue arrest and let police sort it out
Release the person immediately, apologise, document the incident, and report to supervisor and police (Correct answer)
Arrest someone else instead

Correct answer: Release the person immediately, apologise, document the incident, and report to supervisor and police

If the wrong person is arrested, release them immediately, apologise, and fully document the mistake.

Question 7: When using a two-way radio, what does the term copy mean?

Message received and understood (Correct answer)
End of transmission
Please repeat the message
Emergency alert

Correct answer: Message received and understood

Copy is radio terminology meaning the message has been received and understood.

Question 8: What is a security agent's responsibility regarding personal information under WA privacy laws?

Can share freely
Exempt from privacy laws
Privacy laws only apply to government
Must handle personal information in accordance with privacy principles, limiting collection, use, and disclosure (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Must handle personal information in accordance with privacy principles, limiting collection, use, and disclosure

Agents must comply with privacy principles when handling personal information collected during duties.

Question 9: A security agent's licence is required for an individual to operate a business that supplies security officers. For a new business, what is the standard initial duration of this licence before it requires renewal?

Five years
Six months
One year (Correct answer)
Three years

Correct answer: One year

While established security businesses may have a three-year renewal term for their agent's licence, the initial licence for an individual starting a new security business is typically granted for a period of one year. This allows for a review of the new business's operations and compliance before a longer-term licence is considered.

Question 10: What is the maximum penalty for performing security work without a valid licence in Western Australia?

$5,000 fine
$10,000 fine or 12 months imprisonment (Correct answer)
$50,000 fine or 2 years imprisonment
Community service order only

Correct answer: $10,000 fine or 12 months imprisonment

Operating as a security agent without a licence can attract fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to 12 months.

Question 11: A client has hired a security company to guard a commercial building. An officer on patrol discovers a door that has been forced open after hours. According to their duties and legislative responsibilities, what is the MOST appropriate initial action for the officer to take?

Lock the door to prevent the intruder from returning.
Contact their supervisor or control room to report the situation and await instructions. (Correct answer)
Enter the building immediately to search for intruders.
Call the building manager directly to inform them of the unsecured door.

Correct answer: Contact their supervisor or control room to report the situation and await instructions.

The officer's primary duty is to observe, report, and ensure their own safety. Entering a potentially dangerous situation alone is risky. The standard and safest procedure is to immediately report the finding to their supervisor or control room. This allows for a coordinated and safe response, which will include notifying the police and the client.

Question 12: What is the cornerstone of ethical behavior for security agents?

Following orders without question.
Maximizing personal gain.
Adhering to workplace trends.
Maintaining integrity and professionalism. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Maintaining integrity and professionalism.

Maintaining integrity and professionalism forms the bedrock of ethical behavior for security agents. Integrity ensures honesty, trustworthiness, and adherence to strong moral principles, while professionalism encompasses competence, reliability, and a commitment to high standards of conduct. These qualities are crucial for building public trust, acting responsibly, and effectively performing duties in a morally sound manner.

Question 13: In WA security industry practice, 'proportional force' means:

Matching the level of force to the level of resistance or danger (Correct answer)
Using maximum available force for any threat
Using only bare hands regardless of the threat
Applying force equally to all persons in a disturbance

Correct answer: Matching the level of force to the level of resistance or danger

Proportional force means the response must be calibrated to match the threat — greater threats may justify greater force, but force must never exceed what is necessary.

Question 14: What does the acronym DRSABCD stand for in first aid emergency response?

Detect, Report, Secure, Assess, Block, Call, Document
Document, Review, Summarise, Analyse, Brief, Communicate, Debrief
Direct, Remove, Signal, Attend, Bandage, Cover, Dispatch
Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation

DRSABCD is the standard first aid action plan used across Australia.

Question 15: What is the recommended crowd controller to patron ratio for a high-risk event in WA?

1:75 (Correct answer)
1:50
1:500
1:100

Correct answer: 1:75

For high-risk events, approximately 1:75 is commonly recommended.

Question 16: What does the Act define as security agent work?

A range including guarding, crowd control, investigating, consulting, installing equipment, and bodyguarding (Correct answer)
Only guarding buildings
Only CCTV monitoring
Only patrol and response

Correct answer: A range including guarding, crowd control, investigating, consulting, installing equipment, and bodyguarding

The Act broadly defines security work encompassing multiple functions.

Question 17: What is the ethical obligation of a security agent regarding surveillance equipment use?

Share recordings with friends
Use it to monitor colleagues' personal activities
Install hidden cameras in change rooms for theft prevention
Use it only for legitimate security purposes in accordance with law and company policy (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Use it only for legitimate security purposes in accordance with law and company policy

Surveillance equipment must only be used for legitimate security purposes, complying with the Surveillance Devices Act 1998 (WA).

Question 18: A property owner asks a security agent to escort a tenant off premises during a lease dispute. What should the agent do?

Immediately escort the tenant off
Use force if the tenant resists
Decline, as civil disputes must be resolved through the courts (Correct answer)
Lock the tenant out

Correct answer: Decline, as civil disputes must be resolved through the courts

Civil lease disputes are legal matters for the courts. Security agents should not participate in forcible eviction.

Question 19: What is the purpose of scenario-based training in the security program?

To simulate real-life security situations. (Correct answer)
To teach basic administrative tasks.
To focus on client acquisition.
To provide theoretical knowledge.

Correct answer: To simulate real-life security situations.

Scenario-based training is a practical approach designed to prepare security agents for real-world challenges. By simulating various security situations, it allows agents to practice their decision-making, response protocols, and critical thinking skills in a controlled environment. This hands-on experience bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and effective practical application, enhancing readiness for actual incidents.

Question 20: A detained person claims to be a minor (under 18). How does this affect the situation?

The minor should be detained separately
Additional care required including contacting parents or guardians, and police should be called immediately (Correct answer)
No difference
The minor must be released regardless

Correct answer: Additional care required including contacting parents or guardians, and police should be called immediately

Detaining a minor requires additional considerations including contacting parents/guardians and immediate police involvement.

Question 21: What is the key difference between detention and arrest in security operations?

Only police can detain
No difference
Detention requires handcuffs
Detention is brief holding, while arrest involves formal custody with intent to hand to police (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Detention is brief holding, while arrest involves formal custody with intent to hand to police

Detention is a brief restriction of movement, while arrest involves taking custody with intent to deliver to police.

Question 22: What is the primary purpose of a security officer maintaining a detailed, contemporaneous notebook throughout their shift?

To provide a personal diary of their thoughts and feelings on the job.
To create a time-stamped record of events for official reports and potential court testimony. (Correct answer)
To serve as a personal reminder of non-work-related tasks.
To practice their handwriting and grammar skills.

Correct answer: To create a time-stamped record of events for official reports and potential court testimony.

A security officer's notebook is an official document. Its primary purpose is to create a detailed, chronological (contemporaneous) record of observations and actions. This record is vital for writing accurate incident reports and can be used in court to refresh the officer's memory, adding credibility to their testimony.

Question 23: A security officer is writing an incident report about a verbal altercation between two patrons. To ensure the report is credible and useful for potential legal action, which principle should the officer prioritize?

Writing the report from memory several hours after the incident occurred.
Recording only factual, observable information in chronological order. (Correct answer)
Using subjective and emotional language to describe the events.
Including personal opinions about who was at fault.

Correct answer: Recording only factual, observable information in chronological order.

Incident reports must be objective documents based on facts. They should detail what was seen and heard (e.g., specific quotes, actions taken), not what the officer thinks or feels. This objectivity is crucial for the report to be considered credible evidence in any subsequent investigation or legal proceeding.

Question 24: What is the ethical position on forming a personal relationship with a regular patron at an assigned venue?

Encouraged for rapport building
Only a concern if the patron has a criminal record
It creates a potential conflict of interest that should be disclosed and managed (Correct answer)
Completely prohibited

Correct answer: It creates a potential conflict of interest that should be disclosed and managed

Personal relationships with patrons create potential conflicts that must be disclosed.

Question 25: In a building risk assessment, what does natural surveillance refer to?

Installing motion sensor lights
Hiring guards for open areas
Use of security cameras outdoors
Design of spaces so areas are visible to passersby, deterring criminal activity through casual observation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Design of spaces so areas are visible to passersby, deterring criminal activity through casual observation

Natural surveillance is a CPTED principle where spaces are designed to maximise visibility through normal activity.

Question 26: Before resorting to physical intervention, a security agent should first attempt:

Verbal de-escalation and communication (Correct answer)
Physical restraint to prevent escalation
Evacuating all bystanders from the area
Calling police immediately

Correct answer: Verbal de-escalation and communication

Verbal de-escalation is the preferred first step as it may resolve the situation without any physical contact.

Question 27: According to the Security and Related Activities (Control) Regulations 1997, which of the following is a specific record-keeping responsibility for a licensed Security Agent?

Maintaining a log of all verbal warnings given to the public.
Submitting weekly performance reviews of each officer to WA Police.
Ensuring records of current first aid qualifications for each security officer are maintained. (Correct answer)
Keeping a daily record of the personal vehicle details of each employed officer.

Correct answer: Ensuring records of current first aid qualifications for each security officer are maintained.

The Security and Related Activities (Control) Regulations 1997 explicitly state that a Security Agent's general records must include records of the first aid qualifications of each security officer and security bodyguard who performs licensed activities for the business. The other options are not specific requirements under this regulation.

Question 28: According to the WA Security Industry Code of Conduct, a licensed security professional must always act in a manner that serves:

The public interest and with integrity. (Correct answer)
Their own personal safety, even if it means ignoring a potential incident.
The specific instructions of the client, regardless of legality.
The financial interests of their employer above all else.

Correct answer: The public interest and with integrity.

The WA Security Industry Code of Conduct mandates that licensed security personnel must prioritize the public interest and act with integrity in all their professional duties. This principle underpins the ethical and professional standards expected of the industry.

Question 29: Under the 'Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996', professional conduct is underpinned by the requirement for all licensees to act in a way that serves the:

Contractual obligations above all else.
Financial interests of the security firm.
Public interest. (Correct answer)
Directives of the WA Police Commissioner.

Correct answer: Public interest.

A core principle derived from the 'Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996' and its associated Code of Conduct is that all activities must serve the public interest and be conducted with integrity. This principle is the foundation of a security agent's ethical obligations.

Question 30: Which of the following statements most accurately distinguishes between a 'hazard' and a 'risk' in the context of a security patrol?

A hazard is a source of potential harm, whereas a risk is the probability and severity of that harm occurring. (Correct answer)
A risk is a physical object, like a broken stair, and a hazard is the report written about it.
A hazard is a past incident, while a risk is a potential future incident.
A hazard and a risk are identical terms used to describe any dangerous situation.

Correct answer: A hazard is a source of potential harm, whereas a risk is the probability and severity of that harm occurring.

This question addresses a core concept of Work Health and Safety. A hazard is the thing or situation with the potential to cause harm (e.g., a poorly lit staircase). A risk is the evaluation of the likelihood (chance) that the hazard will cause harm and the severity of that harm (e.g., a high risk of a serious injury from falling down the unlit stairs).

Question 31: A licensed crowd controller is working at a licensed venue. A patron is asked to leave due to intoxication but refuses. Under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996, what level of force is the crowd controller permitted to use to remove the patron?

Any force deemed necessary to remove the individual quickly.
Such force as is reasonably necessary in the circumstances. (Correct answer)
Only the same level of force the patron uses against them.
No physical force is permitted; they must wait for police.

Correct answer: Such force as is reasonably necessary in the circumstances.

If a person refuses to leave a licensed premise after being asked, they are committing an offence (trespass). A licensed security officer or crowd controller is permitted to use 'reasonable force' to remove them. The definition of 'reasonable' depends on the specific circumstances of the situation.

Question 32: Which of the following is an example of a non-physical de-escalation technique?

Using a firm, calm tone and active listening to reduce tension (Correct answer)
Blocking the subject's exit route
Standing very close to intimidate the subject
Calling for backup and waiting silently

Correct answer: Using a firm, calm tone and active listening to reduce tension

Using a calm, authoritative tone combined with active listening is a recognised verbal technique for de-escalating tense situations.

SAIWA Security Competency Test

The SAIWA Security Competency Test assesses candidates seeking a security agent licence in Western Australia, covering WA security legislation, professional conduct, emergency response, and operational procedures.

Questions

45 min

Time Limit

80%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

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No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
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These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

wa.gov.au — Test delivery, passing score, retake policy, time limit · verified Oct 2026
securitycompetencytest.org.au — Test delivery, fees, passing score, retake policy, score release, time limit, score validity, eligibility · verified Oct 2026