Security Licence VIC Use of Force and Physical Intervention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: After a use of force incident, what is the security officer's FIRST obligation?
- Write a detailed incident report immediately
- Assess the welfare of all persons involved, including the subject of the force (Correct answer)
- Notify the venue licensee and await further instructions
- Review available CCTV footage of the incident
Correct answer: Assess the welfare of all persons involved, including the subject of the force
Immediately after a use of force incident, the officer must ensure the safety and welfare of all involved parties, including the person against whom force was used.
Question 2: A security officer may lawfully detain a person under Section 462A of the Crimes Act 1958 (VIC) when that person:
- Is suspected of being intoxicated on the premises
- Is found committing or has just committed an indictable offence (Correct answer)
- Refuses to leave the venue when directed to do so
- Is behaving in a disorderly or antisocial manner
Correct answer: Is found committing or has just committed an indictable offence
Section 462A empowers any person to detain an individual found committing or who has just committed an indictable offence until police arrive.
Question 3: Which of the following actions would constitute excessive force by a security officer?
- Holding a patron's arm while escorting them to the exit
- Continuing to strike a person after they have been subdued and pose no further threat (Correct answer)
- Using two officers to restrain a patron who is actively fighting
- Physically removing a patron who refuses verbal directions to leave
Correct answer: Continuing to strike a person after they have been subdued and pose no further threat
Striking a person who is already subdued and no longer poses a threat is clearly disproportionate and constitutes excessive force.
Question 4: What must a security officer document after any use of force incident?
- Only incidents where the patron required medical attention
- The date, time, description of the incident, persons involved, and the nature of force used (Correct answer)
- A summary as provided and approved by the venue manager
- Only incidents that were formally reported to Victoria Police
Correct answer: The date, time, description of the incident, persons involved, and the nature of force used
Thorough incident documentation must include the date, time, all parties involved, what occurred, and what force was used, regardless of whether police attended.
Question 5: A patron is intoxicated and falls during removal. Under duty of care, the security officer must:
- Continue the removal process and allow the patron to recover outside
- Provide assistance and ensure the patron receives appropriate care, including first aid if needed (Correct answer)
- Call for back-up before taking any further action with the patron
- Document the incident and place the patron in a recovery position then return to duties
Correct answer: Provide assistance and ensure the patron receives appropriate care, including first aid if needed
Duty of care continues during and after an incident — the officer must ensure the patron receives appropriate care, which may include calling an ambulance.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a lawful reason for a security officer to use physical force?
- To prevent an imminent assault on another patron
- To detain a person found committing an indictable offence
- To punish a patron for being verbally abusive and disrespectful to staff (Correct answer)
- To remove a person who has been trespassed and refuses to leave
Correct answer: To punish a patron for being verbally abusive and disrespectful to staff
Using force to punish someone for rudeness is unlawful; force can only be used for lawful, protective, or preventative purposes.
Question 7: When police arrive at a scene where a security officer has used force, the officer should:
- Step back, allow police to take control, and provide a full honest account when requested (Correct answer)
- Refuse to make any statement without a legal representative present
- Direct police on how to manage the situation based on their knowledge of the venue
- Leave the scene promptly to avoid being drawn into a police investigation
Correct answer: Step back, allow police to take control, and provide a full honest account when requested
Security officers must cooperate fully with police, relinquish control of the scene, and provide an honest and accurate account of all events.
Security Licence VIC Use of Force and Physical Intervention 2
After a use of force incident, what is the security officer's FIRST obligation?