Security Services Communication and Report Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In radio communication, what should a security officer do BEFORE transmitting a message?
- Write down the message to ensure accuracy
- Notify dispatch via telephone first
- Listen to confirm the channel is clear (Correct answer)
- Switch to a backup frequency
Correct answer: Listen to confirm the channel is clear
Before transmitting on a radio, you should listen first to confirm the channel is not already in use to avoid interrupting other communications.
Question 2: What is a Daily Activity Report (DAR) used for?
- Documenting only criminal incidents that occur during a shift
- Recording all significant events and activities that occurred during a shift (Correct answer)
- Tracking the number of visitors who entered a facility
- Reporting security officer overtime and scheduling hours
Correct answer: Recording all significant events and activities that occurred during a shift
A Daily Activity Report documents all notable events, patrols, observations, and activities during a shift and serves as an official record of a security officer's work.
Question 3: Why is the phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie...) used in radio communication?
- To speed up communication between officers
- To ensure letters are clearly understood and not confused with similar-sounding letters (Correct answer)
- To encrypt sensitive information from unauthorized listeners
- To replace standard radio codes in emergency situations
Correct answer: To ensure letters are clearly understood and not confused with similar-sounding letters
The phonetic alphabet ensures individual letters are communicated clearly without confusion, especially over noisy or static-filled radio channels.
Question 4: When reporting a suspicious person, what information is MOST important to include?
- Your personal opinion of their intent
- Physical description, location, direction of travel, and observed behavior (Correct answer)
- The number of officers who should respond to the scene
- Whether you personally feel threatened by the individual
Correct answer: Physical description, location, direction of travel, and observed behavior
An accurate, objective description including appearance, location, direction of travel, and observed behavior gives responding officers the best information to act on.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of hearsay in a security report?
- 'I observed the suspect exit through the north door.'
- 'The fire alarm activated at 14:32.'
- 'Another guard told me the suspect had been there before.' (Correct answer)
- 'I found a broken window on the east side of the building.'
Correct answer: 'Another guard told me the suspect had been there before.'
Hearsay is secondhand information—what someone else told you rather than what you personally observed; it should be identified as such if included in a report.
Question 6: What does radio code '10-4' typically mean?
- Stand by
- Officer needs assistance
- Message received / Acknowledged (Correct answer)
- Repeat your last transmission
Correct answer: Message received / Acknowledged
'10-4' is a standard radio code meaning the message was received and understood, commonly used across law enforcement and security communications.
Question 7: A security officer's written report is considered a legal document primarily because:
- It is submitted to local law enforcement after every shift
- It may be used as evidence in court proceedings or investigations (Correct answer)
- It is signed by a notary public before submission
- It contains the officer's badge number and credentials
Correct answer: It may be used as evidence in court proceedings or investigations
Security reports can be subpoenaed and used as evidence in criminal or civil court proceedings, which is why accuracy and objectivity are essential.
Security Services Communication and Report Writing 2
In radio communication, what should a security officer do BEFORE transmitting a message?