SIA Guard Report Writing — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Why is accurate report writing important for security guards?
- To improve their English skills
- Reports may be used as evidence in court, for insurance claims, internal investigations, and to demonstrate due diligence (Correct answer)
- To fill time during quiet periods
- Only to satisfy the client
Correct answer: Reports may be used as evidence in court, for insurance claims, internal investigations, and to demonstrate due diligence
Security reports may be used as legal evidence, form the basis of insurance claims, support internal investigations, demonstrate compliance with procedures, and provide a historical record of incidents.
Question 2: What key information should be included in a security incident report?
- Only the guard's opinion of what happened
- Date, time, location, persons involved, description of the incident, actions taken, witnesses, and the outcome (Correct answer)
- Just the name of the person responsible
- Only information the police request
Correct answer: Date, time, location, persons involved, description of the incident, actions taken, witnesses, and the outcome
A comprehensive incident report includes: date, time, location, persons involved (descriptions if names unknown), factual account of what happened, actions taken, use of force (if any), witnesses, evidence preserved, and the outcome.
Question 3: When writing a report, should a security guard include their personal opinions?
- Yes — their opinion is the most important part
- No — reports should contain only factual, objective observations and not personal opinions or assumptions (Correct answer)
- Yes — but only if they are negative
- Only if the client requests it
Correct answer: No — reports should contain only factual, objective observations and not personal opinions or assumptions
Reports must be factual and objective. Write what you saw, heard, and did — not what you think happened or why. Personal opinions, assumptions, and conclusions can undermine the report's credibility in court.
Question 4: What does 'contemporaneous' mean in relation to note-taking?
- Written in modern English
- Notes made at the time of or as soon as reasonably practicable after the event (Correct answer)
- Notes that are typed rather than handwritten
- Notes shared with contemporary colleagues
Correct answer: Notes made at the time of or as soon as reasonably practicable after the event
Contemporaneous notes are made at the time of the event or as soon as possible afterwards. Courts give greater weight to contemporaneous notes because they are made when the events are fresh in the writer's memory.
Question 5: How should descriptions of people be written in a security report?
- Using nicknames or slang
- Using objective, factual descriptors: approximate age, height, build, hair colour, clothing, and distinguishing features (Correct answer)
- Just stating their ethnicity
- Using vague descriptions like 'suspicious-looking'
Correct answer: Using objective, factual descriptors: approximate age, height, build, hair colour, clothing, and distinguishing features
Descriptions should be objective and factual: approximate age, height, build, hair colour and style, clothing (top to bottom), footwear, and any distinguishing features such as tattoos, scars, or glasses.
Question 6: What is the correct approach to correcting a mistake in a handwritten security report?
- Use correction fluid (white-out) to cover the mistake
- Draw a single line through the error, write the correction nearby, initial and date the amendment (Correct answer)
- Tear out the page and rewrite it
- Scribble over the mistake until it is unreadable
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, write the correction nearby, initial and date the amendment
Draw a single line through the error (so the original text remains readable), write the correction clearly nearby, and initial and date the amendment. This maintains the integrity of the document.
SIA Guard Report Writing
Why is accurate report writing important for security guards?