Common misconceptions about the role and capability of private security guards often lead people to believe that these guards are only permitted to observe and report, and are prohibited from interfering with live criminal activity occurring at their assignment location. While certain clients or security departments may choose to limit their personnel from engaging in any contact with a suspect, this is not a legal restriction imposed by any governmental department. Some security firms may simply wish to avoid the added costs and additional risk of actively engaging criminal activity, or may not possess sufficient capability or the necessary liability protections to do so, but this can leave their client exposed to much greater potential losses.

It is perfectly legal and permissible to defend private property and certainly to protect lives from an attack, and doing so safely and effectively requires a protection services firm with a high level of capability. Guards must be properly trained and adequately equipped for appropriate defensive use of force, and this involves both a thorough understanding of the relevant tools and tactics and an intelligent command of when and how to use them. Related components include advance intelligence and observation, rapid and reliable communication channels, strategic placement of personnel and equipment, and a wide range of defensive instruments beyond just firearms such as tasers, batons, deterrent sprays, strobe lights, and handcuffs, as well as physical combat and self-defense skills for effectively confronting, neutralizing, and restraining an attacker.

Equally as important as the tools themselves are the skills and experience needed to wield them properly, and this entails not only physical ability but also mental acuity and the discernment to know when any of these options are the best choice in a given situation.
Force Protection Agency (FPA) specializes in sourcing exceptional agents with military and law enforcement backgrounds, which provides a crucial edge in effectively using force to accomplish the mission of protecting a client’s valuable assets. This edge can be the difference between simply observing a crime that may incur serious damage, and taking measures to effectively prevent it and truly deliver the security that clients need and expect.