Your De-Escalation Toolbox: Must-Have Skills for Modern Security Professionals
While physical intervention may seem like a quick solution, it often leads to unintended consequences, legal challenges, and reputational damage for security professionals and the organizations they represent.
Consider cases where security personnel have been charged with misdemeanors after forcibly removing attendees from public events, or situations where security guards have faced arrest following aggressive pursuits or confrontations. These incidents, which occur with unfortunate regularity, are stark reminders of the risks associated with escalating conflicts rather than defusing them.
These events show that modern security work requires a nuanced approach, prioritizing peaceful resolution and public safety over confrontation and force. Mastering de-escalation techniques is essential for security professionals to effectively manage potential conflicts, protect themselves legally, maintain public trust, and ensure the safety of all parties involved.
Preparation before an incident happens
De-escalation begins with preparation, and it’s important to build strategies beforehand to set a foundation. Performing risk assessments up front prepares security guards for incidents, including allocating resources and building protection strategies for personnel and property.
Effective de-escalation needs the right resources in place. This includes:
• Adequate staffing levels: Having the right number of people on duty is a visible deterrent. Plus, this means there will be enough people for a supportive response when an incident does occur. If security guards are overwhelmed, this can negatively affect their ability to calmly de-escalate.
• Appropriate equipment: Equip personnel with the right tools, like pepper spray, body cameras, and communication devices. If security guards only have firearms, they aren’t best equipped for de-escalation. With the correct tools, they have better options in a tense situation.
• Training and development: Investing in de-escalation training equips personnel with the communication skills, tactical awareness, and emotional intelligence needed to navigate stressful interactions.
For instance, SecOne Security Group advocates providing guards with ten online training classes on conflict resolution, then certification in pepper spray, before they move to firearm classes.
“You only use enough force to stop the threat…You want to be at the right level of force to deal with that situation, and that all comes back to training,” said Josh Healea, co-owner of SecOne Security.
Check out this on-demand webinar from the Trackforce archives, “Building De-escalation Strategies for Your Security Business”
Protection strategies through risk assessment
Understanding the potential risks can help security guards develop strategies to prevent escalation. This involves:
• Risk assessments: Regularly evaluating potential threats to personnel and property allows businesses to identify vulnerabilities and implement preventive measures. This might include analyzing historical incident data and possible problem areas.
• Clear protocols: Protocols should clearly outline de-escalation tactics. Establishing protocols for various incidents helps guards know how to respond, which helps with controlled and consistent responses across the board.
• Physical security: Physical security measures, like access control systems, surveillance technology, and clearly marked boundaries, can deter potential incidents and provide a safer environment for personnel.
Contract-defined engagement limits
To maintain consistency, contracts should clearly outline how security personnel should act under certain circumstances. For instance, it’s essential to specify the different responses based on the severity of the situation. For example, is the security guard just observing and reporting? When is there a verbal warning? What are the steps required before physical intervention?
Roles and responsibilities
A contract will clearly outline personnel roles and responsibilities. It will clearly state the duties of security personnel, including patrolling, access control, incident response, reporting, the scope of their authority, and any limitations.
Policies
Policies should be clear before any incident occurs. For instance, a use of force policy would clearly outline when force could be used, and what steps would happen before force. By explicitly addressing these contract questions – when to engage/not engage, roles and responsibilities, and policy clarifications – teams can follow best practices for de-escalation.
Techniques for de-escalation
Learning and applying de-escalation techniques is a skill modern security professionals need to understand and apply. This way, security teams can manage potentially volatile situations, reduce liability risks, and maintain a safer area. This includes:
Clear communication:
Tone can influence how an incident proceeds. A calm and respectful tone helps, while aggression can escalate it. Guards need to be well-trained in how to react.
Being mindful of body language and tone because often non-verbal cues speak louder than words. Maintaining open and non-threatening body language and eye contact can show confidence without aggression.
Active listening:
Understanding an individual’s viewpoint can be helpful. This involves actively listening to their concerns and trying to see the situation through their eyes. Sometimes you have the opportunity to alleviate a problem.
Often, people just want to be heard. Acknowledging someone’s emotions can help people feel understood, making them more receptive to de-escalation efforts. According to Security Magazine, sometimes it’s helpful to let the aggressor vent, since it helps people feel validated that someone is listening to what they say.
Maintaining professional appearance:
Proper identification and visible ID help deter potential issues since they are helpful in quickly establishing authority. A well-groomed, neatly uniformed security guard commands respect and authority, often leading to less confrontational interactions and making de-escalation techniques more effective.
Assessing and managing risks:
Security professionals need to recognize cues that might escalate a situation, like language tone or aggressive body language. Keep in mind that risk assessment varies across sectors. In retail, triggers might involve shoplifting accusations or customer service disputes. It could be related to unhappy employees or access control issues in corporate settings. The hospitality sector might see escalations from alcohol consumption or guest dissatisfaction.
The healthcare environment is particularly filled with challenges, as 75% of all violence that occurs in any workplace occurs in a healthcare environment. De-escalation challenges here often involve emotionally distressed patients, visitors, or individuals experiencing mental health crises. Understanding these triggers and employing de-escalation techniques specific to the healthcare sector will have the best results.
Legal considerations:
Security personnel operating in public areas should be aware of constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and assembly. Sometimes, situations must include law enforcement. It’s essential for personnel to know when it’s time for this step, and training on this can help.
Training and preparation:
De-escalation is a skill that requires continuous development. Regular training sessions help make sure security teams are trained with the latest and best practices.
Who knows how to act in a situation until you’re in one? Role-playing and simulated scenarios are opportunities for security personnel to practice de-escalation techniques. This way, they can build confidence for when the real thing happens.
Gender considerations in security interactions:
A diverse security team can bring a broader range of perspectives and communication styles to de-escalation efforts. In certain sensitive situations, having security personnel of the same gender as the individual might be beneficial. Clear protocols should guide team members on how to respectfully approach these situations.
All security organizations can benefit from assessing and improving their current de-escalation strategies. Consider what additional training, resources, and policy adjustments could do to enhance a security team’s ability to handle potentially dangerous interactions. Investing in these skills is an investment in safety for your operation.
Empowering security teams: The role of training and technology in de-escalation
Security professionals need training on how to best handle tense situations and possibly prevent them from becoming crises. Security teams can improve their de-escalation skills across the organization by preparing through risk assessments, clear boundaries, communication training, and legal awareness.
Organizations can benefit significantly from implementing advanced security workforce management software to ensure this level of preparedness. Such solutions, like those offered by Trackforce, can help security firms assign trained guards to the right locations at the right time. This strategic deployment of personnel with appropriate de-escalation skills can make a crucial difference in potentially volatile situations.
Software solutions can track training certifications, schedule regular skill refreshers, and provide data-driven insights to continually improve security operations. By leveraging such technology, security firms can enhance their de-escalation capabilities and streamline their overall operations.Schedule a demo today to see how Trackforce’s security workforce management software can help your organization improve its de-escalation readiness and overall security operations. Take the first step towards a more prepared, efficient, and effective security team.
