Are security guards allowed to carry guns?

Question

What rights do security guards actually have? How are they legally entitled to intervene in the case of a fight or something?

Answer 1

The carrying of side arms in Canada is very restricted with the exception of police officers and the military. Otherwise carrying a side arm requires undergoing a lot of additional training and obtaining the required permits. Other than the police or the military, the only security I have seen in Canada legally carrying a side arm is armoured car guards.

Security guards do not have any extra rights than an ordinary citizen. In the case of a conflict involving violence or other illegal activiity, they would be best to place an emergency call to the local police.

Answer 2

I don't know about security guards being deputized; I've been a Georgia deputy sheriff for over ten years and I've never heard to that in this state. In general security guards are still private citizens for the most part. They can only make citizen arrests and (at least in Georgia) they are only allowed to carry a firearm if they have had the proper training and the gun is in an exposed holster while they are in a security uniform. Their area of responsibility is limited to the property they protect, once they step off of that area their "authority" such as it is pretty much stops. That is not to say that they can't intervene if someone is being attacked across the street from where they work, but technically they are only acting as a good Samaritan like anyone else passing by and stopping to help.

Answer 3

If the security guard is licensed by the state to carry a gun, they can. There are levels in most states, and license to carry a gun is one of them.

And they have no legal standing beyond that of any citizen, even armed security guards are not police officers.
They can intervene in a fight or something, but also have to follow the orders of thier company they work for.

Any action they do, can cause thier company to be sued if they are wrong

Answer 4

In Canada security guards are not allowed to carry guns (unless dealing with the transportation of money and it is more for show).

Security guards in Canada do not have the ability to arrest anyone. If a guard touches you you can deefend yourself, technically security guards are paid citizens to witness to crimes and to only allow permitted persons in private property matters.

Even a bouncer Door man cannot legally assault you but have the right to restrain you.

It is a citizen arrest as anyone can do they are paid to be aware of, and for insurance prposes too.

Answer 5

Armored car guard are licensed armed security guards fully authorized to be armed. I have never seen one with his firearm stuck in a pocket. It is either in its holster or in his hand, if he is carrying money where did you get the idea you have to be a cop to carry a firearm? I was a deputy sheriff many years ago, but I have a Concealed Pistol License in the state of Washington, which is also an Open Carry state. Law-abiding citizens carrying sidearms have resulted in the lowering of violent crime, as the bad guys don't know who might be armed,.Your question about people trying to rob armed security guards, yes, it happens all the time. Why do you think they are in armored trucks? We had an armored car guard shot in the back of the head in a WalMart recently In a brutal armed robbery. No warning just walked up and shot him. Arizona once had two Purolator guards murdered and their van stolen. You need to sudy up on some laws and facts about firearms.

Answer 6

There are many types of security guards. Some are little more than doormen. No offense to doorman, but they have little if any authority. Others are actually officers with all the authority of local police. In some cases, they are local police. Many jurisdictions require a permit for armed guards. Others don't require a permit for anyone to carry a gun.

Answer 7

Security guards/officers are permitted to carry firearms in most states if they are properly trained (some states require training) and authorized by their employer to do so. Remember, carrying a firearm and the subsequent use of deadly force is a huge liability. For example, security at nuclear power plants are generally armed due to the nature of what they are protecting. Some bank guards are armed. Some in less critical posts like libraries and office buildings are often unarmed.
Security officers are not legally obligated in most jurisdictions to intervene in the case of a fight except when specifically directed by their orders or by a police officer. The concept of "entitled to intervene" is foreign to police or security work.
Security officers, like any citizen, are entitled to protect themselves if assaulted. But they, like any citizen, can use only the force necessary to stop the assault not to inflict harm upon the attacker.

Answer 8

In most states they can only carry weapons when they are at work and in the area they are guarding. They have to have a have a background check and pass training that includes firearm safety and qualifications.
The only place a security guard has any authority is in the area they are hired to guard. They are hired by the owner of the property to protect that property.

Answer 9

depends on if they are guarding the place where a fight is..

if a cop from one city, is walking in another city and he sees a fight. should the cop break it up or keep walking. well..................................................
if he breaks it up, he could then have charges against him if he hurts one of them fighting. Its better to be a witness and testify, then be a defendant and testify.
They can carry guns, but the liablity is high. There are certain laws that apply to use them. Theft of private property is not one. So if someone is trying to steal your car, you cant shoot them. Now if they put a gun to your head, get in the car, start to drive away, and then you shoot at them. You were no longer in danger, so why shoot them. You are in trouble , should have let them go. If you managed to shoot them while the pointed a gun at you, then that is fine. be careful./... deadly force is a tough situation....

be a witness rather then the defendant

Answer 10

there are different catergories of security officers. commisioned security officers can carry a gun. They can intervene in a fight , however just to stop it or hold someone back and then they have to leave it up to the police. security officers never override police. the security officer just secures the area(s) to protect anyone from harm.