CHAPTER 3: MONITOR AND SCREEN PEOPLE AND PERSONAL EFFECTS

Core Duties

  • Observe and control flow of people through checkpoint security point and provide information and assistance to maintain order.
  • Direct people through screening process using interpersonal and communication techniques that are courteous, professional and account for individual social and cultural differences.
  • Screen people using equipment that is fit-for-purpose and adjust screening methods for infants and persons with special needs.
  • Identify need to search person and personal effects and request authority to proceed or seek assistance from persons authorised to conduct search.
  • Conduct permitted personal search within legal constraints in a professional and courteous manner.
  • Where required personal search is not permitted, deny access through screening point and report status to relevant persons following workplace procedures.
  • Monitor people, personal effects, and equipment to promptly identify prohibited or dangerous items.

Signs of Suspected Criminal Activity

Criminal activity may be indicated by signs of suspected behaviours such as:

  • Someone peering into cars or windows.
  • Someone tampering with electrical, gas, or sewer systems without an identifiable company vehicle or uniform.
  • Persons arriving or leaving at unusual hours.
  • Multiple persons who appear to be working in unison and exhibiting suspicious behaviours.
  • Signs of forced entry or tampering with checkpoint security or safety systems.
  • A stranger loitering in your neighbourhood.

3.1 Observe and control the flow of people through security point and provide information and assistance to maintain order.

  • The wait time to enter a venue can be prolonged because of the large number of visitors and the time needed for a thorough screening.
  • Security personnel should be trained to engage with guests outside the screening area to improve the “wait” experience.
  • This encounter provides a chance for security personnel to subtly ask those who could seem suspicious questions.

Providing Information and Assistance: You may provide information and assistance to maintain order through clear markings and signage by:

  • Placing crucial information in areas where visitors are likely to seek a map, toilets, seating, or food and drinks.
  • Moving this information around the facility by posting it on trackable moveable walls.
  • Providing a customer care desk where employees can help visitors with their information needs.
  • Using a Public Alert (PA) system to alert visitors about safety precautions in an emergency.

3.2 Direct people through the screening process using interpersonal and communication techniques that are courteous, professional and account for individual social and cultural differences.

  • People behave differently when surrounded by a sizable group of anonymous people.
  • Strong emotions like joy, rage, and enthusiasm can spread swiftly and turn deadly.
  • Ineffective crowd control can result in property damage, injuries to people, and general hooliganism.

Strategies for directing people through the screening process:

  • Help them to maintain the required distance from another person.
  • Assist persons with special needs.
  • Make signage and marking accessible for persons.
  • Don’t let people disrupt the queue system.
  • Guide the people to proceed when the previous person searches.
  • Prevent uncontrolled advancement through the screening point.

3.3 Screen people using equipment that is fit-for-purpose and adjust screening methods for infants and persons with special needs.

  • Entry points into the security-restricted area undergo checkpoint security screening.
  • Additional screening stations might be present at boarding gates and other locations.

The screening process involves a combination of the following measures:

  • The x-ray and physical search of goods/items.
  • People walking through a metal detector.
  • People walking through a body scanner.
  • Explosive Trace Detection (ETD).
  • Screening of persons and goods.
  • Handheld Metal Detectors (HHMD).
  • Physical inspection of goods/items.

3.4 Identify the need to search the person and personal effects and request authority to proceed or seek assistance from persons authorised to conduct the search.

  • There can be many reasons to search a person; for example, checkpoint security personnel should be alert when screening equipment like a Handheld Metal Detector (HHMD) signals its detection of something suspicious.
  • If they scan that person again and the HHMD signals again, they should search for that person.

A person is required to search in the following situations:

  • To resolve metal detector alarms.
  • If hand-held or walk-through metal detectors are not accessible or functioning.
  • If a visitor declines to go through a metal detector or is unable to (due to illness or other physical limitations).
  • If random secondary screening is mandated by standard operating procedures (SOPs) as an extra deterrent.
  • If guests behave or dress in an unusual way that raises suspicion.

Personal search methods may involve:

  • Electronic screening.
  • Frisk search.
  • Pat search.
  • Routine or special search of property.
  • Scanning of baggage, items, personal effects and property.

3.5 Conduct permitted personal search within legal constraints in a professional and courteous manner.

  • Before searching a person, their consent must be taken.
  • You should search a person only when they give their consent.
  • If a person denies consent, they should not be allowed to enter the venue.
  •  Checkpoint security personnel should know the rights of a searching person.

Conducting permitted personal search within legal constraints:

  • Utilise a sliding motion with sufficient pressure to identify prohibited goods.
  • Use an overlapping sliding motion to ensure complete coverage.
  • Always scan the area and search for items that might be hidden or become dislodged while being investigated.
  • Visual searches are possible for watches and jewellery.
  • If a visual examination of the head region is impossible, pat the area instead of sliding your hands over it to conduct a tactile search.
  • Use new gloves for each physical search.

An inappropriate search might include:

  • A search performed by an officer of the opposite sex.
  • Feeling sensitive areas with anything except the back of the hand.
  • Any excessive touching of sensitive areas.
  • Requiring a visitor to expose private areas of the body.
  • Making comments that are meant to embarrass a visitor.

3.6 Where required, personal search is not permitted, deny access through screening point and report status to relevant persons following workplace procedures.

  • If an individual refuses to comply with established screening procedures, the screener should contact a security supervisor.
  • The supervisor can communicate that screening is required for entry.

3.7 Monitor people, personal effects, and equipment to promptly identify prohibited or dangerous items.

  • Venue management should prepare a list of prohibited items and distribute this list to employees, security contractors, event staff, etc.
  • Screening procedures should specifically state which items may be temporarily stored or surrendered to enable the individual to enter the venue.

Ways for monitoring people, personal effects, and equipment:

  • Visual inspections: Security staff may visually examine individuals and their property to look for any indications of items or items.
  • X-ray scanners can find items or forbidden items hidden within bags or other containers.
  • Metal detectors can find hidden metal objects on a person’s body, such as weapons and other harmful objects.
  • Explosive detection tools can be used to find explosive substances or tools hidden on a person’s body or possessions.
  • Trained dogs can find items or goods, including explosives or drugs, that may be hidden on a person’s person or possessions.
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