Using Guards
In most of the places where we work today, we have some form of guard service to ensure maximum security and safety for our delegates, staff, and assets.
The main points to remember are that:
The Red Cross and Red Crescent does not employ armed guards.
A written contract must be drawn up detailing responsibilities.
Guards are our first line of defense and, as such, they should receive the necessary in-depth training to be able to perform their duties accordingly (e.g., information on the fundamental principles and the code of conduct).
Guards need careful briefing, equipping and strict management.
Instructions to guards should be clear and include a detailed job description and pre-defined security procedures.
Guards should have the appropriate communications equipment to be able to alert the police or call for other back-up.
Considerations before employing guards
There are many factors to consider when selecting and hiring guards for any Federation premises:
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Make sure you know how the use of guards may affect the International Federation’s image and the public’s perception of it. Consider whether we are the only ones in the area using such services and what the crime pattern is in the area (i.e., how violent, use of arms, etc.).
The company’s staff – both the managers and guards – must be briefed on the Movement’s fundamental principles and the code of conduct (see section on minimum training standards later in this chapter).
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Before deciding whether to use the services of a particular company, a thorough background check must be carried out. Some companies may be involved in ethically questionable activities in the country or other parts of the world. In addition to security services, others may offer military advice or be involved in combat activities as private armies for hire.
The security unit may be able to assist in providing background information or gaining references from other organizations.
Enquire about the company’s other clients, for example, ICRC, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), embassies, the UN and others to assess their quality of service. Check the internet and various other sources to obtain maximum information about the company.
Before making a selection, you should do all you can to make sure that you do not choose a company that might harm the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s image.
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All issues regarding liability and insurance in the event of injury or death need to be addressed. Liability towards any person injured or killed by a guard while trying to attack Federation property – and liability towards his or her family – must be clear. If the perpetrator of such an attack is injured or killed, then consider what the International Federation’s liability is.
Does the company maintain an adequate public liability or professional indemnity policy to cover costs against any potential loss, or costs incurred as a result of any negligence on the part of the company’s employees?
A security company contract template should be requested from the legal unit or the security unit at the Federation secretariat; bear in mind that every contract must address liability/insurance and third party claims.
The contract must comply with the host country’s labour laws. Security staff should work no more than 12 hours a day and a maximum of 60 hours a week.
Is the company a fully registered security provider in the country?
Include contractual stipulations forbidding the use of alcohol while on duty and forbidding guards from having additional jobs during the day, for example, as this could affect a guard’s performance while on duty at the delegation.
All issues regarding shelter, equipment, clothing, meals, etc., must be clearly covered in the contract with the security company. Procedures should be in place (clearly stated in the contract) for when a guard falls ill or does not appear for duty, in order to ensure that the premises are never left unguarded.
It is recommended that the contract includes a clause to the effect that guards assigned to the International Federation will not rotate with those of other clients. This is to help ensure that our image is not tarnished by the same guards working for less reputable clients such as local criminals, or others that might be questionable in the eyes of the public.
A clause regarding the line of command should be included in the contract. Specify that the security company has the authority to command and control actions on the job. Leave disciplinary actions to the contractor.
Unless authorized in advance in writing by the International Federation, the security company should not advertise or otherwise make public the fact that it is a supplier to the International Federation.
The company must not use the name or emblem of the International Federation and/or of any National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society or any abbreviation of the International Federation’s name and/or of any National Society for advertising or any other purposes.
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It is important to insist that the company undertake continuous remote electronic monitoring and testing of any systems and equipment it has installed at any of our locations.
All problems identified during this monitoring should be addressed immediately.
The company should also provide software updates free of charge for the systems it installs.
Labour fees should be waived by the company for any auxiliary services related to the repair of the installed systems and equipment.
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A clause for guard selection criteria should be included in the contract and should cover (if possible or realistic) the following criteria:
appropriate age
health
literacy
the prohibition of drugs and alcohol
the requirement that guards do not undertake other employment
Hiring Guard Companies
The International Federation does not have a specific policy for delegations hiring security guards directly through Federation contracts or hiring an outside security company (usually a locally or regionally based one).
Clearly, there may be various country-specific circumstances that warrant different considerations when deciding between these two options. These could include the quality of the company, its history, ownership and ties or affiliations within the community, and any other specific issues that might make it a worse choice than hiring guards directly.
IFRC delegations usually contract guards through a company for the following reasons:
Liability/insurance issues (injuries to guard or inflicted by guard on a third party, etc.).
Accountability and contractual issues are better left to an outside company.
Various other practical issues relating to employee and employer relations.
Minimum training standards
It is important to stipulate that all guards employed to guard Federation premises are properly and fully trained prior to assuming their duties. This will ensure they are able to carry out their work effectively and in line with the International Federation’s security methods and rules of conduct.
Training should include:
security techniques and procedures
communication lines and methods
searches (including body searches) and other access point controls
the appropriate use of force and how to defuse tension
firefighting basics
laws applicable to the country’s security personnel
Guards should be briefed clearly and thoroughly on their tasks. Do not assume that anything is obvious. This may be the first time the guards have encountered the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Explain what the delegation does and the values that it upholds (based on its fundamental principles, the code of conduct, etc.).
Describe to the guards the kind of reputation we wish to develop among the local population. Make sure the guards understand that their role is not only to protect the office, warehouse or residence, but also to protect the image of the International Federation. Encourage them to feel part of the delegation.
Briefings should include:
most of the normal induction points that other staff receive
their routine duties
hours and shifts to be worked
the importance of remaining at their post if the guard due to take over from them does not appear
how to communicate with their manager (this is most likely to be the head of delegation, programme manager or logistics coordinator) and with other staff
how to respond to an incident (i.e., action to take in the event of a robbery, accident, fire, etc.)
training in fire prevention and becoming familiar with the delegation’s fire safety procedures
how to deal with visitors to the office, warehouse or residence
the need for prompt incident reporting
an explanation of the disciplinary system and a warning that disciplinary action will be taken if a guard neglects assigned duties
stressing the fact that guards should not risk their lives trying to protect property: their role is to detect intrusion and to raise the alarm
Equipment
Guards provide both physical and procedural boundaries and the equipment issued to them should be appropriate to and based on the delegation’s threat and risk assessment. The following considerations should be addressed in terms of the equipment used by guards:
conditions of the guard’s shelter, access to toilet facilities, etc.
name cards or identification badges
uniforms or distinctive clothing to clearly identify the guard and give an air of authority
reliable means of communication and adequate back-up using VHF radios, mobile phones (with batteries and battery charger), landline phone, etc.
torches and batteries
whistles
raincoats, appropriate footwear and clothing
logbook (if appropriate to the context)
Raising the alarm
Clear procedures must be in place covering how to react in different situations. For example, if an intruder is in your residence, how is the guard alerted? Should it be a silent alarm or a loud intruder alarm? Is the alarm intended to alert the guard only, or is it also connected to the security company and police? Perhaps both alarms can be activated manually in the event of a residence burglary.
It is also important to consider how the guard alerts his or her control room or the police. Make sure the control room is staffed 24 hours a day and that the company has rapid response capabilities. What are their capabilities in terms of providing back-up guards in case of emergency? VHF radio is often the preferred option (the contract should include the provision that the company supplies the guard with a radio). It is also important to know what the police’s response time is.
Managing guards
An experienced, nationally recruited staff member is likely to be the most appropriate line manager for the guards. He or she should keep a close eye on guards’ performance and should make random checks (pass by the office in the evening or at night).
In some situations, you may observe that it is almost standard practice for guards to sleep during the night. If this is the case, consider the following suggestions:
Work out why they are falling asleep. For example, do they have a second job? Are their shifts too long? Do they have a long journey to and from work? Are they eating enough?
Put two or more guards on duty overnight and appoint a supervisor to be held responsible for ensuring that all guards stay awake.
Remove anything that could be used as a bed.
Summarily dismiss any guard found asleep while on duty.
Shorten the length of shifts.
Visit guards unannounced in the middle of the night so that they resist the temptation to go to sleep for fear of being caught.
Guard procedures
Depending on the type of premises being guarded and the level of security required, guards will be responsible for carrying out certain procedures that aim to control access as well as to protect Federation property and staff. Whatever is decided in your delegation, it is important that guards are given clear instructions and are briefed on their responsibilities. Some typical procedures are given below as examples.
Access control procedures for visitors
clear instructions on how to behave and what to say to visitors (e.g., guards should not give out information about who is working in the office, etc.)
procedures about verifying who can enter the premises
identification check
body check (in this case, there is a need for male and female guards)
describe how to control visitors when entering and leaving
visitor waiting area should be in view at all times
check with receiver of visitor if the visitor is expected
badge system (hold ID until visitor’s departure in exchange for badge)
escort to office of staff member being visited
how to behave if problems occur
mail and package control – how to process and forward once checked
vehicle access control
Logbook maintenance
Instructions should be given on how to register information into the logbook and make sure it contains a list of key contact numbers.
All interventions, as well as any unusual occurrences, should be noted in the logbook.
The time at which the guard’s patrols were conducted should be noted in the logbook.
The logbook should be signed by the departing guard when handing over to the next shift.
Area of control and patrol instructions
Provide clear instructions about monitoring the surroundings, patrolling the compound, the rules regarding gates, doors, windows, keys, etc.
Guards’ reporting lines and supervision of guards
Depending on the delegation’s structure, the guards may report directly to the head of delegation, the programme coordinator or the logistics coordinator.
Whatever the reporting line, it has to be clear to the guards and they need to know whom to contact, when and how.
Guards’ responsibility in case of emergency
What will be the responsibility of the guards in the event that an accident occurs? Whom should they contact and how should they react? Provide the guards with a list of important phone numbers.
Make sure guards are familiar with fire safety procedures for the office, warehouse or residence, how to react and whom to contact in case of fire.
In the event of a robbery, there is no need for heroic behaviour; the police and the International Federation’s head of delegation should be contacted immediately.
When dealing with break-ins, cases of violence or forced entry or demonstrations, there should be guidance on how guards should react (i.e., either to try to stop any intruders or not to attempt to stop them and to alert the police and the country representative).
Armed guards
The use of armed response to a life-threatening situation involving Federation delegates or staff should generally be organized in cooperation with and through the local authorities, (i.e., the police or military). In certain countries, the authorities may not have the capability or resources to provide adequate response, or they may not be trusted for other reasons. These reasons could include corruption within their ranks, unreliability, involvement in criminal activity, or the possibility that they may be employing suspected war criminals. In these cases, a preferred option may be to contract a private security company to handle armed response.
In exceptional circumstances, the head of delegation, in consultation with the director of the coordination and programmes division via the security unit, can authorize the use of armed guards as a part of a rapid response service in emergency situations (as back-up). This applies to areas where the level of crime is such that armed response is deemed necessary.
Armed protection is not to be used in conflict areas; rather, it is to be used purely for protection against common criminality.
The sole purpose of using armed response is to protect the lives of those in an immediate, life-threatening situation, not to protect the loss of or damage to any property, assets or commodity of the International Federation.
There are a number of issues that must be considered when contracting the ser-vices of armed guards relating to policy, services performed, training and contractual issues.
Policy issues
There must be clear rules of engagement. What is the company’s policy regarding the use of arms? Specify the circumstances and extent of force that may be used in certain situations. This policy must be set out in writing and correspond to the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s fundamental principles.
Services
Many security firms promise rapid response. Make sure that the response time is in accordance with your needs and expectations.
What does the firm’s response team consist of? How many vehicles, guards, weapons, etc? Are the vehicles clearly marked with their logo?
Specify the type of weapon that may be used in your employ, such as handguns, rifles or larger weapons. Also, make sure that both the company and individual guards have the necessary licence to carry firearms.
Training of Armed Guards
Remember that employing armed guards as a part of a rapid response service should be considered as a last option and that the International Federation does not employ armed guards as part of its regular or normal security approach.
What does the guards’ training include? Is their training programme internationally accepted and accredited? Training should include, among other things:
the use of force and deadly force
firearms training
laws applicable to security personnel
security techniques and procedures
Contractual issues
Contract Template
IFRC managers can obtain a template contract from the IFRC Global Security Unit.
A written agreement must be drawn up with the security firm that includes the same contractual stipulations as when hiring unarmed guards.
All issues regarding liability and insurance in case of injury or death as a result of the use of arms need to be addressed. Liability towards any person injured or killed by a guard while trying to attack Federation property – and liability towards his or her family – must be clear. If the perpetrator of such an attack is injured or killed, then consider what the International Federation’s liability is.