Pende Sawadogo
The function of the log book within security workplaces serves as a record of the people who have entered and exited a specific location. According to the security team, (n.d.), it is “used for keeping information about related activities such as search, patrolling, visitors’ information, guard’s record, transportation of goods, shift logs, incidences logs, time keeping or any other logs…” The main purpose of keeping security logbooks is to monitor retinal activities, analyze incidences, strategy planning, and making reports. As said, the log book is vital for the Eastern Security Company to carry out its activities in an efficient and organized manner. The most important aspect of security log books is not its structure, but rather its content.
The log book is required to be as legibly and contextually clear as possible. The log book must be filled out with written expressions. According to google definition, “written expression is the ability to convey meaning through writing”. As the Eastern Security provides twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, there are three guards on every shift and three different shifts in a day. Therefore, the written reports help the next guard to be aware about what happened in the previous shift. The written report within the Eastern Security Community maintains a permanent record of the daily duties within the institution. According to writer Nin, (n.d.) “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Writing solidifies events, which is why writing is such a crucial aspect of security work. Besides writing about the occurrence of a specific event, the guard must mention the date, time, and the shift interval then, his/her name, his/her position. The guard must use simple words well-chosen and organized sentences in a meaningful way. Every single unusual event must be logged in the report for workers of the next shift to be aware and monitor the location appropriately. Thus, oral reports are not allowed in the Eastern Security Community. For instance, if an employee gets stuck in the elevator, the desk guard must log in the issue as follows:
Friday November 3rd, 2017, S/O Bryan is reporting that in the building on 111 Broadway the elevator got stuck on the 13th floor when an employee was going up to his office. The elevator doors did not open nor move between floors. Then, I, Bryan received a call from the guy who is stuck in the elevator through the intercom at 10:03am. I tried to help him out through instructions over the intercom, but it did not work out. I called the elevator company MARCATO to report that emergency help is needed. 10 minutes later, three elevator workers showed up and got him out at 10:18am.
The log report sentences must be short, clearly stated, and use easy to understand words. All ambiguities must be avoided. The clarity of the report in the log book is required for the security company as well as for the guard’s record as a professional. This requirement also prevents the guard from getting into any trouble because they have a permanent record of the steps, they took to rectify a certain dilemma. Thus, as soon as the guard clocks in, he/she must describe as detailed as possible the state of their work environment. This includes a report of the condition of equipment such as the fire command station, computers, radios, phone, and ticket printer machine. For example, a report of equipment would be structured as follows:
Saturday, November 3rd ,2018. From 23:45 to 7:45 shift. Bryan on duty and reporting: 3 radios # 2,4 & 6, desk phone, GM keys, monitors +FCS appear normal…
As the example above demonstrates, abbreviations, elliptical sentences or combined words to make sentences are allowed when logging to save time. Other security guards are aware of the meaning of these codes. When logging in the book, the guard can write S/O instead of security officer or S/S instead of security supervisor as abbreviations. Elliptical sentences mean that some words can be intentionally omitted: for example, if any serious or unusual event happened, every hour, the guard can log as follows:115 lobby safe & secure. This allows other security guards to understand the building that the guard is referencing as well as the condition of that environment even if the sentence does not contain any verb. The content of message must be concise as possible and strive for accuracy word in message. For example, a word can have several expressions, but there is, only one expression appropriate for the security community. For example, if it is a report about loading goods, the guard must write the loading is complete instead of is finished. Both words are synonymous, but the appropriate word here is complete
Security log book reports can vary according to the type of building a guard secures such for residential buildings, shelters or construction sites. However, the principles and purpose of the log book remain the same. The message must be clearly stated using simple words and sentences, contain date and time, and be understandable or organized. The other characteristics that are applicable universally in security log books are the use of abbreviations, combined words, ellipses, and standard style. The log book must be filled out during every shift and at every hour for regular report. However, when it comes to reporting an unusual event, security guards must take special care to ensure that their message gets across appropriately. So, for anyone who is interested in security business, the messages above are what they need to perform efficiently about logging report.
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