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BC's Regulation of Private Security
What Patrol Guards Can and Cannot Do
Complaint and Reporting Options
SecurityAndYou.ca deals with the role of and various functions played by private security.
Generally, the role of private security is to safeguard and protect private interests such as property, equipment, material, information, personnel and other company assets.
In protecting private interests, security personnel take on a variety of tasks such as providing:
- site or mobile patrol functions,
- loss prevention functions,
- special events security,
- in-house security functions, and
- private investigations.
This site is about ensuring the public is aware of their rights when interacting with private security, especially those security they are likely to encounter when accessing public places such as at shopping malls, stores and when using public transit.
Learn more about the roles and powers of security patrol guards here.
BC's Regulation of Private Security
As of August 2007, six types of private security functions are subject to government licensing and regulatory standards.
They include:- Private Security Patrol Firms and the Individual Patrol Guards They Employ,
- Private Investigation Firms and Individual Investigators,
- Security Alarm Services,
- Armoured Car Services,
- Security Consulting, and
- Locksmith Services.
Additional types of security functions will become subject to government licensing and regulation by 2009.
These additional types include security functions performed by:
- door-persons and bouncers,
- bodyguards,
- in-house security patrol,
- in-house private investigators, and
- the Corps of Commissionaires. .
Learn more about BC's Regulation of Security and the upcoming changes here .
What Patrol Guards Can and Cannot Do
Patrol guards have specific powers to enforce rules set by property owners.
Guards know their authority to act and it's important that the public know their rights. Sometimes interactions between patrol guards and the public can become confrontational.
Human rights and civil liberties can be infringed upon through discriminatory practices, excessive use of force, and illegal detentions, arrests and searches/seizures.
Learn more about guards' powers to enforce property rules and the extent of their authority to arrest, detain and search.
Learn more about your rights when accessing and using private property that is open to the public.
Security in and around the public transit system in Greater Vancouver is shared between the Transit Police Service, customer service staff, and various security personnel.
Click here for details about the role of Public Transit Security personnel in Vancouver.
The Downtown Ambassadors have a visible presence in a 90-block area of downtown Vancouver. Details about the Downtown Ambassadors Program are outlined here.
To find out more about the authority of all of these types of security in Vancouver and BC, visit the What Patrol Guards Can and Cannot Do section of SecurityAndYou.ca.