Unarmed vs Armed Security Guards - Which is right fit for your Business ?
                     Unarmed vs Armed Security Guards - Which is
right fit for your Business ?
Security is the main concern of every business owner. As a 
business owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that 
employees and your property remain secure during and after 
business hours. 
Visibility of security guards whether armed or unarmed adds an 
extra layer of protection. Visitors and even ourselves feel 
protected when we are surrounded by security guards. 
Every business has a unique set of security requirements 
depending upon its size and the risk involved. In this blog, we will 
explore the answer to this common question.
But first of all, 
Let's explore the duties and responsibilities of armed and 
unarmed security guards.
Armed Security Guards 
The primary role of armed security guards is to ensure the safety 
of property, life and premises. It is the responsibility of an armed 
security guard to protect life, property and premises against risks 
and threats. 
As the name suggests they are licenced to keep weapons with 
them. These security guards are specially trained to cope with the
circumstances of extreme risks and threats with weapons. They 
are also called armed security officers. 
Qualities of an Armed Security Guard
An armed security guard officer must have good moral character, 
good grooming, physically fit, polite, mentally sound and good 
communication skills. He must be proficient in handling firearms. 
He/she needs to be calm and confident to handle stressful 
situations. 
Usually, we see armed security guards in banks, high emergency 
areas or personal bodyguards. 
Armed Guard Security Officer Responsibilities  
● Protecting people and locations from any kind of abuse or 
harassments, physical attack, robbery etc.
● Trained in handling weapons and arms in case of any 
emergency. 
● Using weapons in times of life-threatening situations and 
protecting life and money. 
● Recording the details of each individual who visits the area 
and note their incoming and outgoing time.
● Perform armed security tasks in accordance with basic 
security practices.
● Quick response to any kind of crime regardless of waiting for
police to come. 
● Monitor security cameras and regularly check the area for 
the peaceful running of business activities. 
So if you are looking to hire armed security guards in Surrey BC 
then Eagle Eye Security Ltd. has professionally trained security 
guards. 
Your Security Eagle Eye’s Responsibility
Unarmed Security Guards
Like armed security guards, the main responsibility of armed 
security guards is to ensure the safety of property, life and 
premises. They are not allowed to keep nor are they trained to 
use weapons. They are primarily trained to prevent crime and not 
respond to it. 
Usually, we notice unarmed security guards at entry points of 
malls doing security checks, managing crowds in stadiums, in 
clubs or outside factories etc. 
Qualities of an Unarmed Security Guard
The qualities of unarmed security guards are the same as that of 
armed security guards except they are not licenced to use arms in
case of a life-threatening situation. 
Oftentimes unarmed security guards have to fulfil the role of 
gatekeeper.  
Unarmed Guard Security Officer Responsibilities
● They may have to serve as a gatekeeper in small premises. 
● They control and maintain records of the entrance and exit of
visitors, employees or any other physical thing in their duty 
area. 
● Some of the security checks also demand visitors 
identification proofs or mobile phones. So unarmed security 
guards make sure to handle visitor’s belongings with 
responsibility.
● Performing security checks when visitors enter and exits on 
respective premises. 
● Maintaining law and order in large gatherings like in the 
stadiums. 
● When a situation of violence emerges then they are the first 
line of action. They are the ones to call the police and 
temporarily restrain the person until local police come. 
● Inform authorities if some violation of policies takes place or 
if they are suspecting some kind of alarming situation in 
future. 
● Other responsibilities like CCTV surveillance, mobile 
patrolling, responding to the phone calls of employers etc.
Now we have understood the difference between armed and 
unarmed security guards.
Here the question comes: Which type of security guard should 
you hire?  
These points will help you in answering your question
1.Access your security requirements
The first step is to completely analyze your business 
requirements like the area in which you are operating, the 
risk involved, your assets, surroundings, after hour work 
risks etc. 
However, a professional security company might help you in 
accessing your security requirements. But here are a few 
things that you as a business owner must keep in mind 
before making a choice between armed and unarmed. 
● Unoccupied Buildings 
There are some buildings in every business which 
remain unoccupied by people like warehouses to store 
inventory, your parking area, store houses etc. Most of 
the incidents of robbery and mishappenings like fire 
accidents, hazardous material mishandling etc. are 
reported in these areas because they are mostly 
ignored. Just because your business is closed doesn’t 
mean that it is protected from natural disasters. 
If the inventory present in your warehouse is expensive 
then the chances of robbery also increase. In this case, 
you may need armed security guards with a 
combination of CCTV surveillance. But if your 
warehouse has usual inventories then you need a 
patrol security guard. Mobile security guards are 
professionally trained to cope with these kinds of 
unexpected things. 
● Your Neighbourhood
        The security requirements depend on your 
neighbourhood whether your surrounding area is highly 
populated or it's far from the city. 
        So, a security company will tell you about the 
vulnerabilities of your neighbourhood and provide you 
with a clearer idea of what type of security services you 
need.
2.Off Business Hours Protection
There are some activities in your business that must be 
performed after or before business hours. An example of this
scenario is employees working overtime, cleaning or 
sanitizing the workplace, night shift workers, loading or 
unloading of stock, logistics etc. 
Who will take care, if your employee or cleaner forgets to 
lock the doors ?
For this, you need strict security guards. 
Your vendors may not respect your 9 - 5 timings. The 
deliveries may be early morning or late nights. So keeping 
track of these vendors which are not under your direct 
control is also important. As a business owner, it is your 
responsibility that everyone is safe. 
Again here also comes the risk of life, mishappenings or 
robbery. So, for off business hours, you definitely need 
Armed Security Guards. You also need mobile patrols, 
emergency security guards and CCTV surveillance security 
guards. 
Eagle Eye security Ltd. is specialized in accessing your 
business security requirements and offers you a variety of 
solutions like static security guards, mobile patrol security, 
armed security guards etc. So get a quote from us today.