Colorado Security Officer Jurisprudence Practice Exam

You are on bicycle patrol when you witness a person smash a car window. What do you do?

1. Call 911 and ask for immediate assistance as there is a break and enter in progress

2. Call for back up and wait but do not approach the person

3. Immediately arrest the person for mischief to private property

4. Observe and monitor the situation, take notes and submit an incident report at the end of your shift

The correct answer is: Call for back up and wait but do not approach the person

The recommended action for a security guard witnessing a crime in progress, such as someone smashing a car window, is to call for backup and wait without directly engaging the individual involved. This approach, represented in option B, is based on guidelines that emphasize the prioritization of personal safety and preventing escalation of a potentially dangerous situation. Direct intervention, unless absolutely necessary and safe, is typically not within the scope of a security guard’s duty. Instead, they are trained to observe and report incidents to the police and their managerial team who have the official authority to handle crime scenes and make arrests. Thus, contacting backup assistance and maintaining a safe distance but keeping the situation in sight, is the appropriate response in this case.