Security post orders are written, site-specific instructions that tell security guards what to do, where to work, and how to respond to routine and urgent situations. Clear security post orders help align guard duties with client expectations, company procedures, and the site’s risks. They work alongside service agreements and guard training, not as a substitute for either.
## What are security guard post orders, and how do security post orders work? Security post orders are the operational guide for a guard’s assigned post and shift.
### How post orders work at a site They translate a client’s security needs into specific tasks, boundaries, and reporting steps that guards can follow during a shift. For planning context, see our guide to hiring security guards.
### Post orders and related documents Post orders explain how to perform the assignment, while a service agreement sets the business terms and scope agreed by the client and provider. The security guard contract terms explained guide covers contract details, and unarmed security guards and armed security guards have distinct duties and requirements.
## What 9 sections belong in post orders? A useful post order contains these 9 sections, written in direct language that a guard can apply on shift.
- Identify the assignment’s purpose, covered property, and client priorities.
- Describe the site, including entrances, restricted areas, patrol routes, and key locations.
- Specify shift hours, check-in procedures, access control tasks, and relief arrangements.
- List routine duties, such as patrol timing, visitor handling, and opening or closing checks.
- Set boundaries by stating prohibited actions and when to notify a supervisor.
- Explain communication procedures, including radio use, check-ins, and escalation order.
- Describe emergency actions for fire, medical events, threats, evacuations, and other site hazards.
- Define report requirements, including incident details, witness information, and evidence handling.
- Provide supervisor and emergency contacts, document version, and acknowledgment instructions.
### Keep each instruction actionable Use concrete verbs, named locations, and a clear chain of notification so a guard knows what action comes next. Avoid vague terms such as “regularly” or “as needed”; state the required patrol route, trigger, or reporting method instead. For a warehouse, name loading docks, delivery windows, and alarm-panel procedures; for an office, name visitor screening, elevator access, and after-hours call steps.
## Who writes and approves post orders? The security provider’s operations team prepares post orders with input from the client’s site representative.
### Assign ownership before the first shift The provider’s supervisor or operations manager drafts the instructions, then checks that they match the purchased service and company procedures. The client representative confirms site details, access rules, and operational priorities before the provider issues the approved version to assigned guards.
### Confirm licensing and role limits The provider must assign personnel whose registration and qualifications fit the assignment. California BSIS oversees security guard registrations and Private Patrol Operator licensing; clients can use the California security guard license verification guide to check a guard’s status. Armed assignments also require the appropriate firearms qualifications and authorization, so post orders should state applicable limits without implying that guards have police powers.
## How often should post orders be updated? Update post orders whenever a site condition, client instruction, service scope, or response procedure changes.
### Review after operational changes A scheduled review helps catch outdated contacts and instructions, but a change-triggered review is essential. Recheck the document after a tenant change, construction, access-system replacement, incident review, or adjustment to guard duties.
- Compare the current version with site access rules and the service agreement.
- Confirm contacts, patrol locations, escalation steps, and emergency directions with the client.
- Issue a dated revision and remove obsolete copies from posts and guard files.
### Train guards on revised instructions A supervisor should explain material changes before affected guards work under the revision and record their acknowledgment. Keep the current version available at the post, and direct guards to contact a supervisor when instructions conflict with immediate safety needs or applicable law.
## Compare providers and request quotes Compare providers’ supervision, post-order development, and update practices, then request security quotes for your site.