Part of what our management team here at WWPro look at are statistics of behavior or patterns of circumstance that impact our security guard services. We are always striving to provide the best security for our clients. “Best,” of course, covers a lot of territory, which includes most responsible, most self-aware, and most forward thinking. So, we are up to date on data that influences our decision making, training and follow-up with our security officers. One very interesting piece of data that came out recently is well-resourced study on the hours that security officers may be attacked while on duty.
Statistics harvested from a variety of sources (news articles, law enforcement incident reports, private agency injury follow-ups, workplace violence data in the US) indicated the hours of most harm, as follows:
For security working in offices, manufacturing facilities, distribution facilities, business complexes — Mondays, Tuesday and Fridays between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm are when security officers are most often in some way attacked toward being disabled – 41% of the time.
An interesting and revealing set of facts. During normal working hours on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays security guards are most likely to be assaulted and/or injured at non-retail types of businesses.
For retail stores and complexes (including malls), the study found that uniformed security or loss prevention officers during these same hours made the majority of their apprehensions for theft or other felonies. And that robberies of jewelry stores or other high value boutique shops occurred from 10am to 4pm.
For security people working in apartment complexes, nightclubs, hotels and gambling establishments the hours of most danger are on Thursdays between 11 pm and 4 am.
Our response is to have our officers on a more-alert status during these hours, more aware and more preventative of assaults or attacks.