Writing the post orders and standard operating procedures is a technical skill. Contract security firms that are able to use a technical writer to support this work will have an advantage over those companies that do not.
Related Article: How to Create Effective Contract Security Operating Procedures
A security manual is a compilation of post orders and standard operating procedures. Outlines for security manuals are fairly standard and contract firms can develop a bank of templates for various types of clients: healthcare facilities, educational institutions, government, industry and manufacturing, etc. This is a benefit for organizations, such as hospitals, schools and universities, working with a contract security firm.
Contract security firms with technical writers coupled with knowledge about client policies should be able to develop a security manual that implements the campus security management program. The following is a sample outline for a security manual;
1. Introduction/mission statement
2. Summary information about client
3. Code of conduct/ethics
4. Staffing information/position descriptions
5. Customer service policies
6. Specific post assignments
7. Building security/access control
- A. Building hours
- B. Restricted areas
8. Personnel security
- A. Identification card policies
- B. Visitor policies
- C. Drug/alcohol policies
- D. Sexual harassment
- E. Workplace violence
- F. Privacy/HIPAA
9. Emergency response
- A. Fire/evacuation
- B. Weather/shelter in place
- C. Hostile intruder
- D. Utility/power outages
- E. Emergency notification
10. Legal/criminal information
- A. Contacting police for assistance/report crime
- B. Use of force
- C. Criminal trespass
- D. Search and detention
11. Safety
- A. Hazard communication
- B. Bloodborne pathogens
12. Reports/record keeping
- A. Incident reports
- B. Accident reports
- C. Daily logs
- D. Inspection reports
- E. Lost and found
13. Appendix
- A. Client policies
- B. Training checklists