Ontario Security Guard Test Report Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Security reports are considered what type of document in legal proceedings?
- Hearsay evidence that cannot be used in court
- Personal diaries with no legal standing
- Official documents that may be submitted as evidence (Correct answer)
- Confidential records sealed from court access
Correct answer: Official documents that may be submitted as evidence
Security reports are official documents that may be subpoenaed and used as evidence in court or other legal proceedings.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of subjective language that should be avoided in a report?
- The individual was running at approximately 15 km/h
- The door was found open at 0200 hours
- The suspicious-looking man was clearly up to something (Correct answer)
- There were three vehicles parked in the lot
Correct answer: The suspicious-looking man was clearly up to something
'Suspicious-looking' and 'clearly up to something' are opinions and interpretations, not observable facts.
Question 3: What does 'chain of custody' refer to in the context of security reporting?
- The hierarchy of command within a security company
- The documented record of who handled evidence and when (Correct answer)
- The process of transferring a detainee between facilities
- The list of guards who worked a particular shift
Correct answer: The documented record of who handled evidence and when
Chain of custody is the documented record tracking who collected, handled, and transferred evidence to maintain its integrity for legal proceedings.
Question 4: When writing a security report, which person and tense should a guard use?
- Third person, past tense — e.g., 'The officer observed...'
- Second person, future tense — e.g., 'You will see...'
- First person, past tense — e.g., 'I observed...' (Correct answer)
- Third person, present tense — e.g., 'The officer sees...'
Correct answer: First person, past tense — e.g., 'I observed...'
Security guards write in first person (I) and past tense because they are documenting what they personally observed and events that have already occurred.
Question 5: Which detail must always be recorded when a security guard makes a notebook entry?
- The guard's personal feelings about the shift
- The date, time, and location of each entry (Correct answer)
- A severity rating for each observed event
- The names and home addresses of all persons seen on the property
Correct answer: The date, time, and location of each entry
Each notebook entry must include the date, time, and location to establish a clear, chronological record of events.
Question 6: What time format is standard for recording times in Ontario security reports?
- 12-hour clock format (e.g., 2:00 PM)
- 24-hour clock format (e.g., 1400 hours) (Correct answer)
- Approximate time ranges are acceptable (e.g., mid-afternoon)
- Time does not need to be recorded unless a major incident occurs
Correct answer: 24-hour clock format (e.g., 1400 hours)
24-hour (military) time format is the standard in security reports because it eliminates AM/PM ambiguity.
Question 7: If a person provides a verbal statement during a security investigation, how should the guard record it?
- Record the exact words spoken, in quotation marks, in the report (Correct answer)
- Summarize the statement from memory at the end of the shift
- Only record statements if they are provided in writing by the witness
- Wait for police to arrive before documenting any statements
Correct answer: Record the exact words spoken, in quotation marks, in the report
Verbal statements should be recorded verbatim in quotation marks to accurately preserve what was said for legal purposes.
Ontario Security Guard Test Report Writing 2
Security reports are considered what type of document in legal proceedings?