Security Glossary

Security contracts, post orders, insurance requirements and licensing rules use terms that are not always defined where they appear. This glossary explains those terms for property managers, retailers, building owners, event organizers and officers. Where a term comes from a statute, regulation or agency, the definition links to the official source. Where a McCray page covers the topic in more depth, the entry ends with a link to it.

The definitions are general information, not legal advice. Licensing and legal requirements differ by state and city and change over time, so readers should confirm current rules with the responsible agency. State-by-state licensing details are collected on the security guard license requirements page.

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

A

Access control

The measures that decide who may enter a building, floor or room, and when. Access control can be physical (locks, gates, turnstiles), electronic (card or mobile credentials) or staffed (an officer checking identification and visitor authorization at a desk or door). See Commercial Security Guard Services.

Active assailant

An alternative term for an active shooter. The active shooter planning and response guide published by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) notes that other terms used include active assailant, active threat and violent intruder.

Active shooter

Defined in CISA’s Planning and Response to an Active Shooter guide, an Interagency Security Committee publication, as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. The guide notes that any weapon, such as a knife, can be used to harm people.

Additional insured

A person or business added to another party’s liability insurance policy so that it receives coverage under that policy, typically for claims arising from the named insured’s work. The scope of that coverage depends on the policy and its endorsements.

Adverse action notice

A notice an employer must give under the Fair Credit Reporting Act after taking an adverse action, such as not hiring an applicant, based on information in a background report. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the notice must tell the person that the decision was based on information in the report, give the name, address and phone number of the company that sold the report, state that the company did not make the decision and cannot give specific reasons for it, and explain the person’s right to dispute the report and to get an additional free report within 60 days.

Alarm response

The dispatch of an officer to a site after an intrusion, fire or panic alarm, to check the exterior and, where authorized, the interior, and to meet police, fire or a keyholder. See Mobile Patrol Security.

Alarm verification

Confirming whether an alarm reflects a real event before or while police are requested, usually by reviewing live video or audio or by sending an officer. Verification is intended to reduce false dispatches. See Remote Video Monitoring.

Alarm zone

See Zone.

Armed guard card

An informal name for the credential that permits a registered security guard to carry a firearm on duty. In New York it is the Special Armed Guard Registration Card, which requires completion of the 47-hour firearms training course and a valid New York State pistol license, according to the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services. See Armed Security Guards.

Armed security officer

A security officer authorized to carry a firearm on post. Requirements for armed work, including licensing, training hours and permits, are set by each state. See Armed vs. Unarmed Security Officers for Retail.

Asset protection

A broader term for loss prevention that covers the protection of people, merchandise, cash, data and property from theft, fraud, damage and violence. The two terms are often used interchangeably. See Luxury Retail Asset Protection.

Associate Protection Professional (APP)

An ASIS International board certification. ASIS describes the APP as a credential for those with one or more years of compensated security experience.

B

Background check

A review of an applicant’s history, which may include criminal records, identity, employment and licensing. When an employer uses a background check company, the Federal Trade Commission explains that the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a standalone written disclosure and the applicant’s written authorization before the report is obtained.

Bag check

An inspection of bags or parcels at an entrance or exit under a posted policy. Bag checks should follow written procedure and applicable law.

Benefit denial

A loss prevention tactic that makes stolen merchandise worthless or unusable, for example ink tags that stain an item when forced off or products that must be activated at the register.

Bill rate

The hourly price a client pays for security coverage. It is different from the wage paid to an officer, because it also covers costs such as payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, liability insurance, licensing, training, supervision and replacement coverage. See Security Guard Cost.

Bleeding control kit

A kit for controlling severe bleeding before emergency medical services arrive. Kits offered through the Stop the Bleed program include items such as a tourniquet, gauze, a trauma dressing and gloves, and the program promotes kits alongside its bleeding control training.

Bomb threat

Defined by CISA as a communication indicating the presence of, or intent to detonate, an explosive device. CISA guidance advises staying calm and keeping a caller on the line as long as possible, and notes that most threats prove to be false but each must be assessed.

Bomb threat checklist

A CISA form for recording information about a bomb threat. For a threat received by phone, CISA advises filling out the checklist immediately and describes it as a comprehensive list of information that will assist law enforcement in a bomb threat investigation.

Booster bag

A bag lined with foil or other material intended to defeat electronic article surveillance tags at store exits. In New York, General Business Law Section 218 extends a retailer’s detention defense to investigating suspected criminal possession of an anti-security item, and lists possession of an item designed to overcome the detection of security markings among the reasonable grounds for a detention. See Shoplifting Prevention Guide.

BOPIS

Buy online, pick up in store. Pickup points can be targeted for fraudulent pickups and theft of staged orders. Controls at the pickup point can include identity checks and camera coverage.

C

Campus security authority

A Clery Act term for the campus offices and officials to whom crimes may be reported for inclusion in an institution’s statistics, such as a campus police or security department and officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities. According to the Department of Education handbook, an institution’s crime statistics include specified crimes reported to local police agencies or to a campus security authority. See Security for Colleges and Universities.

Cash escort

An officer accompanying staff who carry cash deposits, jewelry or other valuables between a store, bank, vehicle or event. A cash escort is not armored car transport. See Cash and High-Value Escort Security.

CCTV

Closed-circuit television: a camera system that records or transmits video to a limited set of monitors or a recording system rather than to the public. Many current systems use networked IP cameras that record to network video recorders or cloud storage.

Certificate of Fitness

A certificate issued by the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) that qualifies a person to perform specific fire safety duties, such as fire guard or fire safety director work. The FDNY certificates page lists each certificate by code. See FDNY Fire Guard Requirements.

Certificate of insurance (COI)

A document issued by an insurance agent, broker or insurer summarizing a policy’s coverages, limits and dates and identifying the certificate holder. A certificate provides information about coverage but does not change it; the policy and its endorsements control the terms, including whether a party is an additional insured.

Certified Protection Professional (CPP)

A board certification offered by ASIS International, alongside the Physical Security Professional (PSP), Professional Certified Investigator (PCI) and Associate Protection Professional (APP) credentials.

Chain of custody

The documented record of who collected, held and transferred a piece of evidence, such as a video export or a recovered item, from the moment it was obtained. A complete chain of custody helps preserve the evidence’s value in a prosecution or civil case.

Class D license (Florida)

The Florida security officer license. Applicants must complete 40 hours of training, and the license is issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing, under Chapter 493, Florida Statutes, according to the Division of Licensing. See Security Guard License Requirements by State.

Class G license (Florida)

The Florida statewide firearm license for armed security work. It requires an additional 28 hours of range and classroom training from a licensed Class K firearms instructor and four hours of training annually, according to the Florida Division of Licensing.

Clery Act

The federal campus crime reporting law, which the Department of Education handbook calls the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. It requires covered colleges and universities to compile and publish statistics on specified crimes. Under the handbook, the annual security report must be distributed by October 1 and include statistics for the three most recent calendar years. See Security for Colleges and Universities.

Concierge security

A front-desk post that combines hospitality with security duties such as visitor check-in, access control, package logging and incident documentation. See Concierge Security.

Construction site security

Coverage for active job sites, including gate control, after-hours patrols, equipment and material protection and daily reporting. See Construction Site Security.

CPTED

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing describes it as an approach to problem solving that considers environmental conditions and the opportunities they offer for crime. It lists three objectives: control access, provide opportunities to see and be seen, and define ownership and encourage maintenance of territories.

Crowd management

Planning and staffing that keeps people moving safely at events and busy sites, including entry lines, capacity counts, barricades and egress routes. See Special Event Security.

D

Daily activity report (DAR)

An officer’s shift log recording patrols, visitors, deliveries, observations and any incidents, with times. Daily reports give clients a record of what happened on each post. See Technology.

Daily crime log

A Clery Act record that institutions with a campus police or security department must keep. According to the Department of Education handbook, entries record the nature, date, time and general location of each crime and must be made within two business days of the report, and the log for the most recent 60-day period must be open to public inspection during normal business hours.

DCJS

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, which approves security guard training schools in New York. DCJS lists the required 8-hour pre-assignment, 16-hour on-the-job and 8-hour annual in-service courses, as well as firearms courses for armed guards.

De-escalation

Communication and positioning techniques used to calm an agitated person and reduce the chance of violence. New York’s Labor Law Section 27-e requires the workplace violence prevention training that covered retail employers provide to include de-escalation tactics. See Retail Security Services.

Detention (shopkeeper’s privilege)

The limited legal protection a merchant has when briefly holding a person suspected of shoplifting. In New York, General Business Law Section 218 provides a defense to claims such as false arrest and false imprisonment when the person was detained in a reasonable manner and for not more than a reasonable time by a police or peace officer, or by the store owner or an authorized employee or agent, who had reasonable grounds to believe the person was committing or attempting to commit larceny of merchandise on the premises. Other states have their own merchant detention statutes.

Deterrence

Discouraging crime by making it appear risky or unrewarding, for example through a visible officer, signage, lighting or cameras.

Diffusion of benefits

The finding that crime prevention measures at one place can also reduce crime nearby. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing explains that offenders may overestimate the reach of the measures.

Displacement

The concern that blocking crime in one place moves it elsewhere. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing states that reducing opportunities does not usually displace crime and that wholesale displacement is very rare.

Doorman

A lobby attendant at a residential or commercial building who greets residents and visitors, handles deliveries and assists building operations. A doorman position is generally a hospitality and building operations role; where a post includes security functions, state security guard licensing requirements may apply. See Doorman and Concierge Staffing.

Duty of care

A legal obligation to act with a certain level of care toward others, often qualified by a standard of reasonableness. The Legal Information Institute notes the concept appears in both agency and tort law.

E

EAS tag

Electronic article surveillance tag: a hard tag or label attached to merchandise that triggers an alarm at exit pedestals unless removed or deactivated at the register. Common technologies include acousto-magnetic and radio frequency systems.

Emergency action plan

A plan for how a workplace responds to fires and other emergencies. Where an OSHA standard requires one, 29 CFR 1910.38 sets minimum elements, including procedures for reporting an emergency, evacuation procedures and exit route assignments, procedures to account for all employees after evacuation, and the name or job title of employees who can explain the plan. The plan must be in writing, although an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate it orally.

Emergency notification

A Clery Act requirement that colleges and universities immediately notify the campus community upon confirming a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees on campus, according to the Department of Education handbook.

Emergency security coverage

Short-notice officer coverage for unplanned gaps, such as damage to doors, glass or locks after a break-in, an alarm or camera system that is down, or a regular security provider that does not show. See Emergency Security Services.

Employee theft

Theft of merchandise, cash or data by a company’s own staff. The National Retail Federation lists employee theft alongside external theft, vendor fraud, administrative errors and damage as sources of shrink.

Executive protection

Security for executives, principals and visiting guests, including route planning, venue coordination and close protection during meetings, travel and events. See Executive Protection Support.

Executive protection advance

The preparation work done before a principal arrives at a location: surveying the venue, routes, entrances, parking, medical facilities and contacts, and confirming the schedule so the detail can anticipate problems.

External theft

Theft by people outside the business, such as shoplifters and organized groups. The NRF gives shoplifting as an example.

F

F-01

The FDNY Citywide Fire Guard for Impairment Certificate of Fitness, for fire watch duties when a required fire protection system is out of service. According to the FDNY F-01 study material, the areas where the system is out of service must be patrolled at least once every hour, and no individual fire guard may patrol more than 50,000 square feet of building floor area. See Fire Watch in New York City.

F-03

The FDNY Indoor Place of Assembly Safety Personnel Certificate of Fitness, for individuals who assist in maintaining fire safety at an approved place of assembly, according to the FDNY. See FDNY Fire Guard Requirements.

F-04

The FDNY Temporary Indoor/Outdoor Place of Assembly Safety Personnel Certificate of Fitness, for individuals who assist in maintaining fire safety at temporary place of assembly events, according to the FDNY.

F-60

The FDNY Fire Guard for Torch Operations Certificate of Fitness. The FDNY states that the fire watch for torch operations at construction sites, on rooftops and under a citywide torch permit must be conducted by F-60 fire guards.

F-89

The FDNY Fire and Life Safety Director Certificate of Fitness. The FDNY states that a Fire and Life Safety Director is required in any commercial building that requires a comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan.

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

The federal law governing consumer reports, including background checks prepared by outside companies for employment. The FTC summarizes the employer’s duties: written disclosure, written authorization, a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report, and an adverse action notice.

Fire guard

In New York City, a person holding an FDNY Certificate of Fitness who is trained in and responsible for maintaining a fire watch and performing fire safety duties prescribed by the Fire Commissioner, as defined in the FDNY F-01 study material. See Fire Watch in New York City.

Fire watch

As defined by the FDNY, a temporary measure intended to ensure continuous and systematic surveillance of a building or part of a building by one or more qualified individuals, to identify and control fire hazards, detect early signs of fire, raise an alarm and notify the fire department. According to the FDNY F-01 study material, a fire watch must be maintained in any occupancy where a required fire protection system is out of service. See Fire Watch Security.

Firearm Control Card (FCC)

An Illinois registration card for armed security personnel, issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), which lists the FCC among the security professions it licenses. The IDFPR application for proprietary security personnel requires the applicant to be at least 21 and to hold an active Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card.

Fitting room control

Procedures that limit theft in fitting rooms, such as item count tags, an attendant, locked rooms opened on request and regular checks for discarded tags and packaging.

Fixed post

An officer assigned to one location, such as a lobby desk, entrance or loading dock, for the length of a shift. Also called a static post.

G

General Duty Clause

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Because there are currently no specific OSHA standards for workplace violence, the agency addresses workplace violence hazards under this clause.

GPS-verified clock-in

A time and attendance record that confirms an officer’s location by GPS when a shift starts or ends, so clients can confirm the post was staffed. See Technology.

Grab and run

A theft method in which an offender, often working with others, takes a large quantity of merchandise and leaves quickly, relying on speed rather than concealment.

Grand larceny

In New York, larceny that meets a statutory threshold based on the value or type of property or the way it was taken. Under Penal Law Section 155.30, stealing property valued at more than $1,000 is grand larceny in the fourth degree, a class E felony. The same section also covers retail goods or merchandise stolen under a common scheme or plan, or a single ongoing intent, when their aggregate value exceeds $1,000, regardless of whether they were stolen from the same owner. See Organized Retail Crime Laws by State.

Guard card (California)

The California security guard registration card issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). The BSIS fact sheet requires guards to carry it while on duty, to complete Power to Arrest training before registration, 32 hours of skills training within the first six months and 8 hours of continuing training each year.

Guard tour system

A system that records when an officer reaches checkpoints on a patrol route, using tags, beacons or mobile check-ins, to prove that patrols took place as scheduled.

H

High-volume third-party seller

Under the INFORM Consumers Act, a marketplace seller with 200 or more separate sales or transactions of new or unused consumer products and $5,000 or more in gross revenues in any continuous 12-month period during the past 24 months, according to the FTC.

Hot work

Welding, cutting, torch-applied roofing and other work that produces flame, sparks or heat. In New York City, the FDNY requires that the fire watch for torch operations at construction sites be conducted by F-60 fire guards.

I

Impairment

Any condition in which a fire protection system, such as a sprinkler or fire alarm system, cannot perform its designed fire safety function, as defined in the FDNY F-01 study material. When a required fire protection system is out of service, the study material states that a fire watch must be maintained.

Incident report

A written, factual account of an event such as a theft, injury, disturbance or alarm, recording who, what, when and where, along with witnesses and any evidence. Incident reports may later be used by police, insurers and courts. On McCray posts, incidents are documented on scene, time-stamped and GPS-verified. See Technology.

Indemnification

A contract term in which one party agrees to compensate another for specified losses or claims. The Legal Information Institute describes an indemnity clause as a commitment to compensate another party for prospective loss or damage.

INFORM Consumers Act

A federal law, effective June 27, 2023, that requires online marketplaces to collect, verify and in some cases disclose information about high-volume third-party sellers. The FTC explains that the law aims to deter criminals from acquiring stolen, counterfeit or unsafe items and selling them through online marketplaces.

Internal theft

See Employee theft.

J

Jewelry and watch security

Security programs for jewelry and watch stores, typically covering entry control, opening and closing routines, showcase handling, robbery response and event staffing. See Security for Jewelry and Watch Retail.

K

Key control

Policies for issuing, tracking, collecting and rekeying physical keys and access cards, so that lost or unreturned keys do not compromise a site.

Keyholder

A designated person who can be called to open, inspect or secure a site after hours, for example after an alarm.

L

LEOSA

The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, codified for retired officers at 18 U.S.C. Section 926C. It allows a qualified retired law enforcement officer who carries the required identification to carry a concealed firearm notwithstanding state and local law, subject to exceptions: it does not override state laws that permit private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict concealed firearms on their property, or that prohibit or restrict firearms on state or local government property.

Lock-up

A patrol service in which an officer secures a site at closing, checking doors, windows and alarm settings. See Mobile Patrol Security.

Lockdown

An emergency procedure in which occupants secure themselves in rooms, lock or barricade doors and stay out of sight. CISA’s active shooter guide recommends training people on how to lock down an area.

Loss prevention

The retail function responsible for reducing inventory loss from theft, fraud, error and damage, through staffing, technology, procedures and investigations. See Loss Prevention Services.

M

Mass notification

Systems that deliver emergency messages to building occupants or a wider area, such as voice evacuation, text alerts and digital signs. NFPA 72 covers mass notification along with fire alarm and emergency communications systems.

Mobile patrol

A patrol in which an officer drives between assigned sites on scheduled and randomized routes, checking each site and logging every visit. See Mobile Patrol Security.

Multi-site security program

A security program that applies the same screening, supervision and reporting standards across many locations, with site-specific instructions for each. See Multi-Site Security Programs.

N

Natural surveillance

A CPTED principle: arranging lighting, windows, sightlines and landscaping so that activity can be seen. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, which describes this objective as providing opportunities to see and be seen, notes that these design elements need to be supported by people who look for and report unusual behavior.

Negligence

The failure to behave with the level of care a reasonable person would have exercised in the same circumstances. The Legal Information Institute lists its elements as duty, breach, cause-in-fact, proximate cause and harm.

Negligent security

A type of negligence claim alleging that a property owner or operator failed to provide reasonable security and that the failure contributed to harm caused by a third party. Claims are decided under state negligence law.

NFPA 101

The Life Safety Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association, which provides requirements for the design, operation and maintenance of new and existing buildings to protect occupants from fire.

NFPA 72

The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association. NFPA describes it as covering fire alarm, emergency communications, mass notification, inspection, testing and maintenance requirements.

O

Observe and report

A post instruction under which officers watch, document and notify management or police rather than physically intervening. See Warehouse Security.

Off-duty police officer

A sworn police officer working a security detail outside regular duty hours, under rules set by the officer’s department and jurisdiction. See Off-Duty Police Officers for Retail.

On-the-job training (New York)

The 16-hour on-the-job training course New York security guards must complete within 90 days of initial employment as a security guard, according to DCJS.

Opening and closing procedures

Written routines for unlocking and locking a site, which may require two people, a perimeter check before entry and a set sequence for alarms, safes and showcases.

Organized retail crime (ORC)

Theft carried out by groups that steal merchandise in quantity, often for resale through fences or online marketplaces. Many states treat organized retail theft as a separate offense. See Organized Retail Crime Laws by State.

P

Panic button

A device used to summon help in an emergency. New York’s Labor Law Section 27-e uses the term silent response button and requires retail employers with 500 or more retail employees statewide to provide silent response buttons, effective January 1, 2027, according to the New York State Department of Labor. See New York Retail Worker Safety Act.

Pass-down log

A shift log in which outgoing officers record open issues, instructions and unusual activity for the next shift.

PERC (Illinois)

The Permanent Employee Registration Card, a registration issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. IDFPR lists the PERC among the security professions it licenses, along with the Firearm Control Card and an approved 20-hour basic training program.

Petit larceny

In New York, a person who steals property commits petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor, under Penal Law Section 155.25, unless the facts meet a grand larceny threshold.

Physical Security Professional (PSP)

One of the four ASIS International board certifications, alongside the CPP, PCI and APP.

Plainclothes loss prevention

Officers in ordinary clothing who work the sales floor among shoppers, observing theft behavior that a uniform would interrupt and documenting what they see so the store can act on facts. See Plainclothes Loss Prevention.

Post orders

The written instructions for a specific security post: duties, hours, patrol routes, access rules, reporting, emergency contacts and what officers may and may not do. See Security Risk Assessment and Consulting.

Pre-adverse action notice

Under the FCRA, the notice an employer must give before taking adverse action based on a background report, including a copy of the report and the summary of rights, according to the FTC.

Pre-assignment training (New York)

The 8-hour course a New York security guard must complete before applying for a registration card, according to DCJS.

Premises liability

The area of law addressing a property owner’s or occupier’s responsibility for injuries on the property. It generally applies negligence principles, and the Legal Information Institute lists business owner and customer, and landowner and lessee, among the relationships that create duties of care.

Professional Certified Investigator (PCI)

An ASIS International board certification that ASIS describes as providing demonstrable proof of knowledge and experience in case management, evidence collection, and preparation of reports and testimony to substantiate findings.

Q

Qualified retired law enforcement officer

A LEOSA term, defined in 18 U.S.C. Section 926C, for a former officer of a public agency who separated from service in good standing, had statutory powers of arrest, served as a law enforcement officer for an aggregate of 10 years or more (or separated after any probationary period due to a service-connected disability), has met the firearms qualification standards for active officers during the most recent 12-month period, and is not otherwise disqualified, for example by a federal prohibition on receiving a firearm.

R

Remote video monitoring

Live viewing of a site’s cameras from an off-site location, including scheduled virtual patrols and video alarm verification, with escalation to police or on-site staff. See Remote Video Monitoring.

Respondeat superior

A legal doctrine, most commonly used in tort law, that holds an employer or principal legally responsible for the wrongful acts of an employee or agent when those acts occur within the scope of the employment or agency, as described by the Legal Information Institute.

Retail Worker Safety Act

The name the New York State Department of Labor uses for the state’s retail workplace violence law, Labor Law Section 27-e. It applies to employers with at least 10 retail employees and requires a written workplace violence prevention policy and interactive training at hire and annually, or every two years for employers with fewer than 50 retail employees. See New York Retail Worker Safety Act.

Return fraud

Returning stolen, used or falsely receipted merchandise for a refund or store credit. Controls include receipt and identity checks, return limits and serial number tracking.

RFID

Radio frequency identification: tags read wirelessly to track inventory. In loss prevention, RFID supports accurate counts, item-level tracking and, in some systems, exit detection.

Risk assessment

A structured review of a site’s threats, vulnerabilities and existing controls that produces recommendations for staffing, technology and procedures. See Security Risk Assessment and Consulting.

Run, Hide, Fight

The response options in CISA’s active shooter guidance. The guide states that Run, Hide, Fight is not a sequential process but a list of response options, and advises considering fighting only as the absolute last resort if neither running nor hiding is a safe option.

S

Security guard registration card (New York)

The registration a person must hold to work as a security guard in New York, issued by the New York Department of State. Applicants must be 18, complete the required training, provide proof of fingerprinting and have no conviction for a serious criminal offense. The Department of State states that a guard whose registration has expired may not work as a security guard.

Security officer

A trained person assigned to protect people and property at a site, licensed or registered where state or local law requires it. The terms security officer and security guard are generally used interchangeably. See Unarmed Security Guards.

Shoplifting

Theft of merchandise from a store during business hours, usually by concealment or walking out without paying. See Shoplifting Prevention Guide.

Shrink

Inventory loss measured by comparing a retailer’s book inventory to the physical inventory on hand, expressed as a percentage of sales, as defined by the National Retail Federation. NRF’s National Retail Security Survey 2023 reported an average shrink rate of 1.6% in fiscal year 2022. See Retail Theft Statistics.

Site survey

A walk-through of a location to record entrances, sightlines, lighting, camera coverage, alarm points and operational patterns before writing post orders or a staffing plan.

Situational crime prevention

A framework for reducing crime by changing the specific situations in which it occurs. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing identifies five main ways situations can be modified: increasing the effort, increasing the risks, reducing the rewards, removing excuses and reducing provocations.

Special event security

Officers and planning for store openings, launches, trunk shows, private events and trade shows. See Special Event Security.

Statement of work (SOW)

The contract document that sets out services, locations, hours, officer requirements and reporting for a security engagement. On McCray programs, tier assignments for each location are confirmed in the statement of work. See Officer Classifications.

Static post

See Fixed post.

Stop the Bleed

The American College of Surgeons’ bleeding control program, operated under a licensing agreement granted by the Department of Defense. According to the program, its courses train the public in three basic actions to stop life-threatening bleeding.

Strike security

Security for employers and property owners during strikes, lockouts and pickets, focused on access control, property protection and neutral documentation. See Strike Security.

Subrogation

The process by which one party takes over another’s legal rights. The Legal Information Institute gives the example of an insurer that pays a policyholder and then pursues the responsible party.

Supervisor site visit

An in-person inspection by a supervisor to confirm that an officer is on post, in uniform and following post orders. McCray supervisors make unannounced site visits.

Suspicious item

An unattended or out-of-place object that may be dangerous. CISA advises treating a suspicious item found after a bomb threat as an emergency and calling 911.

Sweethearting

A form of employee theft in which a cashier gives merchandise to friends or family without charge or at a reduced price, for example by failing to scan items.

T

Tailgating

Following an authorized person through a controlled door or turnstile without using a credential. Sometimes called piggybacking.

Target hardening

Making a target physically harder to attack or steal, for example with locks, display cases, bollards, cables or safes.

Timely warning

A Clery Act requirement to warn the campus community about certain reported crimes that represent a threat, while withholding the names and other identifying information of victims, according to the Department of Education handbook.

Trespass warning

A written or verbal notice from a property owner or authorized agent that a person is not permitted on the property. The legal effect of a warning depends on state and local law.

U

Unarmed security officer

An officer who works without a firearm, focused on deterrence, access control, client service and reporting. Licensing requirements vary by state. See Unarmed Security Guards.

Uniformed presence

The deterrent effect of a visibly uniformed officer at an entrance or on the floor. See Uniform Options.

Use of force continuum

A model describing levels of force from basic verbal and physical restraint to less-lethal and lethal force, as summarized by the National Institute of Justice for police. For private security officers, the force that may be used is set by state law and written policy.

V

Vacant property security

Protection of empty buildings using officers, patrols, video monitoring and fire watch until the property is leased, sold, redeveloped or demolished. See Vacant Property Security.

Violent incident log

A record required under California Labor Code Section 6401.9 of each workplace violence incident, including the date, time, location, type of violence and consequences, according to Cal/OSHA.

Virtual patrol

A scheduled remote check of a site’s cameras by a monitoring operator. See Remote Video Monitoring.

Visitor management

The process for registering, identifying, badging and logging visitors, and for confirming that a host expects them.

W

Waiver of subrogation

A contract clause in which a party gives up its right to recover from the other party for losses covered by its insurance, which in turn prevents its insurer from pursuing that party through subrogation.

Watch, guard or patrol agency

The New York license for a business that operates as a watch, guard or patrol agency, issued by the Department of State. The Department of State requires the applicant to be at least 25, pass the watch, guard or patrol examination within the two years before applying, have two years of experience or equivalent position and experience, and provide proof of a $10,000 surety bond.

Workplace violence

Defined by OSHA as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening behavior that occurs at the work site.

Workplace violence prevention plan

A written program for identifying and controlling workplace violence hazards. California’s Labor Code Section 6401.9, enforceable from July 1, 2024, requires covered employers to establish a written plan, according to Cal/OSHA. New York’s Labor Law Section 27-e requires covered retail employers to adopt a prevention policy.

X

X-ray screening

Inspection of bags, parcels or mail with an X-ray scanner, used at some events, government buildings, corporate mailrooms and high-security facilities.

Y

Yard check

A patrol of a distribution center or logistics yard to find unsecured or unaccounted-for trailers and to verify trailer and seal numbers against shipping documents. See Security for Distribution and Logistics.

Z

Zone

A defined area or group of sensors in an alarm system that reports separately, so the monitoring station or responding officer knows which part of the site set off the alarm.

Last reviewed November 2026. More guides are published in Insights, and common questions are answered on the FAQ page.