Introduction
Security guards are generally there to keep you safe, and they have some pretty impressive powers. But when it comes to stopping you on public property, they can’t do much more than ask if you need help. So how do security guards stop people? And what are the rules around their authority? Here’s everything you need to know about stopping someone on public land:
What the law says.
Security guards can’t stop you on public property, but they can make you aware that they’ve stopped you.
- A security guard has the power to take action if he or she believes a person is committing an offence or violating a law. This might include asking for identification and/or issuing a ticket. But it doesn’t include stopping someone because they are standing on public property and asking them to leave (unless there’s been a specific complaint about illegal activity).
- If a security guard asks for your identification as part of an investigation into possible criminal behaviour, he or she must follow state laws when doing so. For example:
- The guard cannot ask for any personal information from anyone who appears suspiciously dressed; this includes wearing masks during Halloween season!
- The guard cannot say anything negative about anyone’s race or ethnicity if those words appear in their report about what happened during an investigation into criminal activity at work hours; otherwise this could be considered racial harassment under Title VII laws against employment discrimination based on race/ethnicity.”
Guards are not cops.
Security guard is not police officers. They cannot make arrests, and they can’t stop you for no reason or for a reason that is not related to your safety. If you get stopped by a security guard on public property, it will probably be because he feels threatened or scared by something he saw while watching over the property—and that’s OK! But if you feel like something was wrong with what happened, don’t worry about it too much: The police can help figure out what really happened and whether there’s anything illegal going on here (or if there isn’t).
When you’re on private property.
When you’re on private property, security guards have the right to stop and/or search you. However, they do not have the same powers as police officers—they can’t arrest you and they usually don’t carry weapons. So if your friend is trespassing on my property and I catch him doing it, I am allowed to ask him nicely (and if necessary) politely to leave before calling the cops out.
Security guards also not allowed to search someone without a good reason (unless there’s some sort of suspicious behaviour going on). If my friend were carrying drugs or weapons into my shop while working as an employee, then yes—it would be okay for me to call the police so that he could be arrested for breaking federal law by using drugs in public areas. But if he was just wearing gloves because he was cold out in the cold winter weather? No way!
When you’re on public land.
If you’re on public land, security guards can’t stop you unless they have a good reason. This means that if you’re walking down the street and see an off-duty police officer, for example, he or she may tell you to move along. They don’t have the legal authority to stop someone from walking in their own neighbourhood just because they feel like it!
Security guards also cannot physically restrain people who are disturbing others or behaving violently—this includes physical contact between guards and patrons as well as verbal abuse from both parties. In other words: no matter where we go on our daily lives (public property), we must always be respectful of others’ rights under the law because these laws protect everyone’s rights equally without discrimination based on race or religion etcetera…
A security guard can’t stop you without a good reason.
Security guards can’t stop you on public property without a good reason. They can’t just tell you to get out of their way or move away from the entrance of a building, for example. A security guard needs to have a reasonable belief that:
- You have committed a crime (for example, by going through an unlocked door) or are about to commit one (for example, by entering an elevator with no key).
- Your actions pose an immediate threat to yourself or others in the immediate vicinity (such as walking into traffic).
Conclusion
Remember, if a security guard stops you on public property and asks for your name, address and social security number, they’re breaking the law. So if they do ask you to give them this information, politely decline and walk away. The most important thing is to know your rights when it comes to interacting with security guards in public places like parks or malls.
