- Jerry Swander, 61, had been a bus driver for 25 years when he decided to try something new.
- A career in security "fascinated" him, and he was hired by a security-services company.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jerry Swander, 61, a security guard at a high-end jewelry store in Phoenix. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was a city bus driver for 25 years. It was a good-paying job with great benefits that helped me provide for my family and kids. But after working that job for so long, I wanted to try something different.
There was something about a career in security that fascinated me. I first took a job as an armored car guard for two years, until a coworker told me she was leaving to work at a security-services company. I applied there, too, and have worked with them for the past 3 ½ years.
I had very little security experience before landing this job, but I think the company knew that my career as a bus driver prepared me with good observational and communication skills that could translate into what I'd have to deal with on a day-to-day basis as a security guard.
After going through a state and federal background check, I was able to begin the new employee orientation, which is eight hours of training on topics like de-escalation, use of force, how to do an incident report, and more. I also had an additional four-hour de-escalation class that was specifically for staff working with high-end clients. Finally, I had to take an eight-hour course on the use of force, which included training on handcuffing and the use of nonlethal-force options.
Once that was completed, I was given around eight hours of additional on-the-job training, where a supervisor walked me through the property I would be guarding and went into the responsibilities of a security guard for that location.
While it was a lot of initial training, every year we have to complete an additional de-escalation and use-of-force program, and every two years we have to renew our firearm license with a 16-hour course.
One of the locations where I work is a high-end jewelry store in Phoenix. Here are the ways I'm trained to protect the merchandise.
I follow a routine and do an hourly report
My job starts even before the store opens. I always show up 15 minutes before the store opens to check each display case to make sure the jewelry inside is properly locked. I check that the front door and back door are secured and make sure the locks haven't been tampered with. Then I take a walk around the shopping plaza to the back of the building to make sure there isn't anything out of the ordinary there, such as people walking around or cars parked back there.
Once 10 a.m. rolls around, I unlock the doors and stand mostly toward the front of the shop so I can clearly see everything inside the store and also outside of the store like people walking by and cars pulling up.
I make my presence known
When you're a security guard at a high-end store, it's important to make your presence known. When people know you're there and you're alert, they might be less likely to try and steal the items. It also lets people know there's someone in the store watching everything, including them, without being too aggressive.
I do this by opening and closing the door for each person, standing up front so I can be seen by all the customers in the store, and making sure I never look distracted.
I observe all angles
Since I mostly stay at the front of the store, I have a tablet with cameras on it so I can observe the three blind spots that I can't see from my usual location. I switch back and forth between the cameras and If I notice anything suspicious, I'll walk toward that area to make my presence known.
I observe all the people in the store very closely
A big part of my job is learning how to detect potential threats, which often can come in the form of very small signs around a person's body language and facial expressions.
I feel like I understand people well from my background as a bus driver. I had to speak with strangers on a daily basis and handle conflicts between passengers. That experience, along with my formal training as a security guard, has helped me hone my observation skills.
I look to see if a person seems nervous, because not many people can stay calm when they are up to something bad. Are they constantly looking around? Are they fidgeting? Where are their hands? If they are hovering around their waistband, pocket, or purse, they might have a firearm or weapon.
I also pay attention to people who have their phones out and what they are capturing on their phones. For example, I watch to see if they are recording or taking pictures of the cameras, since that could indicate they are planning on doing something in the future.
Over the past few years, snatch and grabs have become more popular occurrences at high-end stores. When a large group of people walk into the store together, I'm extra alert. I check where their hands are, since people who do smash and grabs usually bring something in with them to shatter the glass cases and steal the items.
It takes communication skills and patience
To properly guard a high-end store, you don't want to escalate something unless it's absolutely necessary. Sure, there are situations when you should jump right in, but most of the time, you need to assess a situation and be patient.
I approach most situations that seem unusual by approaching the person in a calm and conversational tone. Sometimes people who are angry or agitated can change their tone if you speak to them in a kind manner. Showing empathy is big because you might be able to talk them down while you further assess the situation.
What I enjoy most about my job as a security guard is getting to interact with people. Most people are good, but some might be having a bad day, which is why I try to not judge people; I just observe them. How I react is based a lot on my training and on my gut.