16 Access Control & Patrol Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A visitor arrives at a secured lobby and asks to be let in because 'the receptionist knows me.' What is the correct access control procedure?

   • A.Deny all entry and tell them to come back another day
   • B.Verify the visitor's identity, confirm they are authorized/expected, and record them in the visitor log✓ Answer
   • C.Escort them directly to the receptionist without any log entry
   • D.Let them in immediately since a staff member vouches for them

   Access control rests on positive identification and authorization, not on familiarity. A verbal claim that someone is 'known' does not verify identity or confirm authorization, so the guard must check ID, confirm the visitor is expected/authorized, and log the entry to maintain an accurate record of who is on the property.

   Source: NY DCJS Security Guard Pre-Assignment Training, Access Control module (positive identification and visitor log procedures)Report a problem with this question

2. 2. 'Tailgating' (also called piggybacking) in physical security refers to what?

   • A.Following a suspicious vehicle off the property in your car
   • B.A guard patrolling too closely behind another guard
   • C.Logging a visitor out later than they actually left
   • D.An unauthorized person following an authorized person through a controlled door before it closes✓ Answer

   Tailgating defeats access control because the second person never presents credentials — they simply slip through on the authorized person's opened door. Guards counter it by ensuring doors close fully and that each person badges/is verified individually.

   Source: CA BSIS Power to Arrest & Security Guard training; physical access control principles (tailgating/piggybacking)Report a problem with this question

3. 3. What is the primary advantage of conducting patrols on a RANDOM schedule rather than a fixed, predictable one?

   • A.It eliminates the need to keep patrol records
   • B.It lets the guard take breaks whenever convenient
   • C.It reduces the total distance the guard must walk
   • D.It prevents potential intruders from predicting when an area will be unguarded✓ Answer

   A fixed patrol route run at the same times creates predictable gaps that a criminal can observe and exploit. Varying the timing and route removes that predictability, so no one can reliably know when a given area is unwatched.

   Source: NY DCJS Pre-Assignment Training, patrol techniques (random vs. fixed patrols)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. During a foot patrol, a security guard should primarily observe for which of the following?

   • A.Only the assigned entrance door
   • B.Only violent crimes actively in progress
   • C.Only items that could be personally useful to the guard
   • D.Anything abnormal or out of place — unlocked doors, unusual odors, sounds, hazards, or people✓ Answer

   Patrol is a proactive detection tool, so the guard uses all senses to notice anything abnormal — from an unlocked door or gas smell to an out-of-place person. Catching small irregularities early is how patrols prevent fires, theft, and safety hazards before they escalate.

   Source: CA BSIS Security Guard training, observation and patrol dutiesReport a problem with this question

5. 5. An incident report should be written using what kind of content?

   • A.Objective, factual observations of what the guard personally saw, heard, and did✓ Answer
   • B.Assumptions about what likely happened before the guard arrived
   • C.Only a general conclusion without specific details
   • D.The guard's personal opinions about who was probably guilty

   Reports may be used in court and by management, so they must record objective facts the guard directly perceived — not opinions, assumptions, or conclusions about guilt. Sticking to facts keeps the report credible and admissible.

   Source: NY DCJS Pre-Assignment Training, report writing (objective/factual reporting)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. The 'five Ws' that every complete incident report should answer are:

   • A.Why, Whether, Which, Whose, and Whenever
   • B.Who, Weapon, Warning, Witness, and Wound
   • C.Who, What, When, Where, and Why (with How often added)✓ Answer
   • D.Warrant, Witness, Weather, Weapon, and Wound

   The five Ws — Who, What, When, Where, Why (plus How) — form a checklist that ensures a report captures all essential facts. Answering each one prevents gaps that would leave the account incomplete or ambiguous.

   Source: NY DCJS / CA BSIS report writing guidance (the five Ws and How)Report a problem with this question

7. 7. When should a security guard write field notes about an incident?

   • A.As soon as possible while details are fresh, recording facts at the scene✓ Answer
   • B.Only at the end of the shift from memory
   • C.Only if a supervisor specifically requests them
   • D.Several days later after discussing it with coworkers

   Memory fades and distorts quickly, so field notes taken promptly at the scene capture accurate details that later feed the formal report. Waiting or relying on discussion with others risks losing facts and contaminating the account.

   Source: CA BSIS Security Guard training, field notes and report writingReport a problem with this question

8. 8. A security guard is first to arrive at a scene where a crime clearly occurred. Regarding physical evidence, the guard should:

   • A.Not touch or move anything, secure the area, and keep people out until police arrive✓ Answer
   • B.Clean up the area so it looks orderly for management
   • C.Handle the items to examine them, then put them back where they were
   • D.Collect the evidence and store it in a locker for safekeeping

   A guard is not an evidence technician; touching or moving items destroys fingerprints, disturbs positions, and breaks the chain of custody, which can make evidence inadmissible. Preserving the scene intact and controlling access protects the investigation.

   Source: NY DCJS Pre-Assignment Training, protecting/preserving a crime scene and evidenceReport a problem with this question

9. 9. When transmitting over a two-way radio, the guard should:

   • A.Keep messages brief, clear, and factual, and avoid profanity or personal conversation✓ Answer
   • B.Use long, detailed personal stories to give full context
   • C.Speak in code words invented on the spot so only friends understand
   • D.Broadcast confidential personal information about suspects freely

   Radio channels are shared and often monitored, so transmissions must be brief and clear to keep the channel open for others and to avoid broadcasting sensitive or unprofessional content. Concise, factual messages ensure the information is understood and the airtime is available for emergencies.

   Source: CA BSIS Security Guard training, communications and radio procedureReport a problem with this question

10. 10. Which of the following is a recognized warning sign of potential workplace violence?

    • A.Wearing the company uniform every day
    • B.Requesting a day off in advance
    • C.Escalating threats, intimidation, or expressions of a desire to harm others✓ Answer
    • D.Eating lunch alone occasionally

    Workplace violence rarely erupts without warning; escalating threats, intimidation, and stated intent to harm are documented pre-incident indicators. Recognizing and reporting them early lets security intervene before violence occurs.

    Source: CA BSIS / NY DCJS training on recognizing and responding to workplace violence indicatorsReport a problem with this question

11. 11. Proper control of keys and access cards on a post requires that the guard:

    • A.Lend keys to trusted employees without recording it
    • B.Keep a spare master key at home for convenience
    • C.Leave keys in the door lock during quiet periods
    • D.Account for every key/card, log each issue and return, and report any loss immediately✓ Answer

    A key or card is a portable form of access, so losing track of one effectively hands access to an unknown party. Logging every issue/return and reporting losses immediately lets the facility re-key or deactivate before the missing credential is exploited.

    Source: NY DCJS Pre-Assignment Training, key control and access managementReport a problem with this question

12. 12. A guard on patrol hears an alarm panel sounding for a zone. The best first action is to:

    • A.Silence the alarm and reset it without investigating
    • B.Leave the post immediately to find the building manager
    • C.Ignore it because most alarms are false
    • D.Note which zone activated, follow post orders to investigate/report, and not assume it is false✓ Answer

    Every alarm must be treated as genuine until verified, because assuming it is false is exactly how real intrusions go unanswered. Noting the zone and following post orders to investigate or notify preserves both the response and the record of what happened.

    Source: CA BSIS Security Guard training, alarm response and post ordersReport a problem with this question

13. 13. The security guard's fundamental role in safeguarding an employer's property is best described as:

    • A.Physically punishing anyone caught trespassing
    • B.Investigating and prosecuting crimes like a police officer
    • C.Deterrence, observation, and reporting — to prevent loss and notify proper authorities✓ Answer
    • D.Maximizing arrests to demonstrate productivity

    A security guard's authority is that of a private citizen, so the job centers on deterring loss, observing conditions, and reporting to management or police — not law enforcement powers or punishment. This 'observe and report' role, backed by a visible presence, is what actually protects property.

    Source: NY DCJS / CA BSIS training on the role and limited authority of the security guard (deter, observe, report)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. While patrolling a property, why should a security officer vary the routes and times of patrols instead of following the same predictable pattern each shift?

    • A.Because insurance companies pay a lower premium when routes change daily
    • B.To increase the total distance walked so the officer meets a daily step quota
    • C.Because state law requires a different route to be filed for every shift
    • D.So a potential intruder cannot anticipate the officer's location and exploit predictable gaps in coverage✓ Answer

    Predictable patrols let an intruder time their actions around known gaps in coverage; randomizing routes and times removes that advantage and keeps the officer's presence a deterrent. This is a core patrol-security principle, not a legal filing or fitness requirement.

    Source: DCJS Unarmed Security Officer Core Curriculum — Patrol Techniques (deterrence through unpredictable patrol patterns)Report a problem with this question

15. 15. A security officer on patrol witnesses a theft in progress in the parking lot. Under the 'observe and report' role, what is the officer's primary responsibility?

    • A.Accurately observe and document details, then notify law enforcement and a supervisor✓ Answer
    • B.Draw a weapon and order the suspect to lie on the ground
    • C.Physically tackle and restrain the suspect until police arrive
    • D.Chase the suspect off the property in a personal vehicle

    An 'observe and report' officer functions as the eyes and ears of the client and police: the job is to gather accurate facts (who, what, when, where) and relay them, not to intervene physically. Tackling, chasing, or drawing a weapon exceeds that role and exposes the officer and employer to injury and liability.

    Source: DCJS Unarmed Security Officer Core Curriculum — Role of the Security Officer (observe-and-report vs. law enforcement intervention)Report a problem with this question

16. 16. During patrol, an unarmed security officer wants to detain a person they merely suspect might have committed a crime. What legal limit applies to the officer's authority?

    • A.A security officer may conduct a full search of anyone they choose to stop while on patrol
    • B.A security officer may detain anyone indefinitely as long as an incident report is later filed
    • C.A security officer has the same arrest and detention powers as a sworn police officer while on the client's property
    • D.A security officer is a private citizen, not a sworn police officer, and has no general police power to detain on mere suspicion✓ Answer

    A security officer's authority derives from private-citizen status, not sworn police power, so they cannot detain, arrest, or search on mere suspicion the way police can under their statutory authority. Overstepping this limit can expose the officer to civil and criminal liability such as false imprisonment.

    Source: DCJS Unarmed Security Officer Core Curriculum — Legal Authority and Limitations (private citizen status; no general police detention power)Report a problem with this question

Practice questions cover the uniform security-guard training core (observe-and-report, legal limits, emergencies). Not affiliated with any state agency. State licensing requirements and statutes vary — study your state's official course. Guard licensing info →