CHAPTER 6 ACS Security Guard Training - COMMUNICATION & DE ESCALATION

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Congratulations! You’ve made it to the final chapter.
We’ve covered many topics: ethics, safety, emergencies, reporting, making arrests…but we left out one of the most essential topics: communication!

Think about it: security officers are often stationed in crowded places like shopping centers, concert venues, and hotel lobbies where many interactions take place. This increases the risk of confrontation and conflict.

You will likely interact with exhausted travelers, rude customers, and people who’ve had one too many drinks.

So how do you keep the peace?

Communication Skills (text graphic)

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A well-trained security officer knows how to communicate to maintain order.
Being professional goes hand in hand with people skills and the ability to respond to threats and de-escalate conflict.

Whether you are stationed at a restaurant, an office building, or a retail outlet, you represent Access Control Security and its sister companies, and we expect you to behave professionally and courteously when interacting with the public.

Maintaining an approachable, upbeat demeanor is part of your job. If someone is in distress or just needs a question answered, they must feel comfortable approaching you for assistance.

The top security officers have great people skills: not only are they professional and respectful, but they also know how to take control of a situation by verbally convincing individuals to behave properly and follow instructions.

Throughout your security career, you will be confronted with challenging situations that will call for your ability to communicate in ways that diffuse conflict instead of escalating it.

For example, how do you get a group of out-of-control teenagers to behave properly at a crowded mall? Or how do you get someone you are detaining to follow your instructions until the police arrive?

Verbal Judo (text graphic)

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You may have heard of the term Verbal Judo, but what exactly is it?

Verbal refers to communication; and Judo is a martial art that teaches self-control in combat.
In Judo, you don’t resist your opponent, you move with them and redirect them.
Likewise, Verbal Judo teaches that when you react, the event or interaction controls you, but when you listen and respond using calm persuasive language, you are in control.

Let’s take a look at how Verbal Judo works:

Listen – don’t react
For example, if someone yells at you “Get out of my way!” You have 2 options: you can yell back, “What’s your problem?!” and exacerbate the situation, or you can listen and respond in a professional tone by saying, “I see that you’re upset. How can I help you?”

Empathize – don’t judge
If someone fires insults at you because they feel threatened by the situation at hand, instead of judging them, try to put yourself in their shoes. Using phrases like “I can see how difficult this is for you” or “I see why you would be upset” will have an immediate calming effect.

Ask – don’t give orders
If you shout out, “Come here!” at someone who is already upset, you are likely to get a negative reaction. Instead, you could ask, “Can we talk for a second?” Or “Is there some way we can solve this problem?” People will be more cooperative if they have a chance to voice their opinion instead of being told what to do.
De-escalation techniques (text graphic)

Say you’re stationed at a shopping center. A very distressed mother comes to you in tears after losing her child in the mall. What do you do? Telling that parent to “calm down” is going to make things worse. You would first need to communicate in a way that brings the emotional intensity down, then make an informed decision on how to proceed.

So how does de-escalation work? Let’s take this step by step.

Be aware of signs of tension
Are people raising their voices, or clenching their fists? Watch for signs that a situation is heating up and could get out of control. No need to intervene too quickly. If you feel that the situation will resolve itself, then stay back and observe.

Deter by establishing your authority
Making your presence visible may help to defuse a tense situation before it becomes a problem. Most people shy away from authority.


If you decide to intervene, introduce yourself and your position. Remember, your first goal should be to calm all involved without having to take any additional measures.
Remain calm
Speaking assertively but calmly encourages a positive response. When you have everyone’s attention, you can outline the policy of the venue. For example, you can explain that shouting or making threats is not permitted.

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