uni form appearances By Jin cottel fa, CFO, CPP. CHPA NSvenber 2000 Reprint provaction Officer News — F211 2001 hy do some organizations have their security officers wear a police or military, rthas“ uniform ghile other organizstions requice their efficert to wear a'blazer’ and EViexey and still others have their sacuriey officers wear casual or business, Elothes? The subject of drest code’ tnvelves early ail organizations that utilize protection services: “This was more than an academic question to ne since, as a security consultant, T am Often asked about the dress code of secur‘ey officers” 1 decided to conduct a survey grcfesltheare security eirectors throughout the country: ow are Gey desting with survey consisted of open-ended and multiple-choice queseions that were mailed, ‘Nong with returned self-addressed stamped envelopes. oF the 114 questionnaires maliéey 77 were returned fora response rete oF GO. ‘questions and answers fre security officers in your hoapitel Employees of your organization (5) Congract security officers (6) COnbinacton of your onn employees and contract workers (8) Sone 82x of thole responding have exclusively in house Security officers. some 8% Used only contract and ebout 10x used’ a comdYnation. sons ye of tore meer cleting ts worn bythe 8 proprietary ovr zaions: HDT Saas Tes, BORE HePalastar tls ae or mse gan ay an breast peter GD Reels te Miri ays testa See Ee cia bac Oe BS TD mney or cleaning wa mt Fesponsibi lity of the orgamization. Further, 71 respondents indicated that there 15 SPRRGGH tence SPURL pata fr are On a separate issue, 69 responded that their officers are not armed. Five said they are"armed and three’ éid not respond to the question. (Of the 48, respondents to. 2 question asking the main reason for outfitting secur felterd in potses oF wilieacy style untFernes gash 20 felt it was a crine deterrent 23 felt it was a easier to identify the officers in uniform during an eneraency 3 respondents gave the reasons the officers Tiked the uniforms 2 gave reasons that the officers would not wear the uniforns off duty ‘The blazer slacks group had 10 responses: 6 note pubic relations as the main reason 3 wanted a Tow-hey security officer 1 respondent said that blazer-slacks was chosen not to antagonize employees, WERbre, and’ patients. Page 2