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Book review: The Canadian Security Professionals Guide |
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| Written by Derek Knights, on Tue-January-2010 |
 There’s a new book for security personnel and right in the Preface, it’s described as “a helpful practical tool that references Canadian best practices and laws…” And it is.
In fact, from a Canadian security perspective (and I’d guess almost any country’s) it’s the only book in town.
Security practitioners have historically had a stapled bundle of
photocopied rules, ad hoc post orders, possibly a well-thumbed binder,
and often only the painful memories of past mistakes as a guide to the
job.
The book, by Christopher Menary, is The Canadian Security Professionals
Guide, published by Carswell. Menary is an experienced security
trainer based in Toronto, and sits on a Canadian government committee
that addresses security guard training requirements. He is also the
president of the Centre for Security Training & Management, in
Toronto. He is well-versed in this topic, and the book’s detailed
content confirms it.
He aims this book at the security guard in any environment, commercial,
industrial, residential – and discusses these fields and others in the
book’s opening chapter. What follows are another three dozen or so
chapters of duties and requirements, often to an extremely granular
degree.
It’s a valuable addition to any security desk or bookshelf. I hope the
next edition, though, changes the binding method; it’s bound using a
cumbersome coil the size of a bike rack — I’d like to see it in a mini
three-ring binder so occasional revisions can be inserted. And I hope
this book does become a standard in the industry and reach a 2nd
edition for two reasons: one) the industry needs it, and two) it needs
some work.
This book’s downside is not in content (or even binding) but in editing
and formatting. Well, perhaps some content; for example, it’s over 730
pages and about 100 of those, Appendix D, reprints the “Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act” right down to dozens of pages of scientific
names. It’s not necessary for its intended audience. Also, listing each
province’s trespass and security guard legislation might be superfluous
— though some national companies might like it; here is the value of
the three-ring — it’s easier to catch updates and changes which, with
all provinces/territories in the mix, could be annually.
Editing and formatting throughout the book is inconsistent. Writing
style runs from early high school to post university level, indicating several contributors. Some attention to modulating this
throughout the document would make it read more easily. The same goes
for point-of-view; sometimes the text reads, “the security officer
should check…” and other times it reads, “you should check…” Again,
this is likely due to a consolidation of multiple versions or different
vintages of source documentation.
This industry still has a long way to go in improving its image in the
eye of the general public. Clients are often too cost-conscious to
worry about image, and the demeanour and appearance of the guards often
reflect this. It becomes a spiralling self-fulfilling prophecy. The
industry often seems to be the last one in line to set the standards
it’ll live by. This book can go a long way in turning this around,
particularly in light of wishy-washy government regulation or the lack
thereof.
In an early chapter, Menary describes the importance of “appearance”
for the security guard – be neat, clean, polished, avoid general
sloppiness, and be confident. His book should present the same sort of
image. It’s almost there. I hope everyone in this industry buys a copy
and supports it. It deserves a second shot.
The Canadian Security Professionals Guide
Christopher J. Menary
730 pages
Publisher: CARSWELL
Canadian Price: $75
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