ABSTRACT
Security professionals engage the public in so many settings and circumstances that it is a sure bet that criminal conduct will be witnessed. This chapter advises the security professional and practitioner on potential criminal liabilities. While the majority of liability problems are civil in scope and design, criminal charges can be and are lodged against security personnel, agencies, businesses, and industrial concerns. The chapter gives a schematic outline of the types of criminal behavior most frequently brought forth in a security setting and provided factual patterns for evaluation. The security industry cannot avoid the ravages of criminal homicide and, in fact, due to improper use of weaponry or mistaken identity, are sometimes the accused. Criminal acts of homicide are being recorded due to the installation, maintenance, and operational oversight of electronic surveillance systems and other technological equipment utilized to protect the internal and external premises of businesses.
