Crowd controllers provide vital front line security for the general public in so many settings.
In our day to day life, we see crowd control officers around us, walking the beat in our local shopping precincts, helping to monitor the flow of joggers at a charity run or standing by the rope at the local night spot. They are around us every day, helping and protecting!
So what kind of training and qualifications do these people, who are there to protect us, actually have? There may be more involved in becoming a crowd control officer than you think.
Personal Traits
Observation
- A good crowd control officer will watch, listen and interpret action with alert yet cautious response.
Fit and Agile
- Crowd control officers are sometimes in positions where size is the secondary factor to power and need to be able to use their body to manoeuvre.
Communication
- Some circumstances call for negotiation, the ability to interpret and bargain with someone for a safe outcome.
Air of Trust
- Crowd control officers need to show an air of authority and be approachable to the general public in order to be good protectors.
Training
The training that a crowd control officer undertakes involves a list of important and crucial practices for the management of public safety.
- Conflict resolution
- Personal development
- Interpretation of behaviours
- Maintaining safe environments
- Quick recognition and response
- Leadership
- Recording and reporting
So how do you become qualified to be a Crowd Control Officer?
Qualifying to become a Crowd Control Officer is a process involving liaising with police and security professionals.
- Finding a VETAB and NSW Police approved registered training organisation is where you start. VETAB or The Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board, overseas the accreditation of training providers and courses in NSW.
- Once you find the right training organisation for you, you must enrol in and complete Certificate I Security Operations. There are 3 different kinds of licence classes to choose from, 1C is specifically for Crowd Control Officers.
Once you complete the Certificate I course you can apply to the Security Industry Registry Unit for a Provisional licence. This is a temporary licence that expires after 12 months, which allows you to apply for entry level positions in the security industry.
- Your registered training organisation will give you a Pre-training Criminal Record Check form to complete; they will then submit this on your behalf. Once this record check is passed you will receive your security clearance from NSW police. Without this you will not be able to obtain a full NSW security licence.
- You are now able to enrol in and complete your Certificate II or Certificate III in Security Operations, during this process you must also complete a Senior first aid course, this is generally offered as an add on competency but it's always best to check that your RTO is able to give you this training.
- Once you have your course completion certificate and your senior first aid certificate you can apply for your security licence! You can get the application forms from your local police station.
- You will also need to obtain 2 written character references from approved security professionals. This could be your employer if you are working in the security field already or a senior security officer or teacher/trainer. The referees must be licenced and have been on active duty for 5 consecutive years.
- Once your application has been processed and approved, you will receive a letter to take to the Road Traffic Authority to have your licence photo taken.
You are now a qualified and licenced Crowd Control Officer!
The team at CCB supply event barriers and crowd control barricades across Australia. Contact them today for a free quote on 1300 119 998.
