As a security guard, one of your key responsibilities is accurate and timely documentation. Whether it’s a Daily Activity Report (DAR), an incident report, or a log of routine patrols, writing a clear and thorough report is essential.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to write a professional security guard report, avoid common mistakes, and review real-world examples to help you sharpen your reporting skills.
What Is a Security Guard Report?
A security report is a document that you’ll write when on shift. All security officers will need to write security reports to outline their actions for the day, capture details of an incident, and record evidence.
Tip: Learn exactly what is expected of you when writing a security report with our Documentation and Report Writing module. This module covers documentation basics, note-taking best practices, grammar and punctuation tips, and guidelines for witness statements.
Types of Security Reports
There are a few different types of security reports that you may write, including:
- Daily Activity Report (DAR): Provides a detailed log of everything that occurred during your shift. This includes any observations, interactions, patrols, incidents, or notable events.
- Incident Report: Documents specific events or situations that require immediate attention, like thefts or altercations. You’ll write a detailed description of the incident, the individuals involved, actions taken, and any evidence collected. This type of report may be used for legal or insurance purposes.
- Fire and Accident Report: Records any fire-related incidents, workplace accidents, or injuries. These reports help document hazards and determine the cause of the incident to prevent it from happening again. They often include witness statements, emergency response actions, and recommendations for safety improvements.
- Safety or Company Violation Logs: Tracks any breaches of company policies or safety violations. The logs help management address rule violations and take corrective actions as needed.
- Summary Report: Provides an overview of activities, incidents, trends, and significant events over a specific period (like a week or month).
How to Create Accurate and Professional Security Guard Reports
Use this step-by-step guide to write a security report that is informative, accurate, and professionally formatted.
Keep in mind that your security employer may have specific guidelines or templates that need to be followed. Familiarize yourself with those and ask for clarification if you’re unsure about any expectations for your reports.
1. Gather Initial Information
As soon as an incident occurs, start collecting key details, such as:
- Date and time of the incident
- Exact location (use street names, landmarks, or room numbers)
- Individuals involved (full names, roles, descriptions)
- Witnesses (if applicable)
- Any immediate actions taken
Tip: In our guide to security guard equipment, we recommend keeping a pen and notepad handy to quickly record important details before they escape your memory.
2. Create a Summary
If writing an incident or accident report, you should include a summary at the beginning before expanding on details.
The summary should include:
- Who was involved
- What happened
- Where and when did it happen
- How it was resolved
Example entry:
Starting a Security Report
3. Describe What Happened
Provide a chronological account of the incident while focusing on the five Ws:
- Who: List all people involved, including suspects, security officers, and any witnesses. Include full names, roles, and any relevant descriptions.
- What: Describe what happened during the incident.
- When: Note the exact time or timeframe of the incident and include any key timestamps.
- Where: Provide the location of the incident. Specify areas like room numbers, street names, or departments.
- Why: If you know it, explain the cause or reason behind the incident. Avoid making guesses.
With the five Ws, you’ll cover every key aspect of the incident and won’t leave any room for confusion or omissions.
Example entry:
How to describe the scene in a Security Report
4. Include Any Actions Taken
Explain what happened after the initial incident or situation. Be sure to mention who responded, what actions were taken, and when each one occurred.
You should also mention any challenges or other issues.
Was there any delay in getting additional security or law enforcement on-site?
Did the suspect resist, try to flee, or act unpredictably?
Were there any safety risks or concerns that made the response more difficult?
What additional actions did the security officers take?
Your ability to de-escalate or manage incidents will improve with experience, and outlining specific challenges and decisions in your reports can help you see opportunities for improvement.
Example entry:
Describe all actions taken
5. List Evidence and Supporting Information
Make sure to include all relevant evidence to back up your report. This might include security camera footage, photographs, and witness statements.
For security camera footage, list which cameras captured the incident, their locations, and the specific timestamps to help others find the exact footage when needed.
For example, “Camera 4 at the east entrance captured footage from 2:27 PM to 2:30 PM.”
If you have taken photographs, be clear about what they show and why they’re relevant.
For instance, “The photo from 2:40 PM shows the damaged display case, with a clear view of the broken glass.”
You shoud also describe physical evidence, such as stolen or damaged items. Include things like item condition, serial numbers, and any other distinguishing features. If something was stolen, note what’s missing and any identifying marks.
You’ll need to gather witness statements after an incident. List the witness’s full names and contact info.
We go into more detail about the correct action to take after incidents in our Preserving the Incident Scene module. Through this module, you’ll learn more about your role at these scenes, including collecting and documenting evidence.
6. Outline Follow-Up Actions
After writing about the incident and including any gathered evidence, you may need to determine if further investigation is necessary.
This could involve reviewing additional security footage, obtaining more witness statements, or conducting internal inquiries to fully understand the situation. Make a note of this in your report as well, so you have a clear record of the steps taken and any pending actions.
Tip: Don’t forget to update your report as new information becomes available.
7. Review and Finalize the Security Guard Report
After you’ve finished writing the report, check it for spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, or unclear wording.
Finally, make sure all the details are fact-based and objective, and double-check that all relevant timestamps are included.
Common Report Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Below are the three most frequent mistakes and what to do to avoid them.
1. Leaving Out Critical Details
Omitting important details such as dates, times, names, or specific actions can cause confusion, misinterpretation, and even impact legal proceedings.
How to avoid: Double-check that your report answers: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? If certain information is unavailable, make sure to note that in the report instead of just leaving gaps.
2. Using Subjective or Emotional Language
Including opinions or assumptions makes your report less objective and undermines its credibility.
How to avoid: Focus on the facts. Instead of saying, “The suspect acted suspiciously,” describe the actions: “The individual was pacing near the exit and glancing at security cameras.”
We recommend writing in the third-person and past tense to maintain a formal tone and keep the report factual.
3. Using Informal Language or Jargon
Unnecessary abbreviations, slang, or casual phrasing make reports unclear and unprofessional. For example, saying “the car got wrecked” instead of “the vehicle had visible damage” makes it confusing for the reader to determine the severity or nature of the situation.
How to avoid: Put the full word in brackets after any abbreviations and avoid using casual phrasing or exaggerated language. Keep the language formal and straightforward, bearing in mind that the report could be used in court.
We talk about the importance of factual reports in our Courtroom Demeanor module. You’ll learn how to prepare for testimonies, which includes reviewing notes and reports, as well as how to give a clear and professional testimony when required.
Submit your security report promptly
Security Report Examples
Check out these examples of security reports, and consider the way both reports are structured to provide objective information in chronological order.
Example 1: Daily Activity Report (DAR)
The following is an example of a DAR from the first half of a security guard’s shift.
Date: March 17, 2025
Shift Time: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Security Officer: Luis Garcia
Location: Pine Ridge Office Complex
07:00 AM – Shift Start
Logged into the system and received a shift briefing from the outgoing officer. Checked security equipment (radios and flashlight) to ensure they were working properly.
Verified all security systems were functioning normally with no overnight alarms or issues.
08:15 AM – Patrol of Main Entrance and Parking Lot
Patrolled the main entrance and the surrounding parking lot and verified that all entry points were secure.
Checked for unauthorized vehicles or individuals. Observed normal activity with no issues or suspicious behavior. No incidents were logged.
09:00 AM – Building Interior Check
Conducted a patrol of Building A, including common areas, restrooms, and stairwells.
Discovered an unlocked door on the second floor near the stairwell. Inspected the area for signs of unauthorized entry or tampering. Found no signs of forced entry.
Secured the door and double-checked all other doors on the floor.
Reported the incident to the supervisor via radio and logged the incident for further follow-up.
10:30 AM – Patrol of Parking Lot
Completed a routine patrol of the parking lot, inspecting all parked vehicles for damage or suspicious items.
Noticed a broken window on a red sedan (license plate 506 FXY).
No individuals were observed near the vehicle at the time.
Notified the vehicle owner, who was contacted via the information provided by the front desk.
Reported the incident to the supervisor and logged the details for maintenance and follow-up actions.
12:00 PM – Lunch Break
Took a 30-minute lunch break.
Jane Smith covered the main entrance during this period.
No incidents were reported.
Example 2: Incident Report
The following is an example of an incident report for vandalism that occurred when the security guard was on patrol.
Date: March 17, 2025
Time of Incident: 10:30 AM
Location: Pine Ridge Office Complex, Parking Lot
Security Officer: Luis Garcia
Incident Type: Vandalism (Broken Window)
Incident Report Number: 2025-03-17-001
Description of Incident
At approximately 10:30 AM, during a routine patrol of the parking lot, I observed a red sedan (license plate 506 FXY) with a broken window on the driver’s side. There were no individuals nearby at the time of the discovery. The vehicle appeared to have been vandalized, as there were no other signs of forced entry or theft within the vehicle.
Actions Taken
Immediately notified the supervisor of the incident via radio.
Inspected the vehicle for any additional damage or suspicious items, but found nothing further.
Attempted to contact the vehicle owner through the front desk using the provided contact information. The vehicle owner was reached, and arrangements were made for the vehicle to be secured and assessed.
Incident was reported to maintenance for the broken window, and follow-up actions were scheduled.
Witnesses
None at the scene.
Follow-Up Required
Maintenance to address the broken window.
Vehicle owner to confirm if any items were missing or if further damage is found.
Report Filed By
Luis Garcia
Security Officer
Pine Ridge Office Complex
Stay Informed, Not Overwhelmed With Online Guard Training
Learning how to write a security report comes with practice.
With time, your report-writing skills will improve, making your documentation more useful for investigations, legal proceedings, and internal reviews.
If you want to learn other key responsibilities and expectations of a security guard in the US, check out our full list of courses, and enroll today to start expanding your knowledge and honing your skills.
“What cannot be documented accurately might as well have never happened.”
