How to hire a security patrol officer

How to hire a security patrol officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step security patrol officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a security patrol officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new security patrol officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a security patrol officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a security patrol officer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A security patrol officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, security patrol officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of security patrol officers.

   Type of Security Patrol Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Security Patrol Officer	Security guards and gaming surveillance officers patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity.	$12-18
   Officer	An officer is responsible for managing the daily operations of the assigned area, ensuring its peace and security by monitoring and reporting unusual and suspicious activities. Officers are the ones enforcing strict safety protocols and procedures to maintain the order within the premises... Show more	$12-49
   Security	A Security's main responsibility is to keep people or an establishment safe. This responsibility is carried out by constantly patrolling a designated area and monitoring the activity within the premises... Show more	$11-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Customer Service
   • Security Services
   • Alertness
   • Emergency Situations
   • Public Safety
   • Security Breaches
   • Bike
   • Security Patrols
   • CPR
   • Foot Patrol
   • Criminal Acts
   • Incident Reports
   • Property Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain alertness while on post.
   • Apply patient restraints as needed.
   • Certify CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and a (automate external defibrillator).
   • Remove stall vehicles from highway lanes to the side shoulder or a CHP designate safe area.
   • Respond to medical calls and provide basic first aid, CPR, or a use as needed.
   • Monitor CCTV operations, card access only doors and create identification badges for new employees/visitors at facility.

   More security patrol officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your security patrol officer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A security patrol officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a security patrol officer in West Virginia may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level security patrol officer usually earns less than a senior-level security patrol officer. Additionally, a security patrol officer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average security patrol officer salary

   $15.23hourly

   $31,673 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level security patrol officer salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average security patrol officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$43,241	$21
   2	Minnesota	$38,116	$18
   3	California	$37,429	$18
   4	Oregon	$36,068	$17
   5	Colorado	$34,755	$17
   6	Utah	$34,270	$16
   7	Illinois	$33,278	$16
   8	Missouri	$32,164	$15
   9	Kansas	$31,456	$15
   10	Indiana	$31,322	$15
   11	Pennsylvania	$31,012	$15
   12	Nevada	$30,997	$15
   13	Arizona	$30,821	$15
   14	Delaware	$30,230	$15
   15	Wisconsin	$29,976	$14
   16	Michigan	$29,513	$14
   17	North Carolina	$28,833	$14
   18	Ohio	$28,443	$14
   19	Texas	$28,169	$14
   20	Oklahoma	$27,409	$13

   Average security patrol officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$45,834	$22.04
   2	University of California	$42,276	$20.32	44
   3	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$37,739	$18.14	10
   4	Rochester City School District	$34,859	$16.76
   5	Tri Cities	$34,736	$16.70	10
   6	Rutherford County	$34,616	$16.64	8
   7	Stark	$33,877	$16.29
   8	Muckleshoot Casino	$33,126	$15.93	5
   9	Castro Valley USD	$32,432	$15.59
   10	Ilitch Holdings	$32,238	$15.50	1
   11	Harrison Steel	$32,031	$15.40
   12	Vallarta Supermarkets	$31,964	$15.37
   13	Adecco	$31,667	$15.22	2
   14	American Security	$30,700	$14.76	37
   15	Firstservice Residential California, Inc.	$30,696	$14.76
   16	Sunstates Security	$30,668	$14.74	153
   17	Andy Frain Services	$30,666	$14.74	220
   18	Command Security	$30,663	$14.74	36
   19	Allied Universal	$30,639	$14.73
   20	HSS	$30,630	$14.73	88

4. Writing a security patrol officer job description

   A job description for a security patrol officer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a security patrol officer job description:

   Security patrol officer job description example

   Schedule: Part Time or Full Time; 3rd shift (Approx. 7:00 PM - 4:00 AM) Weekdays & Weekends

   Pay Rate: $14.00 per hour

   * Opportunity to pick up additional hours during 1st shift, and 2nd shift. *

   WHO YOU ARE

   • A career driven individual/leader who is seeking opportunity within an organization that can help you develop personally and professionally.
   • You can deliver a genuine approach by providing customer service that is above and beyond needs and expectations.

   WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

   • You will be operating our patrol vehicle while also surveying by foot, possibly walking for most of your patrol.
   • Patrol officers play a vital role by actively observing their surroundings, positively engaging with the community, and responding to emergency situations.
   • You will be using the latest technology in the security industry to annotate detailed and accurate reports.

   YOUR PATH & OUR PROMISE

   • Signal 88 Security is growing and we need good people to join us for our journey.
   • You will join a culture of learning and development through our 88 University. Our Officer Advancement Program outlines the path to leadership, promotions and pay incentives.
   • You will be treated with the same respect and care that we show our clients and customers.

   WHO WE ARE

   • Signal 88 Security is the world's most innovative security company and we provide more than your average security service. We are a company that strives to deliver "peace of mind" in every community.
   • We take our Core Values seriously — Passion, Learning, Serving, Relationships, and Honesty and Integrity — and expect all our team members to do the same.
   • We proudly support law enforcement and military personnel , as many of our Franchise Owners have also served their communities and our country.

   WE’RE REQUIRED TO TELL YOU THIS

   Each Signal 88 Security franchise is independently owned and operated. You are applying for work with a franchisee of Signal 88 Security, not Signal 88, LLC. If hired, the franchisee will be your only employer. Franchisees are independent business owners who set their own wage and benefit programs that can vary among franchisees.

   Notice: Signal 88 Security is a Drug-Free Workplace

   Signal 88 Security is an Equal Opportunity Employer

   It is the policy of the company to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and not to discriminate on any basis prohibited by law, including race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. It is our intent and desire that equal employment opportunities will be provided in employment, recruitment, selection, compensation, benefits, promotion, demotion, layoff, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. The executive staff and all managerial personnel are committed to this policy and its enforcement.

   Signal 88 Security may communicate with candidates who apply for employment via email, phone call or texting. By submitting an application you agree to be contacted through these channels.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right security patrol officer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with security patrol officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit security patrol officers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your security patrol officer job on Zippia to find and recruit security patrol officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit security patrol officers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new security patrol officer

   Once you've decided on a perfect security patrol officer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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