What does the terms armed, non-lethal, or unarmed mean?
Armed guards are specially trained in the use of firearms and licensed to carry firearms during their shift. They must be of an even temperament and have a good understanding of the conditions surrounding the property they are protecting. Armed guards are typically only be used in situations requiring the protection of money, jewelry, art works, firearms, or other objects which might attract armed robbers. Non-lethal guards are trained in the use of non-lethal weapons that are designed to incapacitate a person without causing permanent harm. These can include but are not limited to: tasers or stun guns, rubber or bean bag bullet firearms, mace or pepper spray. Unarmed simply means that the security personnel do not carry complex offensive weapons of any kind. While this can be viewed as undesirable, unarmed officers are typically the most common, non-threatening and effective form of security personnel available.
