Security Guard Post Orders
Write site instructions an officer can follow on any shift, then keep them current as the site changes.
Instructions for one post, every shift
Security guard post orders are the written instructions for a specific post: where the officer stands, what they check, which routes they patrol, who they call, and what they record. They turn the scope of work and the contract into steps an officer can follow on any shift, including the first night on a new site. Good post orders are specific, signed, dated, and reviewed whenever the site changes.
Where post orders fit
The scope of work defines what you are buying. The contract makes it enforceable. Post orders translate both into shift-level instructions for the officers who do the work.
- 1
Scope of work
What you are buying
Written before you request bids
- 2
Post orders
How each post works, shift by shift
Written before the first shift
- 3
Contract
What becomes enforceable
Signed before service starts
A useful test: if a relief officer who has never seen the site reads only the post orders, can they do the job correctly tonight? If not, the post orders are not finished.
General orders, post orders, and special orders
| Type | What it covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General orders | Rules that apply to every officer at every post: conduct, uniform, radio use, reporting, and use-of-force policy | Officers do not leave a post until relieved. |
| Post orders | Instructions for one specific post and shift | The main gate officer checks each truck against the daily delivery list. |
| Special orders | Temporary instructions for a limited period or event | During the roof replacement, the east lot stays closed to visitors. |
Keep special orders dated and remove them when they expire. Expired temporary instructions are one of the most common reasons officers follow the wrong procedure.
What security guard post orders should include
| Section | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Post and schedule | Post name, location, and shift hours | Post 1, Main Gate, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
| Site overview | A map with entrances, exits, restricted areas, and assembly points | Site map attached as page 2 |
| Duties | Specific tasks in the order they happen | Verify each driver against the delivery list |
| Access control | Who may enter, what they must show, and who approves exceptions | Visitors need photo ID and host confirmation |
| Patrol routes | Route, checkpoints, frequency, and what to check | Fence line and docks every two hours |
| Reporting | What to record, in which log or report, and when it is due | Daily activity report by 6 a.m. |
| Escalation | Who to call, in what order, and for which situations | Shift supervisor, then site manager |
| Emergencies | Fire, medical, alarm, and severe-weather steps | Call 911 first, then the site manager |
| Restrictions | What the officer must not do | Do not operate forklifts or enter cold storage |
| Revision | Version number, date, owner, and approvals | Revision 3, approved by the site manager |
Sample post order
A shortened example for a gate post. Adapt it to your site; it is an illustration, not a template for any specific property.
SAMPLE — Post Orders
Site: Sample Distribution Center
Post: Post 1, Main Gate
Shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., seven days a week
Revision: 3 · Owner: Account manager · Approved by: Site manager
Duties
- At the start of the shift, receive the handover from the outgoing officer and read any special orders.
- Verify every inbound truck against the daily delivery list. Record the trailer number, driver name, and time in the gate log.
- Deny entry to any vehicle not on the list until the shipping lead approves by phone. Record the approval.
- Keep the pedestrian gate locked after 11:00 p.m. Staff enter with a badge only.
Patrol
- Every two hours from 11:00 p.m., patrol the fence line, the loading docks, and the trailer yard. Check doors, trailer seals, and the fence, and record each round.
Escalation
- Open door, damaged fence, or broken trailer seal: call the shift supervisor within 15 minutes and record the exception.
- Suspected theft or trespass in progress: call 911, then the shift supervisor, then the site manager.
- Fire or medical emergency: call 911 first, then follow the site emergency plan.
Records
- Deliver the daily activity report and the gate log by 6:00 a.m.
Restrictions
- Do not leave the post until relieved. Do not operate site equipment.
Acknowledgment: each officer signs and dates these post orders before the first shift at this post.
The times and intervals are illustrations. Set values that fit your site, your risk, and your contract.
Write instructions that work at 3 a.m.
Officers read post orders at the start of a shift, often at night, sometimes on their first day at the site. Write for that moment.
| Vague | Specific |
|---|---|
| Monitor the gate | Check every driver's name against the delivery list and record the trailer number |
| Patrol regularly | Patrol the fence line and docks every two hours from 11 p.m. and record each round |
| Report anything suspicious | Report an open door, broken seal, or damaged fence to the shift supervisor within 15 minutes |
| Contact management if needed | Call the site manager for suspected theft, injury, fire, or any vehicle not on the list |
Use short sentences, one action per step, and the same names for places that appear on the site map.
Everything depends on how an order is given. Before a briefing, I read the officer's attention, how rested they are, and how ready they are to listen. Then I deliver the instructions in clear steps, highlight the critical points, repeat them, and ask the officer to say them back. Written post orders must always be briefed out loud, more than once: people don't read them to the end, and "it was written down" means nothing if the officer never understood it. A signature is not a check. I verify with direct questions, at the briefing and again days later.
At the post, the details tell the story. A warm hand at a handshake means the officer hasn't left the booth in a while. A sleepy, confused officer has been asleep. Every officer, even a good one, drifts toward the path of least resistance: it's cold, they're hungry, they're tired, they want to go home. That is why electronic patrol verification matters. It is hard to fake, and it shows what the officer actually did. As a commander, the service always came first, and good officers also need to be recognized and motivated. In Trinity Guard®, the system behind Digital Guard Tour, every shift ends with a percentage score: 100 percent when every checkpoint and task is completed, lower when something is missed. The score appears in the admin dashboard and in the emailed shift report, so good work becomes visible, not just the mistakes.
Build a clear escalation chain
Every post order should answer three questions: what counts as an exception, who the officer calls first, and what happens if that person does not answer. List contacts by role, with a backup for each, and keep the numbers current. In an emergency, the first call is always 911.
Test the chain before the service starts. A call tree that has never been tested often fails on the first night it is needed.
Keep post orders current
Post orders go out of date as soon as the site changes: a new gate, different delivery hours, a new tenant, or a new construction phase. Name one owner on the provider side and one on the client side, and agree that neither changes the post orders alone.
- Add a revision number and date to every version.
- Review after any change to the site, hours, or risks, and after significant incidents.
- Have each officer sign the current version before working the post.
- Keep the current version at the post, on paper or digitally, and archive older versions.
- Remove special orders when they expire.
If a temporary requirement appears, such as a fire watch or an added mobile patrol, issue it as a special order or scope it separately. On an active construction site, post orders may need to change with each project phase.
Post order mistakes to avoid
- Copying a generic template without site-specific details.
- Mixing general rules, post instructions, and temporary orders in one long document.
- Listing duties without saying what to record.
- Naming people instead of roles, then not updating the list when they leave.
- Leaving expired special orders in the binder.
- Writing post orders once and never reviewing them with the officers who use them.
Post orders define what gets recorded
Every duty in the post orders should leave a record: a gate log entry, a completed patrol round, an incident report, or a shift handover. When the records match the post orders, you can see whether the post was worked as written. When they do not, you know where to ask questions. Our provider accountability guide explains how to review those records.
Digital Guard Tour is separate patrol-verification software published by Trinity Guard LLC; it is not a security guard company.
Confirm the provider and the terms
This website does not employ guards. Any agreement is between you and the company you select. Confirm qualifications, staffing, insurance, and terms directly; see our referral disclosure.
Post orders questions
What are security guard post orders?
Post orders are the written instructions for a specific security post: the duties, patrol routes, access rules, escalation contacts, emergency steps, and records required on each shift. They turn the scope of work and the contract into steps an officer can follow.
What is the difference between general orders and post orders?
General orders apply to every officer at every post, such as conduct, uniform, and reporting rules. Post orders apply to one specific post and shift. Temporary instructions for a limited period are usually issued as special orders.
Who writes security guard post orders?
The security provider usually drafts them using the client's site information, and the client reviews and approves them. Both sides should agree on any later changes.
How often should post orders be updated?
Whenever the site, hours, risks, or duties change, and after significant incidents. A common practice is to review them at least once a year even when nothing obvious has changed.
Should security officers sign the post orders?
Yes. Each officer should sign and date the current version before working the post. The signature shows the officer received the instructions, but it does not prove they understood them, so brief the key points out loud as well.
Where should post orders be kept?
At the post, where the officer can reach them on every shift, either in a binder or in a digital system. Keep only the current version at the post and archive older versions.
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