The Time Has Come to Acknowledge Security as a Profession

Abstract

Despite the importance of private security in today's world, security has yet to become widely accepted as the complex and demanding profession it really is. The successful practice of security requires extensive specialized knowledge as well as a full range of general managerial skills. The field has witnessed much progress in the last decade toward codification of its body of knowledge, development of formal academic programs, and establishment of professional certification programs. The two biggest obstacles to acceptance as a profession are erroneous public perceptions of the field and the lack of a structured prerequisite to practice. Both of these obstacles are being addressed by the industry's leading association and others in the field.

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References

1. Victor Green and Ray Farber , Introduction to Security: Principles and Practices (Los Angeles: Security World, 1975), p. 25.

2. Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (Simon & Schuster), 2d ed., s.v. “profession.”

3. Bennett Moyses Hartman, “The Need for Professionalism in Security Administration” (Ph.D. diss., Pacific Western University, 1978), p. 3.

4. Ibid., p. 1.

5. Ibid., p. 2.

6. Ibid., p. 28.

7. Ibid.

8. Richard S. Post and Arthur A. Kingsbury , Security Administration: An Introduction, 3d ed. (Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, 1977), p. 771.

9. Hartman , “Need for Professionalism,” p. 58.

10.

10. Shari M. Gallery , “Doctor, Lawyer, CPP,” Security Management, 31(1):50 (Jan. 1987).

11.

11. Hartman , “Need for Professionalism,” p. 53.

12.

12. Ibid., reprinted by permission.

13.

13. Ibid., pp. 53-54, reprinted by permission.

14.

14. Gallery , “Doctor, Lawyer, CPP,” p. 50.

15.

15. Ibid., p. 58.

16.

16. Ibid., p. 56.