Security guards control building access for employees and visitors. Security guards and gaming surveillance officers patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, and other illegal activity. Duties Security guards and gaming surveillance officers typically do the following: * Enforce laws and protect an employer's property * Monitor alarms and closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras * Respond to emergencies * Control building access for employees and visitors * Conduct security checks over a specified area * Write reports on what they observed while on duty * Detain violators Guards and officers must remain alert, looking out for anything unusual. In an emergency, they are required to call for assistance from police, fire, or ambulance services. Some security guards are armed. A security guard's responsibilities vary from one employer to another. In retail stores, guards protect people, merchandise, money, and equipment. They may work with undercover store detectives to prevent theft by customers and employees, detain shoplifting suspects until the police arrive, and patrol parking lots. In offices and factories, security guards protect workers and equipment and check the credentials of people and vehicles entering and leaving the premises. Security guards work in many other environments, because they work wherever people and assets need to be protected. Security guards, also called security officers, protect property, enforce rules on the property, and deter criminal activity. Some guards are assigned a stationary position from which they monitor alarms or surveillance cameras. Other guards are assigned a patrol area where they conduct security checks. Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators act as security agents for casinos. Using audio and video equipment in an observation room, they watch casino operations for suspicious activities, such as cheating and theft, and monitor compliance with rules, regulations, and laws. They maintain and organize recordings from security cameras, which are sometimes used as evidence in police investigations.