Factors determining guards’ professional competence

Abstract

It is becoming urgent to research the factors influencing guards’ professional competence. The study subject: 118 guards employed at a private security service company and their 4 direct superiors. The study object: psychobiological and professional factors influencing guards’ professional competence. The study goal: to research the professional competence of guards, and the level of informativeness provided by superiors’ assessment and psychobiological indicators. The research into security guards and the assessment of quantitative criteria by objective research methods (internal assessment) and quantitative subjective methods (superiors’ assessment, observation, survey) with the application of factor analysis technique revealed that the guards’ professional competence assessment given by the greater part of superiors was not informative and reliable. Only the assessment of guards’ motor and fighting skills by superiors come closer to the objective criteria of internal assessment. In carrying out such assessment the application of extensive quantitative investigations reflecting theoretical and practical training, professional activity, mental qualities, age and physical training, motor and fighting skills would be helpful.