Who are government security officers?

Protective security officers and senior protective security officers are people, who are not police officers, who are hired by the government to monitor state buildings and facilities.

The main purpose of security officers is to act as security guards to state buildings. At times they may also work as guards for buildings which are not state buildings.

However if they are NOT working at a STATE building they are not considered “government security officers” and only have the powers of a regular security guard – see the security guard fact sheet.

What are the powers of protective security officers?

If you are inside or within the precinct of a state building, a SENIOR protective security officer may ask:

• Your name and address
• Evidence of your name or address (driver’s licence, student ID card etc)
• Your reason for being at the building.

If you provide the officer with false information, do not provide any information, do not provide any evidence of your name or address, or provide the officer with a fake ID, or an ID card that contains someone else’s details – then you will have committed an offence.