Security guard equipment: what to buy (and what the agency supplies)

Security guard equipment falls into two groups. One part belongs to the agency, which must supply it and pay for it under the decree. The other part is up to you, and it is what makes the difference after ten hours on your feet outdoors in January. Here is what the law provides, what a guard cannot carry, and what to look for before buying the rest.

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What the agency must supply

The Decree respecting security guards applies to agency guards. Its section 8.02 is clear. The employer pays for the uniform and equipment it requires its guards to wear, except socks, belts and shoes. Safety shoes it requires are supplied by the employer.

• Every year, 4 shirts and 2 pairs of pants.
• When the duties require it, 1 winter coat with a hood, and 1 raincoat with a rain hat.
• The equivalent in women's clothing for women, and maternity clothing for pregnant women.
• For A-01 permanent guards, a yearly renewal with new clothing, in exchange for the worn items.

The employer cannot make any deduction from pay for this uniform and equipment. When the job ends, you return everything it supplied (s. 8.02). If the agency does not supply a uniform, the decree provides for the P-9 premium (s. 1). Our article on the security guard decree gives the details, and our first day guide says what to check when you are hired.

Your licence belongs to you. The Bureau de la sécurité privée states that you keep it as long as it is valid, even if the employer paid for it. You must show it when a person asks you to identify yourself (s. 2 of the Regulation respecting standards of conduct of agent licence holders carrying on a private security activity).

What the law says about equipment

The Private Security Act allows the government to set, by regulation, the features of uniforms and the standards for using equipment (s. 111). The three regulations made under this Act deal with the application of the Act and licences, with training and with the conduct of guards. None of them lists permitted equipment. What you carry on duty is therefore decided by the agency and its client, within the limits of other laws.

Three limits apply to everyone.

• No pepper spray against people. Any device designed to injure, immobilize or incapacitate a person by discharging a gas or a sprayed liquid is a prohibited weapon in Canada (federal Regulations on prohibited weapons, Part 3, s. 1).
• No police status. The guard licence does not confer peace officer status (s. 3 of the Private Security Act).
• No more force than necessary. The guard must not use more force than necessary (s. 3 of the Regulation respecting standards of conduct). See our article on use of force.

Handcuffs require training. If a post requires them, the agency supplies them and trains the guard. In the field, guards more often use self-locking cable ties, or tie-wraps, also supplied by the agency. Batons and other intervention tools follow the same rule. This article therefore recommends none of these items.

Safety boots

The decree leaves ordinary shoes up to you, but safety shoes required by the employer are supplied by the employer (s. 8.02). First ask whether your post requires them.

What to look for

• On a construction site, every person must wear class 1 protective footwear that complies with standard CAN/CSA-Z195 (s. 2.10.6 of the Safety Code for the construction industry). Look for this on the label.
• Indoors, in an office tower, a hospital or a shopping centre, a light shoe with a non-slip sole that is easy to polish spares your back on long rounds.
• On winter patrol, an insulated, waterproof boot with a sole that grips on ice. Try it on with the thick socks you will actually wear.

Our 3 picks

• KPR M222, 6-inch CSA safety boot. Waterproof, Thinsulate insulation, composite toe and ESR electrical protection. For construction sites and winter patrol.
• Tiger King 8-inch CSA safety boot. Black leather, waterproof, metal-free composite toe. Higher at the ankle for snow.
• Terra Crossbow, 10-inch insulated CSA boot. Waterproof and insulated, composite toe. For long outdoor shifts in the dead of winter.

The cold

The winter coat with a hood is supplied when the nature of the duties requires it (s. 8.02). Everything worn under and around it is often up to you.

What to look for

• Layers. A base layer that wicks sweat away, in merino wool or synthetic, never cotton. An insulating layer on top, which you take off indoors.
• Gloves. Gloves that let you write and use the radio and the phone screen, and mittens to pull over them for long stationary periods.
• The toque. Plain and dark, one that fits under the hood. Ask whether the agency supplies one in its colours.

Our 3 picks

• Carhartt W.P. waterproof insulated gloves. Black, waterproof and insulated. Among the most reviewed winter gloves on Amazon.ca.
• toolant 3M insulated winter gloves. Waterproof, with a reinforced palm that resists wear.
• Mechanix Wear Tactical ColdWork Original gloves. All black, insulated and water resistant, touchscreen capable. A tactical fit that keeps fingers nimble.

Flashlight

What to look for

• A USB-C rechargeable light that charges in the car or at the post.
• Several brightness levels, including a low one to read a report without dazzling yourself.
• A clip or belt holster, and a sturdy body in case it falls on concrete.
• Cold drains batteries faster. Keep the light in an inside pocket between rounds.

Our 3 picks

• Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA. A small 350-lumen tactical light that runs on an AA battery or a rechargeable battery.
• Streamlight MicroStream USB. USB rechargeable, 250 lumens, with a clip that holds in a shirt pocket.
• Streamlight Stylus Pro USB. A rechargeable penlight with holster, handy for reading a plate, a licence or a report.

All-weather pen and waterproof notebook

The incident report starts with your notes. An ordinary ballpoint pen struggles in the cold and on a wet page. An all-weather pen and a notebook with waterproof paper solve the problem.

What to look for

• A pen that writes in the cold, upside down and on damp paper.
• A pocket notebook with a hard cover, which fits in a shirt pocket.

Our 3 picks

• Fisher Space Pen Bullet 400B. The pen that writes upside down, in the cold and on wet paper. Closed, it fits in any pocket.
• Rite in the Rain No. 97 metal clicker pen. Made for writing in the rain, with a sturdy clip for a shirt pocket.
• Zebra F-701. Stainless steel body, sturdy and inexpensive. A classic among guards and police officers.

And the notebook

• Rite in the Rain 4 x 6 inch top-spiral notebook (pack of 3). Waterproof paper, top spiral like a police notepad.
• Rite in the Rain mini stapled notebook. Smaller, for a shirt pocket.
• All-weather spiral notebooks (pack of 10). A cheaper option to keep one in every coat.

For material to keep on hand, our printable notebook gathers the articles of your choice, ready to print. For how to write your notes, see our incident report template.

Duty belt and radio holster

The decree leaves the belt up to you (s. 8.02). The radio, however, is part of the equipment the agency pays for when it requires it.

What to look for

• A nylon duty belt, stiff enough to carry a holster without sagging.
• A holster that fits the radio model at your post. Ask for the model before buying.
• As little weight as possible. A light belt spares your hips and back.

Our 3 picks

• MOZETO 2-inch duty belt. Nylon inner and outer belt, with keepers, stiff enough to carry a holster.
• Vutirp 2-inch duty belt. Same idea, with a hook lining and 4 keepers.
• VOTAGOO GEAR 2-inch duty belt. Nylon with a hook lining, to secure the outer belt.

And the radio holster

• VIPERADE radio holster. Universal, worn vertically or horizontally on the belt.
• Zeadio radio holster. Universal and adjustable, several carry positions.
• YNIBST radio holster. Universal, for Motorola radios and most common models.

High-visibility vest

When the employer requires a vest, near traffic, a construction site or in a parking lot, it pays for it (s. 8.02). A vest of your own is still useful for an unplanned replacement shift.

What to look for

• The CSA Z96 standard on the label.
• Reflective stripes that go all the way around the torso, front and back.
• A size that fits over the winter coat.

Our pick

• Orange mesh vest with double reflective stripes. The vest is usually supplied by the employer. Having your own is still handy for an unplanned replacement shift or a night round. Light and breathable, this one goes over the coat.

Frequently asked questions

Must the agency supply boots?

Only if they are safety shoes it requires. Ordinary shoes remain the guard's expense (s. 8.02 of the decree).

Can a security guard carry handcuffs in Quebec?

No regulation under the Private Security Act lists permitted or prohibited equipment. Carrying handcuffs is therefore up to the agency and its client, and requires training. In the field, guards more often use self-locking cable ties (tie-wraps). A guard must never use more force than necessary (s. 3 of the Regulation respecting standards of conduct).

Can a security guard carry pepper spray?

No. A spray designed to incapacitate a person is a prohibited weapon in Canada (federal Regulations on prohibited weapons, Part 3, s. 1).

Can the employer deduct the uniform from my pay?

No. The decree prohibits any deduction from wages related to the uniform and equipment supplied (s. 8.02).

How many shirts and pants must the agency supply?

Four shirts and two pairs of pants per year, plus a winter coat with a hood and a raincoat when the duties require it (s. 8.02).

Sources

• LégisQuébec: Decree respecting security guards, sections 1 and 8.02
• LégisQuébec: Private Security Act, sections 3 and 111
• LégisQuébec: Regulation respecting standards of conduct of agent licence holders carrying on a private security activity, sections 2 and 3
• LégisQuébec: Safety Code for the construction industry, section 2.10.6
• Justice Canada: Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted (SOR/98-462), Part 3, section 1
• Bureau de la sécurité privée: frequently asked questions