Professional Security Institute 24Hr Practice Test 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

Authority for security officers comes from the property they protect. They can question someone only when that person is on the property the officer is hired to safeguard, because that’s where the officer’s duties—access control, safety, and surveillance—apply. On the client’s property, the officer has the right to ask for identification or purpose of visit and to take appropriate steps if something seems off. In contrast, on public property the officer typically lacks the authority to demand information, and on private property not tied to the officer’s assignment, their authority isn’t established by that contract. So the scenario where questioning is appropriate is when the person is on the client’s property—the site the officer is designated to protect.