skip to content

Refine results


Search by

Search by Algolia
Law Handbook banner image

Police security officers, security guards and others

Police security officers

Police security officers are appointed under Part 9A of the Police Act 1998 (SA) to protect certain people, places or vehicles. They are not police officers and cannot exercise the broad powers of the police. Police security officers instead have only those powers necessary to ensure the protection of the person, place or vehicle they are protecting. This includes giving reasonable directions for the purpose of maintaining or restoring security, such as directing a person attempting to enter a protected place to produce identification and submit to a search [s 63Q].

A person who fails to comply with a police security officer’s lawful direction may be refused entry, removed from the protected place or detained until they can be handed over to the police. Reasonable force may be used. It is an offence to hinder or obstruct a police security officer in the course of their duties, refuse their lawful directions or provide a false identity, with a maximum penalty of $2,500 or imprisonment for 6 months [s 63V].

Security guards and others

In some circumstances private citizens may make a lawful arrest (known as a citizen’s arrest):

  • The owner or resident of a property may apprehend a person found committing an offence on or in relation to that property [Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) s 76]
  • A citizen offered property they reasonably believe may be stolen or obtained by unlawful means may apprehend the person offering the property and seize the property until the person and the property can be handed over to the police [Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) s 77]
  • Security guards and bouncers may apprehend a person committing an offence against their employer or on their employer’s property (see also the Security Guards and Bouncers Factsheet)
  • A civilian may arrest a person they witness committing or attempting to commit an offence [Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA) s 271].

Suspecting someone of having committed an offence is not enough for a citizen's arrest. The civilian must see the offender commit the offence. Anyone exercising a power of arrest must be careful because a person wrongly arrested can sue for false arrest and obtain damages or compensation. If a citizen's arrest is made the arrested person must be handed over to the police without delay and a full explanation given of the reasons for the arrest.

Police security officers, security guards and others  :  Last Revised: Tue Oct 31st 2023
The content of the Law Handbook is made available as a public service for information purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice. See Disclaimer for details. For free and confidential legal advice in South Australia call 1300 366 424.