Alaska Security Guard
Practice Test

A. Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development ✓

B. Alaska Department of Public Safety

C. Alaska State Troopers

D. Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Correct — A. The Alaska Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing under the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development oversees licensing for security guard professionals. Applicants must meet background and training requirements before obtaining a license.

A. Officer presence ✓

B. Deadly force

C. Hard empty-hand control

D. Intermediate weapons

Correct — A. The force continuum begins with officer/guard presence as the lowest level. The visible presence of a uniformed security guard is often enough to deter undesirable behavior without any physical contact.

A. A sworn peace officer with arrest powers anywhere in the state

B. A federal law enforcement agent

C. A private citizen with no additional police authority ✓

D. A deputy sheriff when on duty

Correct — C. A licensed security guard in Alaska retains only the legal authority of a private citizen. Guards do not receive sworn police powers through their license and cannot exercise authority beyond what any private citizen may lawfully do.

A. The maximum force available to end the situation quickly

B. Reasonable force proportional to the level of threat presented ✓

C. Force equal to what the subject is physically capable of

D. No force under any circumstances

Correct — B. Security guards are legally required to use only reasonable, proportional force in response to a threat. Using more force than the situation demands constitutes excessive force and may result in criminal or civil liability.

A. They suspect someone of any criminal activity

B. A felony has been committed and they have reasonable grounds to believe the person committed it ✓

C. They witness any misdemeanor offense

D. An employer authorizes the arrest in writing

Correct — B. Alaska follows the common-law citizen's arrest rule: a private person may arrest someone for a felony if the felony was actually committed and the citizen has reasonable grounds to believe that person committed it. Citizen's arrest for misdemeanors is generally limited to breaches of the peace committed in the citizen's presence.

A. Always starts at the highest level of force to gain quick compliance

B. Communicates verbally only and never moves up the force continuum

C. Increases the level of force only as the threat level increases ✓

D. Escalates to deadly force if any resistance is shown

Correct — C. Escalation means progressively increasing the level of force in response to an increasing threat. Guards move up the force continuum only when lower levels fail or are clearly inadequate to address the threat level presented.

A. Guards should intervene in all criminal activity they observe

B. Guards must physically detain all trespassers

C. Guards have authority to investigate crimes independently

D. Guards document and report incidents to management or law enforcement without taking enforcement action ✓

Correct — D. An observe-and-report assignment means the security guard's primary duty is to monitor, document, and notify the appropriate parties about incidents or suspicious activity. Guards in this role are not expected to physically intervene beyond their civilian authority.

A. Increase the physical confrontation to resolve a situation faster

B. Give the guard a tactical advantage before using force

C. Replace all security guard training

D. Reduce tension and resolve conflict without physical force when possible ✓

Correct — D. De-escalation involves communication strategies and behavioral approaches intended to calm a situation and prevent the need for physical force. Effective de-escalation protects both the guard and the subject while reducing liability.