Alberta Basic Security Training (ABST) Practice Exam 2025

What is the appropriate action to take after calling the police for assistance with a hostile individual?

1. Monitor the situation without further intervention

2. Start a conversation with the individual

3. Ensure the individual remains isolated

4. Wait until the police arrive before taking action

The correct answer is: Monitor the situation without further intervention

The appropriate course of action after calling the police for assistance with a hostile individual is to monitor the situation without further intervention. This allows you to remain aware of the developing circumstances and provides you with the ability to inform the responding officers of any changes or necessary details when they arrive. Maintaining a safe distance and observing without engaging further ensures that you do not escalate the situation or provoke the individual, which could potentially lead to harm for yourself or others. Your role as a security guard is to prioritize safety while ensuring you are providing accurate information to law enforcement without complicating the situation further. While starting a conversation with the individual might seem like a way to de-escalate, it carries risks of misunderstanding and hostility that may not be warranted or could worsen the situation. Ensuring the individual remains isolated could also be problematic if it involves confronting them, which may incite aggression. Waiting until the police arrive before taking any action could leave you uninformed about what is happening, as you would be passive rather than proactively ensuring safety. Therefore, monitoring the situation allows for a balanced approach that keeps safety a priority while readying for law enforcement involvement.