As a security officer, your observations show your client what you are doing during your shift and protect your client should an incident occur. For these reasons, your Daily Action Report must be accurate and detailed. The DAR is also referred to as the Shift Report or the Patrol Log.

Take notes in your field notebook while you do your rounds. Do not use your memory to complete your DAR. Note the time regularly. Make note of the weather. Write down detailed descriptions of people. Your client does not want to see "All quiet" written in your report every two hours. Even if everything is quiet, make note of what is going on. Details like weather, the time and who was in the area can be important should an incident occur.

Make note of everything you do on your rounds. This includes making note of any potential fire hazards, any insecure areas and any areas that are not well-lit. Part of your job is to protect your client from liability cases, so make sure to make note of anything that could cause someone harm.

If an incident does occur, make sure you make detailed notes about who was involved, what happened and when it happened. Also make note of where the incident happened and why or how it happened. If the people involved left the scene, add notes about the direction taken by people or cars.

Include your name and the date of your shift when you write your DAR. Also include the start and end times of your shift.

Be detailed, objective and specific when writing your report, using the notes you made in your field notebook. Write down your observations, not your opinions. Keep your notes brief. Bear in mind that the person reading your report is looking for informative detail, not overly descriptive or opinionated passages that go on for pages.

Sign and date your report.