How to Use This Playbook

This playbook is the leadership standard for how this site is run. It is written for the Site Supervisor and the shift leads, and it is meant to be read, kept, and returned to. The front sections explain how and why we lead the way we do; the appendices at the back are the checklists and tools you print and use every day.

It works alongside Sunstates company policy and the client’s approved Post Orders — it does not replace them. Where this playbook sets a standard, that standard is built to reinforce company policy and the Post Orders that govern officer duties at each post. If anything here ever appears to conflict with official Sunstates policy or the client’s Post Orders, those documents control, and the question goes to the Assistant Account Manager.

In the emergency procedures (Section 8), a few details are marked [confirm for site]. Those are the facts to finalize with the Assistant Account Manager before this goes live — the 911 and dispatch protocol, the client’s emergency contact, evacuation assembly points, first-aid and AED availability, and whether officers are authorized to render aid.

1 · Introduction

1.1 Why This Playbook Exists

This playbook was created to give current and future leaders the structure, guidance, and support that were not here when this leadership came up. When I stepped into leadership, I did not have a playbook, a clear system, or a roadmap. I learned through trial and error — through experience, mistakes, and persistence. That taught me a great deal, but it also taught me how hard leadership is when there is no structure and no consistent process.

This playbook exists so that future leaders do not have to learn everything the hard way. It is a foundation to build on — something that helps Site Supervisors, shift leads, and future leaders understand not only what to do, but why we do it. It is not meant to replace critical thinking, problem-solving, or judgment; it provides the expectations, systems, and best practices that let leaders perform consistently.

It is also meant to create continuity. If a leader is promoted, transfers, or leaves, the knowledge and systems should remain, so the people who come next have the same tools and guidance. Above all, this playbook exists to support the culture we are building — one of trust, accountability, professionalism, communication, fairness, teamwork, and leadership development. The goal is not simply to manage people. It is to develop them. Strong leaders create strong teams, and strong teams create strong operations.

“I didn’t have a playbook. This exists so future leaders do.”

1.2 Leadership Commitment Statement

Every officer on this site should feel like they matter. As leaders, we are committed to creating an environment where officers feel supported, respected, heard, and valued. Our operation does not run without our people, and that fact shapes how we lead. Leadership on this site is committed to:

Treating people fairly and leading by example.
Maintaining professionalism and communicating openly and honestly.
Following through on commitments and holding people accountable consistently.
Supporting officer and leadership development.
Creating structure and stability, and building trust through actions.

We believe leadership is not about authority — it is about service. Our job is to give our officers the tools, guidance, support, and confidence to succeed, and to create a place where people feel comfortable asking questions, feel supported through challenges, feel respected regardless of position, and have room to grow. Leadership is not measured by titles; it is measured by the impact we have on the people we serve.

“Create leaders. Develop people. Support the team. Protect the culture. Satisfy the client. Leave the site better than we found it.”

2 · Culture & Leadership Philosophy

2.1 Leadership Philosophy

Leadership here starts with one idea: take care of your people. The officers are the operation, and that shapes how leadership behaves — fairly, consistently, and with real investment in the people doing the work. That care is balanced by clear boundaries: leadership is friendly, but not friends; approachable, understanding, and fair, with no favorites and no double standards. Real leadership sometimes means being selfless — stepping outside personal preference to do what the team and the operation need. It is not about rank or ego; it is about creating structure, solving problems, communicating clearly, and protecting the culture.

“Take care of your people. Be friendly, but not friends. Be approachable, understanding, and fair. There should be no favorites. Standards apply equally across the board.”

2.2 Site Culture Standards

The culture should be team-oriented, structured, fair, professional, and drama-free. People should be able to come to work, do their job well, support one another, and leave knowing they were treated fairly — glad to be here, not just tolerating it. Support and accountability are held together, not traded against each other: officers should feel supported, heard, and clear on expectations, and at the same time follow instructions, follow the chain of command, meet standards, and own their mistakes. Clear expectations are not a burden; they are what keeps the site calm. Structure exists to create stability, not to punish.

2.3 What Destroys Culture

A strong culture takes consistent effort to build and very little to damage. Leadership is responsible for actively preventing the fastest culture killers: false promises, two-faced leadership, gossip and rumors, favoritism and inconsistency, emotional leadership, and bypassing the chain of command. Culture follows leadership — whatever happens at the top trickles down, calm and accountability as surely as chaos and gossip. And culture does not change because of one meeting; it changes through repetition: consistent fairness, professionalism, and accountability, day after day, until good habits replace old ones.

“Leadership should bring clarity, consistency, and professionalism to the site — not confusion, division, or unnecessary drama.”

2.4 The Officer’s Experience of Leadership

How leadership makes officers feel directly affects how the site runs. When officers deal with a lead, the supervisor, or the Assistant Account Manager, they should come away feeling respected, heard, supported, and clear on what is expected — comfortable bringing a question, a concern, or a mistake without anxiety. People accept a decision they disagree with far more easily when they feel genuinely heard in the process. When an officer makes a mistake, the response pairs empathy with clear boundaries: stay professional, solve the problem, reinforce the expectation, and correct the behavior without humiliating the person. When something is being done wrong, the first move is often to retrain rather than to punish.

“Leadership should be able to hold officers accountable while still treating them with professionalism, empathy, and respect.”

2.5 What Officers Need From Leadership

There is a difference between what officers want and what they need. What they need, consistently, is direction, clear communication, consistency, structure, fair treatment and support, and training and retraining. Underneath all of it is one core job: leadership exists to remove confusion. When leadership fails officers, the site rarely falls apart at once — it declines slowly, effort drops to the minimum, communication thins, and respect fades. Culture is modeled, not demanded: people reflect the leadership they actually experience, which means the behavior leadership wants must be the behavior leadership shows first.

2.6 Leadership Integrity: The Never-Dos

Some behaviors damage trust so quickly that they are off limits for anyone in a leadership role. Leadership should never gossip, lie or make false promises, react emotionally or retaliate, play favorites, avoid accountability, release information before it is ready, or create confusion through careless communication. Trust is operational, not just personal — once officers stop trusting leadership, communication, morale, accountability, and respect all decline with it. Part of integrity is knowing what not to share: not every piece of information is ready to be released, and leaking it early creates rumors and false expectations.

“Not all information is meant for immediate release. Leadership must understand the difference between transparency and operational confidentiality.”

2.7 Warning Signs of Failing Leadership

Leadership problems are easiest to fix early. The warning signs that a leader is slipping: dishonesty; two-faced behavior; oversharing and gossip; emotional leadership that runs on feelings instead of logic; avoiding accountability or covering mistakes; and performative leadership — acting differently when upper management or the client is around than when no one is watching. That last one matters: if the work is genuinely being done, being observed should change nothing. Confident leadership operates the same way whether or not anyone is watching.

2.8 Leadership Presence

The site mirrors its leadership. Calm spreads, and so do panic and drama — whatever the top models flows down. Because of that, emotional discipline is a real expectation of the role: stay steady under pressure, communicate clearly when things get tense, and behave consistently from one day to the next. A leader who stays composed gives the whole shift permission to do the same.

2.9 Core Leadership Principles

Ten principles run through everything in this playbook:

Take care of your people. People perform best when they feel supported, respected, and valued.
Lead by example. Never ask someone to do something you are unwilling to do yourself.
Support with structure. People need support and they need clear expectations. Both are necessary.
Communicate early and often. Good communication prevents most problems — written, verbal, and followed up.
Develop people. The goal is not to create followers. It is to create future leaders.
Make the right decision. The goal is not to be right. The goal is to make the right decision.
Be fair and consistent. Trust is built through consistency. People should know what to expect.
Protect the culture. Do not tolerate gossip, favoritism, dishonesty, drama, or poor leadership.
Own the problem. Leaders take ownership. They do not blame others; they work toward solutions.
Leave it better than you found it. Every shift, every day, every interaction.

2.10 Site Non-Negotiables

These standards apply to all personnel assigned to this site. They exist to maintain professionalism, safety, accountability, and operational excellence.

Chain of command — follow it; exceptions are emergencies or concerns involving direct leadership misconduct.
Professionalism — respectful communication, appearance, and behavior with officers, contractors, clients, and visitors.
Uniform & PPE compliance — proper uniform, grooming, and required PPE. Our appearance reflects our professionalism.
Attendance & reliability — arrive on time, report as scheduled, follow call-out procedures. Reliability is a core job function.
Reporting — complete required reports and hourly entries, document accurately. If it happens, it should be documented.
Phone usage — kept to a minimum, never interfering with duties; remain attentive and engaged.
Post responsibility — remain alert, follow Post Orders, perform assigned duties, protect the client’s interests.
Sleeping on post — unacceptable; a serious violation that may result in immediate corrective action.
Honesty & integrity — tell the truth, take accountability. Trust is difficult to build and easy to lose.
Team-first mentality — support one another, communicate, help solve problems, contribute to a positive culture.

2.11 Leadership Success Metrics

Success is not measured by the absence of problems — it is measured by the health of the operation. Leadership is on track when: officers feel supported, respected, and heard, and retention and morale hold; leads make sound decisions, solve problems independently, and develop their officers; posts stay covered while scheduling, attendance, reporting, and communication improve; gossip and drama decrease while accountability, trust, and professionalism increase; client concerns decrease and confidence increases; and fewer issues require escalation because leaders handle them at the right level.

“If I am not here today, can the operation still run successfully?” If the answer is yes, leadership development is working.

3 · Leadership Structure

3.1 Chain of Command

The chain of command exists to create structure, accountability, communication, and leadership development. It is not designed to prevent communication — it is designed to ensure problems are addressed at the appropriate level while letting leaders build problem-solving skills and ownership. Every leadership level should have the chance to solve issues within its area before escalation. Communication flows both up and down: problems may be escalated upward when necessary, and solutions should be communicated back down through the same chain, so each level keeps its authority and the structure stays intact.

Normal chain of command

OFFICER

↓

SHIFT LEAD

↓

SITE SUPERVISOR

↓

ASSISTANT ACCOUNT MANAGER

Resolution flows back down

ASSISTANT ACCOUNT MANAGER

↓

SITE SUPERVISOR

↓

SHIFT LEAD

↓

OFFICER

Exceptions

If an issue directly involves the lead (misconduct, professionalism, conflict), the officer may go directly to the Site Supervisor.
Emergencies may be escalated immediately. Leadership always prioritizes safety over process.

When an officer bypasses the chain (non-emergency)

The goal is to educate and reinforce the process, not to punish. On a first occurrence, answer the question when appropriate, then explain the chain and redirect the officer to the right level for future concerns. On repeated occurrences, ask whether they have spoken to their lead, and direct them back to the lead first. The objective is to build trust in the structure rather than dependence on any one leader.

“Support the officer while strengthening the chain. Answer, redirect, and reinforce — don’t just solve it and move on.”

3.2 Communication Standards

On a large, constantly changing site, the biggest risk is information not reaching the people who need it. The site runs on three layers on purpose: a written pass-down log creates an accountable record; a verbal hand-off between shifts adds the context a log can’t capture; and a site-wide phone group keeps every post aware of significant events as they happen. Written communication matters, but verbal communication prevents confusion, so critical information is passed both ways.

GroupMe is for operational information only — not chit-chat, reactions, or noise that fills officers’ phones on opposite shifts. Side conversations belong in direct messages, and officers should not give out another officer’s number without permission. The site is also moving toward standardized radio communication: professional, clear transmissions, less unnecessary chatter, and a clear lane for priority and emergency traffic. The finalized 10-code reference will live in the appendix once it is set.

4 · Site Supervisor Operations

4.1 The Supervisor’s Day

The Site Supervisor’s role is to maintain operational awareness, support and develop the leadership team, ensure standards are met, and protect the culture. The job is run proactively — staying ahead of problems instead of waiting for them to grow. On arrival, the first priority is people and awareness, not paperwork: understand what changed last shift, what is active, what the lead needs, and how the officers are doing. Administrative work comes after that picture is clear. When a lot is happening at once, the order is: assess the operation, assess the people, handle urgent issues and escalations, then handle administrative work.

Across the day the supervisor reviews schedule changes and lead adjustments at a set time, reviews Vision Insights, responds to email promptly, stays on top of onboarding, communicates steadily with the leads, and remains visible in the operation. A short, consistent daily schedule review prevents the scheduling, coverage, overtime, and payroll problems that pile up when review is left to the end of the week.

“How are my people, and what does the operation need right now?”

4.2 Leadership Oversight

Leadership runs in layers: leads own the shift, the supervisor oversees the operation, and the Assistant Account Manager oversees structure and payroll. Leads are first-line accountability — they hold the standard on their shift. The supervisor’s rounds verify the leads are holding it consistently. If several officers are out of standard, the real question is why the lead didn’t catch it. The supervisor supports and develops the leads without removing their ownership of the shift — inspect what you expect; the aim is leadership development, not micromanagement.

4.3 Scheduling & Payroll

Scheduling accuracy protects coverage, controls overtime, and prevents payroll errors, and responsibility for it is shared. Officers review their schedule weekly and confirm shifts every Thursday. Leads make accurate real-time changes in eHub — coverage updates and shift adjustments — and communicate them to the supervisor. The supervisor reviews the schedule daily, verifies the leads’ changes, monitors staffing, and catches mistakes before they reach payroll, then prepares for the weekly payroll review with the Assistant Account Manager.

Overtime is controlled intelligently, not emotionally: coverage is offered to officers under forty hours first, prioritizing those with the fewest scheduled hours, with overtime used only when necessary and excessive overtime avoided. Overtime actually worked is always recorded and paid — control refers to how shifts are offered, never to withholding pay. Time-off runs on a thirty-day line: with thirty or more days’ notice, leadership helps arrange coverage; with less, the officer is responsible for finding their own coverage.

“Review daily so problems don’t pile up weekly.”

4.4 Attendance & Call-Outs

When an officer needs to call out, the expected sequence is: call out at least four hours before the shift; contact the on-duty lead or the site lead phone directly; the lead takes ownership of coverage and works it immediately using the overtime philosophy; the lead documents the call-out and the actions taken; and if coverage cannot be resolved, the lead escalates to the supervisor. A doctor’s note or supporting documentation may be required on return.

A single call-out handled correctly is not a problem — a pattern is. Repeated or improper call-outs are documented consistently and reviewed. Because attendance accountability can have legal implications, any corrective action, reduction of hours, or schedule change in response to a pattern is decided together with the Assistant Account Manager and follows Sunstates’ attendance and corrective-action policy; a lead or supervisor does not reduce someone’s hours on their own as a penalty. Absences that may be legally protected (medical leave, FMLA, jury duty, and the like) are routed to the Assistant Account Manager and handled separately. The standard applies the same way to everyone.

5 · Lead Operations

5.1 The Role of the Lead

The lead is the first line of leadership. A lead is responsible for the overall success of their shift — not by personally performing every task, but by maintaining awareness of what is happening and ensuring issues are addressed. The lead’s job is not to manage a post; it is to manage a shift. Leads are expected to maintain operational awareness, support officers, solve problems, communicate effectively, follow the chain of command, keep posts covered, and maintain accountability. A useful way to hold it: leads are developing supervisors, and real ownership of the shift is how they grow into the next level.

Throughout the shift the lead keeps a balance across people (checking on officers, maintaining morale, coaching), operations (call-outs, coverage, contractor concerns), and leadership (rounds, visibility, enforcing standards, escalating appropriately). When two things compete, the priority order is Safety, then People, then Operational issues, then Administrative tasks. If an officer needs help and an email can wait, the email waits.

“A lead’s job is not to manage a post. A lead’s job is to manage a shift — take care of the people while keeping the operation running.”

5.2 The Shift, Start to Finish

The first thirty minutes set up the whole shift. The lead receives the verbal and written pass-down and site phone messages, then verifies staffing and coverage in eHub — clock-ins, missed punches, late arrivals, every post covered — and only then makes initial rounds. By the time rounds begin, the lead already knows what happened last shift, who is missing, and what needs attention, so the rounds are purposeful rather than a walk-around.

The handoff at the end is just as important. A good handoff means the incoming lead never starts from scratch. Before leaving, the lead confirms major issues were addressed, ensures incidents and Vision Insights entries are complete, verifies coverage for the next shift, and conducts a verbal pass-down covering incidents, contractor and client concerns, coverage, and priorities. A handoff is successful when the outgoing lead can answer three questions: what happened today, what still needs attention, and what the next lead needs to know to be successful. (Full start-of-shift, mid-shift, and end-of-shift checklists are in Appendix C.)

6 · Training & Development

6.1 Onboarding

Bringing a new officer on correctly is a leadership responsibility, and doing it the same way every time gives the site a stable, professional team. Onboarding moves through a clear sequence: welcome and culture; system setup (eHub and clock-in, Vision Insights, GroupMe); SOPM review and signatures; site expectations (chain of command, call-out procedures, attendance, time-off, professionalism, uniform, PPE); payroll and scheduling, including the Friday–Thursday pay period and the third-shift cutoff; uniforms and appearance; a training-post assignment with a designated training officer; and the transition to that post. The full step-by-step form is in Appendix D.

The goal of Day 1 is not perfection — it is confidence, understanding, and integration into the team. By the end of a first day an officer should feel welcomed and supported, know who to contact for help, understand the chain of command and the basic expectations, have enough to begin their post successfully, feel comfortable asking questions, and feel confident coming back. A good first day is the foundation of retention.

6.2 How We Teach

New people are taught, not thrown in. The method is I do, we do, you do: leadership demonstrates the task, then guides the officer through it, then lets the officer perform it with review afterward. When an officer is doing something wrong, the first response is to retrain when appropriate rather than to discipline. The aim is competence and confidence, built deliberately.

6.3 Leadership Development

Developing future leaders is one of leadership’s primary responsibilities. The goal is not dependence — it is growth: leaders who can eventually operate without you, who solve problems independently, and who teach others how to think, not just what to do. The clearest measure of a strong leader is the strength of the leaders they build.

The development ladder

Level 1 — Learner: needs instruction and guidance; leadership teaches, explains, and demonstrates.
Level 2 — Contributor: performs duties and handles basic problems; leadership coaches and builds confidence.
Level 3 — Independent Leader: solves problems and runs shifts with minimal oversight; leadership challenges and refines.
Level 4 — Leader Developer: develops officers, mentors newer leads, and creates consistency; leadership empowers, delegates, and prepares them for promotion.

Philosophy before systems

Systems can be learned; culture must be lived. Future leaders should first understand the philosophy — take care of your people, support the operation, satisfy the client, follow the chain of command, lead by example, build trust, maintain professionalism, develop others — before the heavy focus on administrative and technical tools. The goal is not to create leaders who know how to use systems, but leaders who know how to lead people.

“When possible, don’t solve the problem for the lead. Ask: What do you think? What are your options? How would you handle it? Confidence is built through experience, and experience is built through decision-making.”

7 · Reporting & Documentation

Because the client is largely remote, reports are their eyes and ears on the site. The most common mistake officers make is writing a story — they are not telling a story; they are documenting facts. Reporting is a teachable skill, and this is the standard for it.

7.1 The Reporting Standard

Write every report as if it may be reviewed by the client, corporate leadership, Human Resources, law enforcement, a lawyer, or a judge. Reports are always professional, factual, detailed, accurate, and objective. Opinions, assumptions, rumors, emotions, and personal feelings never belong in a report. Report what happened — not what you think happened.

7.2 The Five W’s and Site Rules

Every report answers who was involved, what happened, when, where, and why security was involved. Beyond that: use full names whenever possible (“John Smith,” not “John”); use company names (“John Smith, Shambaugh & Sons,” not “contractor”); include descriptions and relevant conditions; include the follow-up actions security took; and document in real time rather than trying to remember everything at end of shift.

7.3 The T.I.P. Method

For a simple, repeatable structure, officers can use T.I.P.: Tell me what happened, Intervention (what security did), and Present status (the current outcome). Filling those in turns a blank page into a professional report. The Universal Report Worksheet in Appendix E walks officers through it as fill-in-the-blanks, and the report-quality check is built in: did I include the Five W’s, full names, company names, what security did, and the outcome; did I remove my opinions; and would this make sense to someone who wasn’t there and hold up if reviewed later?

7.4 Reviewing Vision Insights

Vision Insights serves two purposes: operational awareness (what happened on the site) and officer accountability (are officers meeting reporting expectations). When the supervisor reviews it, the watch-items are anything needing immediate action, escalation, follow-up, or client notification; whether officers are completing hourly entries consistently; report quality against the standard above; and trends — missing reports, declining quality, or copy-and-paste entries. If a twelve-hour shift shows the same entry every hour, leadership should verify that real patrols and observation are actually happening. The purpose of review is improvement, not punishment; deficiencies are coached first using the report standard. The full review checklist is in Appendix G.

“Report what happened. Do not report what you think happened.”

8 · Problems, Accountability & Emergencies

8.1 How to Approach a Problem

Leads and supervisors are expected to build the judgment to handle problems themselves whenever they reasonably can, while recognizing when something needs to move up. Before escalating, ask: Can I handle this professionally? Does it truly require escalation? Is it urgent, or can it wait? Two failure modes to avoid: escalating everything, and escalating nothing out of fear or pride. The goal is judgment — handle what belongs at your level, escalate what genuinely needs support. That judgment comes with experience; new leads should trust themselves and give themselves grace while they learn.

“Strong leadership balances confidence and humility — trusting their ability to solve problems while still recognizing when support or escalation is necessary.”

8.2 When to Escalate Immediately

Some situations always move up immediately, regardless of how capable the person on shift is. The threshold is anything affecting safety, the site’s ability to operate, liability, the welfare of personnel, or the client:

Medical emergencies or injuries; fires; physical altercations or threats of violence.
Police or law-enforcement involvement; security breaches or unauthorized access to restricted areas.
Severe weather affecting the site; power outages affecting operations or servers; major gate or security-system failures.
Missing personnel; suspicious packages or threats; incidents involving Sunstates personnel.
Major client complaints, media presence, or outside investigations; anything likely to create significant client concern or liability.
Any situation the person on shift cannot safely or confidently resolve alone.

8.3 Everyday Scenarios

For the recurring situations, the pattern is consistent: the lead owns the first response, documents it, and escalates only if it cannot be resolved at that level.

No-Call / No-Show

The lead attempts contact, then immediately works coverage using the overtime philosophy, documents the no-show and the actions taken, and escalates if coverage cannot be resolved.

Officer Refuses a Post Assignment

Post flexibility is non-negotiable. The lead gives the assignment and the officer is expected to comply professionally. Assignments are operational, not personal. If refusal continues, the officer may be sent home, and the matter is documented for corrective-action review.

Contractor Conflict

Friction is normal on a construction site. The officer stays professional, does not match the contractor’s energy, communicates requirements clearly, and maintains security standards; if it can’t be resolved, it goes to the lead and up the chain.

Unsecured Gate

Often a communication breakdown between contractors and security as much as an officer error. Secure the gate immediately, notify the relevant posts and site phones, document, and reinforce contractor communication expectations.

Officer Conflict

The lead attempts resolution first; if it can’t be resolved at the lead level, the supervisor becomes involved. Professionalism and documentation are maintained throughout.

Missing or Damaged PPE / Uniforms

Balance accountability with support: legitimate wear or damage is met with help; carelessness or repeated loss is met with accountability. Both are documented.

8.4 Difficult People: De-escalation

The hardest test of professionalism is a difficult interaction, and the standard is simple: never escalate, always de-escalate. Separate the person from the problem — focus on what they are trying to solve, not on the fact that they are being difficult — and never get on their level. When someone becomes angry or aggressive, remain calm, communicate professionally, explain requirements clearly, attempt to de-escalate, involve the lead if needed, and escalate through the chain if unresolved. Anyone who becomes a genuine safety threat is no longer a de-escalation situation — that moves to the emergency procedures and an immediate call to 911.

8.5 Recurring Problems & Progressive Accountability

Strong supervisors watch for patterns, not just incidents. Repeated call-outs, tardiness, missed punches, or reporting problems are signals that something larger may be going on, and the aim is to solve the root cause rather than punish the symptom. The progression: coaching first; then a pattern review of frequency, timing, and impact; then an operational adjustment where appropriate (schedule change, different assignment, more training or supervision); and only then corrective action, in line with Sunstates policy.

The purpose of coaching and corrective action is accountability, not punishment. It is based on facts, consistency, professionalism, and fairness — never emotion, frustration, favoritism, or retaliation. Minor issues (a missed punch, first-time tardiness, a uniform issue) are usually coaching or retraining. Moderate issues (repeated tardiness or reporting problems, chain-of-command violations) move toward documentation and corrective action if a pattern develops. Major issues (sleeping on post, refusal of a post assignment, dishonesty, serious safety violations) call for immediate corrective action and escalation. As in Section 4, any reduction of hours or formal corrective action is decided with the Assistant Account Manager and follows Sunstates policy, and protected absences are handled separately.

When a lead recommends corrective action

Leads are empowered to identify concerns and recommend corrective action, but never based on emotion or assumption. The lead gathers facts, evaluates severity and history, and brings it to the Site Supervisor with what happened and why they believe action is warranted. The supervisor asks questions, adds perspective, and ensures consistency — and should feel comfortable recommending coaching or retraining instead when that fits better. The Site Supervisor holds final authority at the site level; once a decision is made, leadership supports it as one team.

“The goal is not to be right. The goal is to make the right decision.”

8.6 Emergency Response Procedures

These are baseline procedures built on standard practice, and they must be confirmed against Sunstates’ emergency policy and the client’s site emergency plan, which take precedence. The items marked [confirm for site] are finalized with the Assistant Account Manager. In every emergency: personal safety first; for anything life-threatening, call 911 immediately; render aid only if trained and authorized; notify the lead and supervisor as soon as it is safe; secure the scene; and document everything afterward.

Medical emergency or serious injury

Make sure the area is safe to approach.
Call 911 for anything life-threatening or beyond basic first aid. [confirm for site]
Render aid only if trained and authorized; otherwise stay with the person, keep them calm, and wait for EMS.
Notify the lead and supervisor; leadership notifies the Assistant Account Manager and the client per protocol. [confirm for site]
Direct EMS to the exact location and clear their access. Document fully afterward.

Fire or evacuation

If anyone is in danger, get them to safety first, then call 911. [confirm for site]
Activate the alarm and notify per the site emergency plan; evacuate to the designated assembly point. [confirm for site]
Account for personnel as able; do not re-enter. Notify the chain of command, then document.

Security threat, violent person, or trespasser

Prioritize personal safety and the safety of others. Keep distance; do not physically engage.
For any weapon, threat of violence, or person who won’t leave and poses a risk, call 911. [confirm for site]
Notify the lead and supervisor; observe and note a description from a safe distance; do not pursue. Document fully once resolved.

8.7 Emergency Escalation Matrix

In an emergency, the priority order is life safety, site safety, property protection, communication, and documentation — in that order. The chain of command still matters, but emergencies may require immediate escalation; leaders never delay an emergency notification while waiting for the normal process. Fire, medical, law enforcement, workplace violence, critical power or system failure, severe weather, and major safety hazards all warrant immediate notification up the chain, alongside the 911 call where life safety is involved.

“When in doubt, call. It is always easier to explain why leadership was notified too early than why leadership was notified too late.”

9 · Appendices: Tools & Checklists

These are the print-and-use tools. Each is a put-into-practice version of the standards in the sections above; where a tool touches attendance or corrective action, Sections 4 and 8 and Sunstates policy govern the details.

Appendix A — Daily Site Supervisor Checklist

A successful day is not measured by the absence of problems, but by how effectively problems were managed while the operation stayed stable.

Start of shift — mindset

Arrive prepared and professional. Ask: “How are my people?” Review the day’s priorities; be visible and approachable.

Operational awareness

Touch base with the lead on duty; receive the verbal pass-down. Review written pass-downs and post phone communications. Discuss incidents, call-outs, coverage, officer/contractor/client concerns, and outstanding issues. Determine what requires immediate attention.

Team check

Conduct site rounds; check officer and lead morale. Be available for questions; build rapport with officers, contractors, and client personnel.

Leadership oversight — verify leads are

Conducting rounds, managing coverage, and supporting officers. Following the chain of command and maintaining accountability. Solving problems appropriately, communicating effectively, and staying professional.

Officer standards (during rounds)

Uniform, PPE, grooming, and professional appearance. Alertness, proper phone usage, and post compliance. Professional interactions; pass-down and reporting completion.

Vision Insights

Review reports and incidents; identify red flags and escalation items. Verify report quality and that follow-ups are completed. Identify coaching opportunities and developing patterns.

Email & administrative

Review email, respond to priority items, follow up on outstanding issues, document actions.

Schedule

Review eHub; verify accuracy, coverage, and call-outs. Review schedule changes, missed punches, attendance concerns, and overtime. Verify leads are updating schedules properly.

Training & development

If new hires are present, verify onboarding, system setup, SOPM, uniforms, and post assignment; check trainee progress.

Leadership development

Coach leads, answer questions, encourage decision-making, and delegate when appropriate. Ask: “What can I teach today?”

Culture & morale

Monitor the team atmosphere; address rumors, gossip, and conflicts; reinforce professionalism and teamwork.

End of shift

Review unresolved issues and assign follow-ups; update leadership. Verify documentation and communication occurred; ensure the next shift has what it needs.

Success check

Were issues handled professionally and appropriately? Did officers and leads feel supported? Was communication effective and the operation stable? Did I develop someone today? Did I leave the site better than I found it?

Appendix B — Daily Walk-Through Standards

Leads hold the standard on their shift; the supervisor verifies they are holding it consistently. Inspect what you expect — the aim is development, not micromanagement.

Observing officers

Proper uniform and PPE. Professional appearance and conduct. Alertness and engagement. Proper phone usage. Post compliance. Professional interaction with contractors and officers. Reports completed and on time. Morale.

Observing leads

Visible leadership presence. Officer engagement and morale awareness. Coverage and schedule awareness. Effective communication and problem-solving. Pass-down quality. Accountability enforcement and professionalism.

Appendix C — Daily Lead Checklist

Shift start-up — Step 1: receive the shift (5–10 min)

Get the verbal pass-down from the outgoing lead. Review the written pass-down and site phone messages. Ask about incidents, officer issues, contractor issues, client concerns, unresolved problems, and expected call-outs.

Step 2: verify staffing & coverage (5–10 min)

Open eHub; verify officers are clocking in. Identify missed punches and late arrivals. Verify every post is covered, including coverage for prior call-outs. Review open shifts; note attendance concerns.

Step 3: initial rounds (10–15 min)

Verify uniform, PPE, alertness, phone usage, appearance, conduct, and post compliance. Check on officers, ask if they need anything, and build rapport.

Mid-shift — keep the balance

People: check on officers, maintain morale, answer questions, coach. Operations: handle call-outs, monitor coverage, address contractor concerns, keep posts covered. Leadership: make rounds, stay visible, enforce standards, follow up, escalate appropriately.

Priority order when things compete: Safety, then People, then Operations, then Administrative tasks.

End of shift — handoff

Confirm major issues were addressed; note what is resolved, in progress, or still needs action. Ensure incidents are documented and Vision Insights entries are complete. Verify all posts are covered and next-shift staffing is set. Conduct a verbal pass-down: incidents, contractor/client/officer concerns, coverage, and priorities.

A handoff is successful when you can answer: What happened today? What still needs attention? What does the next lead need to know to succeed?

Appendix D — New Officer Onboarding Checklist

Officer Name:

Date:

Trainer / Supervisor:

Phase 1 — Welcome & introduction

Welcome the officer; introduce the leadership team. Explain the site culture and the “take care of your people” philosophy. Explain teamwork and professionalism expectations; answer questions.

Phase 2 — eHub setup

Download eHub; create account, password, and PIN; verify login. Demonstrate clock-in/clock-out; confirm the officer understands timekeeping.

Phase 3 — Vision Insights setup

Provide credentials and verify login. Explain hourly post reports, incident reports, and the Five W’s standard.

Phase 4 — GroupMe setup

Download GroupMe and join the site group. Explain operational-only use and direct messaging.

Phase 5 — SOPM review

Review the SOPM; answer questions. Obtain required signatures; explain post-specific SOPMs.

Phase 6 — Site expectations

Chain of command; call-out procedures and the four-hour rule. Attendance, coverage, time-off, and Thursday confirmations. Professionalism, phone usage, uniform, PPE, and no-smoking expectations.

Phase 7 — Payroll & scheduling

Pay period (Friday–Thursday) and payday process. Third-shift payroll cutoff; schedule review and confirmation; answer payroll questions.

Phase 8 — Uniforms & equipment

Issue a temporary uniform if needed; coordinate the permanent order. Explain grooming and appearance standards; verify the officer is presentable.

Phase 9 — Training assignment

Coordinate the schedule and assign a training post. Introduce the training officer; explain training expectations, reporting, pass-downs, and post phone communication.

Phase 10 — Training transition

Deliver the officer to the post and introduce the trainer. Verify the trainer understands expectations and the officer knows who to contact; answer final questions; training begins.

Supervisor signature: ______________________________ Date: ____________

Officer signature: ______________________________ Date: ____________

End of Day 1 — Success Standard

Feels welcomed by the team and supported by leadership. Knows who to contact for help. Understands the chain of command and basic site expectations. Has enough to begin the assigned post successfully. Feels comfortable asking questions and confident returning.

Appendix E — Universal Report Worksheet

Officers don’t write a report — they answer these questions, and the report writes itself. Structure: T.I.P. — Tell me what happened, Intervention, Present status.

WHO was involved (full names, companies):

WHAT happened:

WHEN it happened (date and time):

WHERE it happened (specific location):

WHY this report is being written:

WHAT ACTIONS security took:

CURRENT STATUS / OUTCOME:

FOLLOW-UP NEEDED (yes / no — if yes, what):

Before submitting, check

Five W’s included; full names and company names used. What security did and the outcome are stated. Opinions removed; facts only. Would make sense to someone who wasn’t there, and would hold up if reviewed later.

Appendix F — Schedule Review Checklist

Daily

All posts covered; officers on the correct posts. Schedule changes, call-outs, swaps, and coverage changes updated. Trainees and new hires assigned correctly.

Attendance

Missed punches, late arrivals, early departures, no-call/no-shows, and patterns.

Coverage

Every post covered; no unexpected gaps; changes communicated and accurate; future concerns identified.

Overtime (offer order: ≤32 hrs, then <40, then 40, OT last)

Officers approaching overtime; excessive overtime; opportunities to balance hours.

Payroll accuracy

Missed punches, discrepancies, coverage changes, unassigned shifts, clock-in/out issues. Would payroll make sense if reviewed right now?

Thursday confirmations

Officers reviewed and confirmed shifts; discrepancies reported and corrected; leads followed up.

Before the weekly meeting with the AAM

Staffing, overtime, attendance trends, coverage, open shifts, future needs, and correction needs.

Appendix G — Vision Insights Review Checklist

Operational review

Safety, contractor, client, medical, law-enforcement, fire/emergency, property, security, and operational items. Anything requiring immediate action, escalation, follow-up, or client notification.

Reporting compliance

Officers completing hourly entries consistently and on time; no missing reports.

Report quality

Sufficient detail, factual, professional; Five W’s, names, locations, actions taken, and outcomes. Would it make sense to the client and hold up if reviewed later?

Pattern recognition

Repeated missing, poor, incomplete, or copy-and-paste reports; repeated follow-up failures.

If a 12-hour shift shows the same entry every hour, verify that real patrols and observation are happening.

Follow-up

Previous incidents received follow-up; outstanding issues addressed; resolutions documented.

Coaching

Coach first when appropriate; reinforce the report standard; monitor improvement. Review is for improvement, not punishment.

Appendix H — Weekly Supervisor Meeting Guide

Participants: Assistant Account Manager and Site Supervisor. Weekly, same day and time. Objective: review the health of the operation and catch issues before they become fires.

1 · Staffing & scheduling

Open shifts, accuracy, upcoming time-off, coverage, overtime, last week’s changes, unconfirmed shifts.

2 · Attendance

Call-outs, tardiness, missed punches, no-shows, and patterns — who is appearing repeatedly?

3 · Reporting

Vision Insights quality, missing reports, follow-ups, and trends — who needs coaching?

4 · Training

New hires, trainees, officer and lead development — who is ready for more?

5 · Leadership (each lead)

Communication, accountability, problem-solving, shift management, morale, professionalism.

6 · Culture & morale

Team atmosphere, rumors, officer and leadership concerns — does the site feel healthy?

7 · Client & contractor relations

Feedback, complaints, concerns, and positives — any recurring themes?

8 · Action items

What needs attention, who owns it, and the completion date.

Appendix I — Call-Out & Coverage Decision Tree

Step 1 — receive the call

Answer professionally; ask questions to understand the situation; gather facts, don’t assume.

Step 2 — verify timing

Was it 4+ hours before the shift? If not, the officer may be subject to corrective action per policy — but posts must still be covered, so proceed to coverage.

Step 3 — advise & document

Note that a doctor’s note may be required on return; document name, time of call, reason, and expected return.

Step 4 — coverage (in order)

Priority 1: offer to officers at 32 hours or less. Priority 2: offer to officers under 40 hours. Priority 3: officers at 40 hours. Last resort: overtime.

Step 5 — if coverage is found

Confirm with the replacement; update eHub; remove and reassign; verify post coverage; notify leadership if needed.

Step 6 — if coverage is not found

Reevaluate staffing; consolidate or reassign as operationally appropriate; notify the Site Supervisor if staffing becomes critical.

Step 7 — on return

Collect documentation; review attendance history; determine coaching vs. corrective action with the AAM, considering severity, history, pattern, prior coaching, and impact.

Evaluation: (1) Was procedure followed? (2) What was the reason? (3) One-time or pattern? Balance empathy, consistency, accountability, and operational needs. Hour reductions and corrective action route through the AAM and Sunstates policy.

Appendix J — Chain of Command (Quick Reference)

To the lead first

Schedule and coverage questions, call-outs, post concerns, officer conflicts, uniform/PPE concerns, routine operational questions.

To the Site Supervisor

Issues the lead cannot solve, repeated officer concerns, training issues, leadership concerns, escalated or site-wide operational issues.

To the Assistant Account Manager

Client concerns, major personnel issues, corrective-action guidance, major scheduling or payroll concerns, escalated site issues.

Always

Up and back down: solutions return through the same chain. Emergencies escalate immediately — safety over process.

Appendix K — Emergency Escalation Quick Guide

Priority order: life safety, site safety, property protection, communication, documentation. When in doubt, call.

Call 911 immediately, then notify up the chain

Fire. Medical emergency or serious injury. Law enforcement involvement; arrest; criminal activity. Workplace violence, fights, or threats of violence.

Notify up the chain immediately

Power outage or critical system/server failure (client impact). Severe weather affecting operations. Major safety hazard, security breach, or unauthorized access to restricted areas. Missing personnel; incidents involving Sunstates personnel; anything likely to concern the client.

Every emergency is documented afterward in an incident report. Site-specific 911/dispatch protocol, client contact, assembly points, and aid authorization are confirmed with the AAM (see Section 8).

Leadership Promise

Take care of your people.

Support the team. Develop leaders. Protect the culture.

Satisfy the client. Leave the site better than you found it.

Every officer who works on this site should know that they matter,

and that leadership is committed to helping them succeed.

Site SupervisorPlaybook