Write for the officer on the post
Post orders are instructions for one specific post, read by an officer who may be new to the site and working alone at night. Every section should answer a question that officer will actually have.
The sections every post order needs
- Post basics: site name, post name, hours, uniform and equipment.
- Contacts: supervisor on duty, client contact, emergency services and the escalation order.
- Routine duties: what to do and when, such as patrols, door checks and visitor logs.
- Access rules: who may enter, how to verify them, and what to do with deliveries and contractors.
- Emergency procedures: fire, medical, alarm, intrusion and severe weather, step by step.
- Reporting: what must be reported, how, and by when.
- Site-specific restrictions: areas off limits, client preferences, things officers must never do.
Keep them short and current
If a post order runs past a few pages, officers will skim it. Put the essentials first and move background information to an appendix.
Date every version and record what changed. When a client changes an instruction, update the post order the same day and make sure the next officer on that post sees the change.
Confirm officers have read them
A post order nobody has read is a liability. Ask officers to acknowledge new and changed post orders, and keep a record of who acknowledged which version. Review post orders with the client at least once a year.
A note on legal requirements
Post orders often touch on use of force, detention and armed duties, which are regulated differently by state. Have those sections reviewed against your state’s requirements by your regulator or a qualified attorney.