Alberta Security Guard (ABST) Practice Test 3

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1. An item had to be moved to address an immediate safety danger. What should the guard record?

   1. A statement that the scene was untouched despite the move.
   2. The reason, original position, change, person and time.
   3. Nothing, because a safety reason makes documentation unnecessary.
   4. Only the item’s final position, with no explanation of the change.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: The reason, original position, change, person and time.

   Necessary safety action should not be hidden. Record what changed, why, who acted and when so investigators can understand the scene’s history.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, p. 19; source checked 2026-10-24

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2. A guard notices a possible trace at an incident scene but has no specialist collection training. What should they do?

   1. Protect the area and leave specialist collection to qualified staff.
   2. Handle the trace repeatedly to decide what substance it contains.
   3. Discard it if its significance cannot be determined immediately.
   4. Ask visitors to collect samples using whatever containers are nearby.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Protect the area and leave specialist collection to qualified staff.

   The guard’s useful role is preservation and reporting. Untrained handling can damage or contaminate material that qualified investigators may need.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, pp. 19–20; source checked 2026-10-24

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3. A guard repeatedly notices loss-related problems in the same display area. What useful step can they take?

   1. Keep the pattern private because no single case is solved.
   2. Change every store policy without consulting the client.
   3. Report the observed pattern to the supervisor.
   4. Treat everyone using that aisle as a proven offender.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Report the observed pattern to the supervisor.

   Reporting a pattern can help the client review priorities or arrangements. It does not establish the guilt of every person in the area or authorize unilateral policy changes.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 15–16; source checked 2026-10-24

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4. A person has difficulty speaking clearly and keeping balance. Which communication approach is appropriate?

   1. Use insulting language to force the person to respond faster.
   2. Seek relevant information and assistance without ridicule.
   3. Publicly announce a definite diagnosis based on appearance.
   4. Assume the behaviour proves a deliberate refusal to cooperate.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Seek relevant information and assistance without ridicule.

   These signs can have different causes, including a health concern. The guard should communicate calmly, maintain safety and obtain appropriate help rather than diagnose or mock the person.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, p. 15; Module 3, p. 10; source checked 2026-10-24

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5. Under section 494(1)(b), which condition accompanies reasonable grounds that a person committed a criminal offence?

   1. A request from any customer who wants the person detained.
   2. A supervisor’s suspicion without any pursuit requirement.
   3. Escape and fresh pursuit by someone lawfully authorized to arrest.
   4. Presence near the site several days after an unexplained loss.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Escape and fresh pursuit by someone lawfully authorized to arrest.

   The branch requires reasonable grounds concerning the offence and escape with fresh pursuit by persons having lawful arrest authority. It is not a general power based only on suspicion.

   Based on: Criminal Code, s. 494(1)(b); source checked 2026-10-24

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6. What should an emergency incident record include?

   1. A simplified account that removes all unknown details by guessing.
   2. Only the time the guard’s scheduled shift ended.
   3. Only a conclusion that the incident was handled well.
   4. Relevant times, actions, notifications and responder handover.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Relevant times, actions, notifications and responder handover.

   Document the sequence of actual actions, notifications and transfer to responders. Distinguish known facts from uncertainty; a self-congratulatory conclusion or invented detail is not an adequate incident record.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, emergency response records; source checked 2026-10-24

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7. A witness looks confused after three questions are asked together. What should the guard do?

   1. Answer the questions on the witness’s behalf to save time.
   2. Ask one clear question and allow time for an answer.
   3. Treat the confusion as proof that the witness is lying.
   4. Repeat all three questions without pausing between them.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Ask one clear question and allow time for an answer.

   One question at a time makes it easier to understand and answer accurately. Confusion alone is not evidence of dishonesty.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, p. 12; source checked 2026-10-24

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8. A familiar patrol area now has failed lighting and vehicle movements. What should the guard reassess?

   1. Only the route’s usual completion time in daylight.
   2. Only whether the previous patrol report was signed.
   3. Whether the area’s familiar name makes an assessment unnecessary.
   4. The current hazards and safe way to complete the task.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: The current hazards and safe way to complete the task.

   A previous safe patrol does not establish current safety. Changes in lighting, traffic or staffing can change the hazards and the controls needed for the task.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, changing work conditions; source checked 2026-10-24

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9. During a shift, a guard notices a new hazard near a public entrance. Which response best fits the security role?

   1. Promise the public that no incident can occur.
   2. Ignore the area until a crime has been proved.
   3. Investigate unrelated customers for possible offences.
   4. Protect the area and report the observed hazard.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Protect the area and report the observed hazard.

   Security work includes protecting people and property through observation and appropriate reporting. A new hazard deserves a response within the assignment, without inventing police authority or guarantees.

   Based on: Module 1, pp. 3–4; SSIA s. 3; source checked 2026-10-24

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10. What does the Petty Trespass Act presume about an apparent pathway to a building’s door?

    1. Access for lawful purposes is presumed not to be trespass.
    2. It cancels all later lawful directions to leave the property.
    3. It permits entry by false pretences whenever a path exists.
    4. It gives unrestricted entry into every locked room inside.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Access for lawful purposes is presumed not to be trespass.

    Section 2(4) describes a presumption for lawful access to a building’s door along an apparently provided pathway. It is not unrestricted permission for other areas, unlawful purposes or ignoring applicable directions.

    Based on: Petty Trespass Act, s. 2(4); source checked 2026-10-24

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11. Which notebook practice best protects the usefulness of the record?

    1. Use erasable entries so later changes leave no trace.
    2. Use legible permanent entries in the work notebook.
    3. Mix incident notes with private shopping and appointment lists.
    4. Remove pages whenever the handwriting is less attractive.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Use legible permanent entries in the work notebook.

    The manual calls for a dedicated work notebook with readable permanent entries. Erasure, missing pages and unrelated personal material can weaken the record.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, pp. 3, 5; source checked 2026-10-24

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12. A shopper carries an item toward a checkout. Which conclusion is justified by possession alone?

    1. Every unpaid item creates an immediate arrest duty.
    2. The guard may treat payment at the till as irrelevant.
    3. Possession alone does not establish all elements of theft.
    4. The shopper has necessarily formed an intent to steal.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Possession alone does not establish all elements of theft.

    Possession of merchandise while shopping does not by itself prove fraudulent taking, absence of colour of right and the required intent. Observe and document facts without converting an ordinary act into an automatic criminal conclusion.

    Based on: Criminal Code, s. 322(1); source checked 2026-10-24

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13. A shift begins Monday evening and an event occurs after midnight. What should the event entry use?

    1. No date because the shift already has a start entry.
    2. The actual Tuesday date and the correct event time.
    3. The date when the report is approved instead of the event date.
    4. Monday’s date for every event until the shift ends.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The actual Tuesday date and the correct event time.

    An unambiguous record uses the actual event date and time. Crossing midnight changes the calendar date even though the same shift continues.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, pp. 6–8; source checked 2026-10-24

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14. A guard is unsure who may reset an alarm. What should be clarified?

    1. How to bypass the system without notifying the employer.
    2. Whether the alarm can be silenced without any record.
    3. Which visitor is willing to try the control buttons.
    4. The authorized keyholder and reset procedure.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The authorized keyholder and reset procedure.

    Alarm response requires understanding who is authorized and what procedure applies. Silencing or resetting a device does not establish the cause, remove a hazard or complete reporting duties.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, Responding to Alarms — keyholders and reset; source checked 2026-10-24

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15. During a medical emergency, what should a guard avoid?

    1. Following the site plan for obtaining trained assistance.
    2. Providing treatment beyond their training and assigned role.
    3. Giving responders an accurate location and known hazards.
    4. Calling the appropriate emergency service promptly.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Providing treatment beyond their training and assigned role.

    A guard should obtain appropriate emergency assistance and follow training and the site plan. This awareness practice does not teach diagnosis or treatment and does not expand a worker’s medical competence.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, emergency roles and assistance; source checked 2026-10-24

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16. What temporary alternative work may be assigned during the refusal process?

    1. Only work chosen by an unrelated visitor.
    2. The same unchecked exposure under a different task name.
    3. Safe work the worker is reasonably capable of doing.
    4. Any task, even if it requires competence the worker lacks.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Safe work the worker is reasonably capable of doing.

    Alberta’s guidance allows other assigned work if it is safe and the worker can reasonably do it. Alternative assignment is not permission to bypass competence or repeat an unresolved hazard.

    Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, alternative work; source checked 2026-10-24

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17. What does section 29(2) generally require when making an arrest, where feasible?

    1. Conceal the reason until the person agrees to an interview.
    2. State a more serious offence to discourage questions.
    3. Offer only the client’s complaint number without any reason.
    4. Give the person notice of the reason for arrest.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Give the person notice of the reason for arrest.

    Section 29(2) requires notice of the reason for arrest where feasible, subject to its stated limitations. Inventing a more serious allegation or withholding the reason as leverage is not the requirement.

    Based on: Criminal Code, s. 29(2); source checked 2026-10-24

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18. Who may receive the worker’s prompt refusal report under Alberta’s guidance?

    1. Only a public social-media audience.
    2. The employer, supervisor or another designated person.
    3. Only a colleague who has no reporting role.
    4. Only an unrelated customer who happens to be nearby.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The employer, supervisor or another designated person.

    The worker must promptly tell the employer, supervisor or designate what work is refused and why. Public posting or telling only an unrelated person does not replace that workplace report.

    Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, reporting; source checked 2026-10-24

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19. People are becoming compressed near an entrance and tempers are rising. What should the guard prioritize?

    1. Ignoring the crowd until someone makes a formal complaint.
    2. Safe movement, clear communication and timely assistance.
    3. Making unsupported promises that entry will be immediate.
    4. Winning an argument with the loudest person in the group.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Safe movement, clear communication and timely assistance.

    Crowd conditions require attention to movement, behaviour and safety. Clear directions and help are preferable to personal confrontation or promises beyond the guard’s authority.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 20–22; source checked 2026-10-24

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20. Which question best opens a witness’s own account?

    1. You heard the same threat that everyone else heard, correct?
    2. The person in the red coat caused it, didn’t they?
    3. Please describe what you noticed in your own words.
    4. You agree the visitor was angry before entering, yes?
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Please describe what you noticed in your own words.

    An open neutral invitation lets the witness provide their own account. The other choices introduce assumptions or suggest the answer.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 16–17; source checked 2026-10-24

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21. A licensed guard discovers that their licence has been lost. Which reporting requirement applies?

    1. Report only if the missing licence is later used by someone.
    2. Wait for the next renewal before telling the Registrar.
    3. Tell a colleague and treat the reporting duty as complete.
    4. Report the loss to the Registrar in writing within 24 hours.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Report the loss to the Registrar in writing within 24 hours.

    AR 52/2010 section 3(2) requires a written report to the Registrar within 24 hours of losing the licence. Reporting only to a supervisor or colleague does not fulfil that statutory duty.

    Based on: s. 3(2); source checked 2026-10-24

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22. A worker has an individual security licence and wants to advertise an independent security business. What else must be considered?

    1. A business licence is needed only after hiring staff.
    2. The separate business-licensing requirements apply.
    3. An individual card authorizes any security business.
    4. A client’s verbal permission replaces a business licence.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The separate business-licensing requirements apply.

    An individual licence does not authorize holding yourself out as a business providing security work. The business-licensing requirements are separate, even for a person who already holds a worker licence.

    Based on: s. 11; source checked 2026-10-24

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23. During patrol, a visitor starts a lengthy conversation unrelated to the assignment. What should the guard do?

    1. Stop monitoring the site until the visitor finishes talking.
    2. Remain courteous while returning attention to patrol duties.
    3. Delegate all security duties to the visitor during the chat.
    4. Ignore all visitors because conversation is always forbidden.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Remain courteous while returning attention to patrol duties.

    Brief professional contact can be useful, but an unrelated lengthy conversation can distract from the assignment. Courtesy does not require abandoning the patrol.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 13–15; source checked 2026-10-24

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24. Which handover best helps arriving responders?

    1. Describe unverified rumours as confirmed observations.
    2. Give only the guard’s opinion about who deserves blame.
    3. State the location, known hazards and actions already taken.
    4. Promise that no one remains inside without checking the information.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: State the location, known hazards and actions already taken.

    A useful handover separates known observations from uncertainty and explains actions already taken. Unsupported blame, rumours and assurances can mislead responders about the actual situation.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, emergency response and communication; source checked 2026-10-24

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