Art Crime Security
Art Crime Security

Summary/Abstract: It has been noted that museum security guards form the least effective line of defense in the protection of art from theft and vandalism. Museums rely increasingly on high-tech, alarm-based security, which has failed to work, or failed to provoke an effective response, in a number of high-profile occasions. It is time to re-evaluate the role of museum guards. Hundreds of museum security guards around the world were interviewed about their own roles, their training, and their perception of museum security. The results were processed, and trends were found that suggest a prevalent passivity and resulting ineffectuality on the part of guards in general. Guards from museums with untraditional security directors, who advocate a more active participation from their staff while on duty, felt better prepared to respond to security threats, and felt that they diffused potential security threats by identifying suspicious persons in advance and approaching them in an appropriate manner. The purpose of this article is to identify problems and trends in museum security guard management. Based on these trends, as noted by professionals as well as culled from over one-hundreds of museum security guard questionnaires, we will suggest new ways of managing guards that result in the early identification and diffusal of potential security threats.

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