What Does a Loss Prevention Officer Do?
Loss Prevention Officers are employed by store owners to limit their losses from theft by discouraging legal behavior and apprehending anyone attempting to steal products. Their role is to hold people accountable for the damage they cause to the company through vandalism or stolen products. They look for patterns of suspicious behavior and closely observe shoppers, approaching them when they attempt to leave the store without paying for merchandise. Loss Prevention Officers collaborate with law enforcement and other Security Officers when necessary to prevent serial thefts at their store.
Loss Prevention Skills and Qualifications
Those who work in loss prevention should have particular skills and qualifications to do the work well. There are certain aptitudes needed to reduce the instances where merchandise is stolen and to catch the person responsible for theft.
The following are major skills and qualifications that a Loss Prevention Officer can have to be a strong candidate for the job:
- Loss Prevention Officers need good judgment to react effectively and efficiently in stressful situations by taking the best course of action. They need to be the ones who remove the imminent danger of vandalism and theft from the store.
- Officers also need to have great communication skills to explain the situation to employees and patrons of the store.
- Loss Prevention Officers will be observing people during their work hours so they should have good observation skills, and be alert and aware. They should also think on their feet in case anything out of the ordinary happens.
- Loss Prevention Officers need to be patient, observing and standing in the store for hours without distraction. They need to keep an alert mind and think clearly while remaining patient, as there can be days when nothing out of the ordinary occurs.
Loss Prevention Salary Expectations
The average salary for the position of Loss Prevention Officer is $14.31 per hour per year.
Loss Prevention Salary Expectations
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Common salary:
18.81 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.25 -40.35 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Loss Prevention Education and Training Requirements
Loss Prevention Officers usually require a high school diploma or GED as an education requirement, although some employers do not have education requirements. Training is usually done on-the-job by the employer which covers emergency instructions, communication skills and proper detention of suspects. More complex training is required for loss prevention officers who will be armed.
Loss Prevention Experience Requirements
States do recommend Loss Prevention Officers to receive hours of training before the job, during and annually. This can include training in report writing, first aid, deterring crises and other special training particular to the job. Those candidates who have had previous loss prevention experience are great candidates who come in with prior experience.
Job Description Samples for Similar Positions
If you are not necessarily looking to hire for a loss prevention position, take a look at the following job description samples for similar positions that may come closer to what you want:
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