Private Security Industry Act 2007 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Security Officers and Security Agencies
17C. Intentionally causing harassment, alarm, distress or humiliation to security officer
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2025. 3 amendments in all.
An individual must not by any means —
use any threatening, abusive, insulting, sexual or indecent words or behaviour; or
make any threatening, abusive, insulting, sexual or indecent communication,towards a person (called in this section the target person) in relation to the execution of the target person’s duty as a security officer, with the intent to cause harassment, alarm, distress or humiliation to the target person and as a result causing the target person harassment, alarm, distress or humiliation.
Subject to section 17D, an individual who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2), it is a defence for the accused to prove, on a balance of probabilities, that —
the accused did not know and had no reason to believe that the words or behaviour used, or the communication made, would be heard, seen or otherwise perceived by the target person; or
the accused’s conduct was reasonable.
However, for the purposes of this section, a target person is not treated as executing a duty as a security officer or acting in the capacity of a security officer if the target person is, at the relevant time, also a public service worker as defined in section 6(5) of the Protection from Harassment Act 2014* and acting in the capacity of such a public service worker.
security officer
“security officer” means any individual who, for reward, carries out any of the following functions:(a)patrolling or guarding another person’s property (including cash in transit) by physical means (which may involve the use of patrol dogs) or by electronic means;(b)keeping the property (including cash in transit) of another person under surveillance, including for the purpose of preventing theft thereof;(c)acting as a bodyguard or bouncer;(d)in respect of any public place or other premises and as part of his or her regular duties, performing any function of screening individuals seeking entry thereto;(e)regulating traffic under the Road Traffic Act 1961.