STATISTICALLY, MOST SERIOUS FIRES, THEFTS, AND ACTS OF VANDALISM OCCUR DURING THE FIRST AND THIRD SHIFTS (MIDNIGHT TO 8:00 AM AND 4:00 PM TO MIDNIGHT) AND ON HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS. IF NIGHTTIME SECURITY PERSONNEL ARE TO RESPOND ADEQUATELY TO THESE SITUATIONS, THEY MUST BE THOROUGHLY TRAINED AND IN POSSESSION OF INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE UNDERSTANDABLE AND WORKABLE. READINESS AND RELIABILITY ARE AFFECTED BY PEOPLE'S ORIENTATION TOWARD THEIR JOBS. NIGHTTIME SECURITY WORK IS GENERALLY REGARDED AS UNDESIRABLE AND ATTRACTS GRADUATE STUDENTS, MOONLIGHTERS, RETIREES, AND OTHERS WHOSE INTERESTS ARE NOT RELATED TO JOB ADVANCEMENT AND WHOSE RELIABILITY MUST BE CLOSELY MONITORED. IN MEASURING LEVELS OF PERSONNEL READINESS, CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO HOW WELL PERSONNEL RESPOND TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND ALSO WHETHER THEIR GENERAL PERFORMANCE IS THOROUGH ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY AN EMERGENCY. CLOSE SUPERVISION BY A WELL-TRAINED, EXPERIENCED, AND MOTIVATED SUPERVISOR IS THE BEST WAY OF INSURING EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE OF NIGHTTIME SECURITY PERSONNEL. TRAINING IS IMPORTANT FOR SECURITY PERSONNEL, AND THOROUGH INSTRUCTION CONCERNING JOB STANDARDS IS VITAL. WHETHER THE GUARD HAS ABSORBED THE TRAINING CAN BE DETERMINED THROUGH REGULAR TESTING PROCEDURES. AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT ALLOWS FOR REFRESHER OR INSERVICE TRAINING. A READINESS TEST SHOULD BE DEVELOPED CONSISTING OF SCENARIOS FOR EACH EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT THE SECURITY GUARD MIGHT ENCOUNTER. PERSONNEL SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE PURPOSES OF THE TRAINING AND TESTING. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, THE NIGHT FORCE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE STATUS OF AN ELITE GROUP; PAY SHOULD BE HIGHER AND PERSONNEL SHOULD BE PROMOTED TO THE NIGHT SHIFT. BY PROMOTING TO THE NIGHT SHIFT, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS AN INDIVIDUAL'S RELIABILITY BEFORE ASSIGINING HIM TO THE DIFFICULT AND TAXING NIGHT DUTIES. (KJM)