CALSAGA

No budget deal in sight as new fiscal year looms

As the June 30 deadline to pass a state budget looms, lawmakers admitted Friday that there are still some unresolved issues that will prevent them from completing the budget on time.

A two-house conference committee met on Friday, and on a party-line vote, approved a report that Democrats claim met Governor Schwarzenegger's and Republicans halfway. However, Republicans on the panel said the plan still needed additional cuts.

The Legislative Analyst's Office has predicted that there will be a $3.4 billion shortfall this year and an even larger gap of $5 billion for fiscal 2008-2009. Because State revenues are less than expected, you can bet that this will only complicate an agreement between Democrats and Republicans moving forward.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 29, 2007

Contract talks start for guards: Union seeking pay increase, better health benefits - San Francisco Chronicle

Contract talks for 4,000 union-represented private guards in the Bay Area and 14 security companies began this week, with their contract set to expire Saturday.

Security Guard Shot Twice - KTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI

Police are looking for the suspect who fired two shots into a security guard's chest Wednesday night. The suspect attacked the guard during routine patrol of a high-voltage power substation at Mill Road and Teutonia.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 28, 2007

International Mall Security Guard Accused Of Rape - Miami, FL, CBS-TV, and Miami Herald

A security officer at the mall allegedly took a suspected shoplifter to a private office, where she alleges he raped her.

Marine helped shooting victim - Inside Potomac News (Northern Virginia)

[Marc Harpel] said his Marine Corps training kicked in Sunday night when 23-year-old Evelio Cordero-Montenegro was shot by a security guard at the Woodburn Apartment Complex in the 11300 block Golden Leaf Circle in the Manassas area.

Some Diamondhead Residents Say City Living More Secure - WLOX-TV (Biloxi, MS)

The town of Diamondhead, Mississippi debates whether to incorporate into a city, and whether security should be transitioned from private security to police protection is the major issue.

Monty Hecker appointed new Region 1 Director

We are pleased to announce that Monty Hecker from Elite Universal Security was appointed the new Region 1 Director by the CALSAGA Board of Directors at a recent Board meeting.  Member companies should be familiar with Hecker, as he previously served in the same capacity in years prior.

CALSAGA sincerely appreciates Hecker's willingn ess to fill a vacancy in the middle of the year and are more than confident that his experience and his committment to further advancing the professionalism of the security industry will continue to be a great asset to CALSAGA and members in Region 1.

Please join us in welcoming him back as Region 1 Director.  His contact information is as follows:

Monty Hecker

Elite Universal Security

(530) 749-0280

monty_h@eliteuniversalsecurity.com

SB 666 Vote Delayed One Week

At the request of CALSAGA, Senator Maldonado and the Assembly Business & Professions Committee has delayed the vote on SB 666 by one week.  The bill will now be heard in committee on July 3.

CALSAGA will be making two technical amendments to SB 666 to address the reasons that Staples Center owner/operator AEG claims is the basis for their opposition.

1. AEG claims that CALSAGA only sponsors SB 666 so that our members get to train Staples' officers.  This is not true, but to address it, we are making it clear in SB 666 that Staples can train their own officers, just like PPOs can train their own officers.
2. AEG claims the AB 2880 training curriculum is too narrow and is more appropriate to contract officers but not the site-specific duties of a proprietary officer.  Again, we feel the flexibility built into AB 2880 allows customized training programs for sites, but to address this concern, SB 666 will now require BSIS to adopt a separate curriculum for proprietary security after consulting with subject matter experts, just like they did for AB 2880.  Our only requirement is that the 8 hours pre-employment training of PTA and WMD be given to all officers.

Frankly, we think Staples just doesn't want any state regulation of their security operation at all, but we will address the reasons why they claim they are opposed, show we are reasonable, and then watch as they create a new reason to be opposed.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 27, 2007

Mall program bonds teens, security - The Salinas Californian

An unusual truce between a score of at-risk boys and their potential adversaries, mall security guards, reigns every Thursday afternoon at Northridge Mall in Salinas.

Thanks to the mall’s free after-school arts and crafts program, about 15 to 20 at-risk teenagers from the Silver Star Youth Program sit alongside the guards to create crafts and get to know each other as individuals.

Police: Man stabs guard in face, gets hit by car on I-10 - The Arizona Republic

A West Valley Hospital patient stabbed a security guard in the face with a pen and fled in his underwear before being struck on Interstate 10, Goodyear police said.

CALSAGA Answers Staples Center Opposition to SB 666

In light of the opposition of Staples Center owner/operator AEG to SB 666, CALSAGA sent the following letter to the Assembly Business & Professions Committee.

Here are some excerpts from our letter:

AEG states that they already have a rigorous training program for their security officers, and that SB 666 is not necessary.  They completely miss the point.  If they indeed have such a program in place, they are to be commended.  But similarly, when AB 2880 (Alarcon) imposed minimum standards for training on contract security, many in our industry also had strong training programs in place.  However, the intent is to mandate certain minimum standards on an industry that is, by its nature, placed in the public trust.  If AEG’s facilities indeed already have strong training requirements in place, then they are already in compliance with SB 666, and need not oppose it.

and

AEG states that the roles of contract security and proprietary security are vastly different.  But that is not that case.  Contrary to their assertion, the vast majority of contract officers work at the same site every day, because the customers want officers who are familiar with their sites, and who in return are officers the clients are familiar with.  They do not, as AEG states, often “deploy to different locations each day, to a wide variety of customers, requiring very different types of security services.”

and

A recent Associated Press report on the private security industry called private security the “weak link in homeland security.”  They identified lack of regulation or minimum standards for proprietary security as one of the major flaws in the industry.  But thanks to the leadership of the California Legislature in passing a series of laws in the past 5 years, California is the exception to that rule.  SB 666 will continue California’s leadership in providing the highest standards of security professionalism in the nation.

We asked before, given these facts, why does AEG really oppose AEG?  The public deserves to know.

Why Does Staples Center Owner AEG Oppose SB 666

SB 666 is a very simple bill.  Sponsored by CALSAGA and authored by Senator Abel Maldonado, SB 666 would simply require all proprietary security officers undergo the same minimum 40 hours of initial training and eight hours of annual continuing education that contract officers undergo.

As CALSAGA members know from complying with AB 2880 (which mandated the sane training requirements on contract security officers), AB 2880 requires:

• 8 hours of pre-employment training in Powers To Arrest and WMD Training
• 16 hours of mandatory courses in topics common to all security functions
• 16 hours of elective courses in topics that can be customized to an officers's company or post.

SB 666 sailed out of the State Senate on a bi-partisan vote of 31-2. 

Yet suddenly, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the owners and operators of Staples Center and Home Depot Center in Los Angeles have come out opposed to SB 666.

Why?

You can read their reasons why in their letter to the committee .

Read this letter carefully, and you'll find yourself asking the question, why are they opposed?

After all, AEG claims they offer their in-house security officers training that exceeds SB 666.  But SB 666 only sets minimum standards, and companies are allowed to exceed thse standards.  Most PPOs in California had extensive training programs in place before AB 2880 passed, after all.

AEG claims that the curriculum is too narrow, but again, as PPOs know from AB 2880, the system is specifically set up to allow companies to customize the training to their needs.  If AEG indeed offers training as extensive as they claim, then they could surely get BSIS to approve their program as compliant.

AEG claims that CALSAGA only sponsored SB 666 to try to force companies with in-house security to contract out, and they further claim they were unhappy with their prior contract security company.  But CALSAGA has been very clear about our support for higher standards for all security.  As we well know, the public cannot distinguish between contract and proprietary security, so the standards for the two should be the same.

So, when you boil down their reasons for opposing SB 666, you wonder again, why is AEG opposed to minimum training standards for their security officers?

Then, when you find out that AEG secretly opposed SB 194, which required criminal background checks and state registration for proprietary security, even though AEG claimed again that they already did background checks, it makes you wonder.

Are AEG's claims that they do training and background checks just that, claims?  If they already have high standards, why would they oppose state minimum standards? 

Remember that the next time you go to a Lakers game.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 25, 2007

Letter to the Editor - Brutal Force is Wrong - Chico Enterprise Record

On the evening of June 15, I was witness to an inexcusably brutal display of force exerted by the security at the Madison Bear Garden.

Security Companies Plan Talks With Union - Washington (DC) Post

The three biggest providers of security guards to commercial office buildings in the District say they will negotiate for the first time with a union, the Service Employees International Union, for a contract covering 1,200 workers.

At the mall, a secure front - Gloucester County (NJ) Times

Mall shoppers have many things on their minds, from finding the perfect gift to staying within their budgets to what kind of sugary treats they might allow themselves to indulge in.

The one thing that most don't worry about is security.

Guard Kills Trespasser After Argument Turns Into Attack - WKRN-TV (NAshville, TN)

A verbal argument between the man in the car and the security guard then turned into a physical fight once the man got enraged and got out of his car to attack the guard.

Vallas to reign in costs on $20 million security contract - New Orleans Times-Picayune

The security firm had protected Olympic athletes and foiled abductions and extortions. Now its guards were merely dealing with public school students, yet they found themselves confiscating box cutters, notebooks with razor blades stashed between the pages -- even a handgun from an elementary school student.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 21-23, 2007

We apologize again for no posting over the last couple days.  We were installing a new server at the office and were without internet access.

Here are the private security news clips for the last few days:

Walter Reed Hospital Security Shooting - As Covered in the Washington Post, NBC-TV, Associated Press, & WUSA-TV

A security officer at Walter Reed Army Medical Center pulled a handgun and fired 10 rounds at a fellow guard during the morning rush hour yesterday at the hospital's main gate, striking no one but sending stray bullets into two cars and a utility pole, D.C. police said.

District's schools will undergo safety analysis - The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA)

Desert Sands Unified School District officials are in the midst of restructuring their security program, which could result in allocating more guards to problematic schools.

Spokane Security Guard fired for allegedly spying into condo - KNDU-TV

A security guard was fired after allegedly using remote-controlled cameras on top of the downtown post office in Spokane to peer inside a condominium.

Groom, Security Guards Help Prevent Disaster in Servis' Barn - Bloodhorse.com (Horseracing News)

A fire started by a faulty motor in a fan broke out in the barn of trainer John Servis at Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack the afternoon of June 20, causing minor injuries to his stable pony, Jinks.

No other horses were injured, and the fire was quickly contained by several security guards who used fire extinguishers, as well as the barn’s sprinkler system. The local fire company in Bensalem Township was also dispatched to the scene.

Deputies investigating gunfire in Mission Viejo - Orange County Register

One shot was fired and nobody was hit, but authorities are investigating why a security guard's weapon was discharged during an altercation with a resident in a Mission Viejo community early Saturday morning.

Private firm to handle security for D.W. Field Park - South of Boston Examiner

Saying there's not enough city police officers to do the job, the police chief is planning to hire a private security firm to patrol D.W. Field Park this summer.

Judge orders security guard's reinstatement - El Paso (TX) Times

A federal administrative law judge has ordered a company to reinstate an El Paso security guard removed from his job last year because he refused to join a union or pay union fees.

Scuffle at Target ends in arrest: Man armed with knife bit security guard, police say - The Olympian (Olympia, WA)

A man armed with a knife wrestled with two store security officers and bit one after a botched shoplifting attempt Tuesday afternoon at Target, court records state.

Suspicious Man Dressed as Security Guard in Vermilion Parish - KLFY-TV (Arcandia, LA)

Vermilion Parish women should be on alert for a suspicious man posing as a security guard.

Security guard shot at U-District bar - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A security guard at the front door of Tommy's Nightclub and Grill was shot Friday in the University District after a customer became enraged, the Seattle police reported.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 20, 2007

Lawsuit blames poor security for mugging - Bradenton (FL) Herald-Tribune

As Barry Bradley would say...there's a lawsuit hiding at every post:

An elderly woman who was robbed at gunpoint last year on her morning walk to a newspaper box is suing her condominium association, saying a lack of security led to the attack.

Library seeks to add security guard, outreach positions - Salina (KS) Journal

A preliminary 2008 budget for the Salina Public Library includes pay for two new positions, a security guard and a community outreach coordinator.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 19, 2007

Sorry for the late post, was travelling all day!

Security guard stabbed at NW Houston car dealership - ABC News Houston

Police are looking for a man who stabbed a security guard several times Sunday night.

Former security guard a burglary suspect in Douglas - Douglas County (NV) Record-Courier

A former security guard appeared in East Fork Justice Court today in connection with three burglaries that may be related to a rash of break-ins in Gardnerville, Stateline and Genoa.

Patricia Medel, 46, of Carson City was taken into custody for a burglary of a Gardnerville restaurant and two attempted break-ins in Genoa.

Paul Strankowski appointed as new Region 7 Director

As many of you know, Roy Rahn was recently appointed as Southern California Vice President due to the vacancy left by Brian Fagan who was called to serve in Iraq.  As such, Rahn's appointment as Southern California Vice President left a vacancy in his prior position as Region 7 Director.

We are pleased to announce that Paul Strankowski from AlliedBarton Security Services was appointed Region 7 director at the CALSAGA Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, June 13.  Strankowski brings years of experience in the security industry and will be an asset to CALSAGA and members residing in Region 7.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 18, 2007

Off-Duty Security Guard Helps Nab Robbery Suspect - WESH-TV, Kissimmee, FL

Off-duty security guard Coy Dotson became a hero Thursday after witnessing a robbery at a 7-Eleven on Championsgate Boulevard

Security guards rescue kitten tied to tracks - San Antonio Express-News

The calico kitten was riddled with fleas and so scrawny you could see its backbone.

Yet the animal was in far better shape Thursday morning than it had been several hours earlier, when two off-duty security guards on a secluded South Side road saw a man and a woman tying the creature to some railroad tracks with a shoelace, a police report said.

Man with TB sentenced for spitting on guards - Ventura County Star

A homeless man from Oxnard will spend 32 months in prison after he spit on two security guards at the Ventura County Medical Center following an escape attempt from the facility.

Adelberto Monroy, 37, was found to have acute tuberculosis in August 2006.

Council installs tougher security - Inland Valley (Chino, CA) Daily Bulletin

Until Tuesday, a single deputy was on duty at every council meeting, though Hagman said a lieutenant or a chief usually attends as well.

Now, two Guardsmark Security officers will screen council visitors, and two deputies will be on duty outside the lobby.

"You might get a troublemaker here," said Carlo Braida, a security officer who works full-time screening visitors at West Valley Courthouse in Rancho Cucamonga. "If somebody brings a gun in, we'll call the deputy - who's right here."

Questions raised about Flight 93 security firm - Somerset County (PA) Daily American

Owners of two private security firms are angry that the firm patrolling the Flight 93 crash site is not on a list of licensed private detectives registered with Somerset County's clerk of courts.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 15, 2007

Malls use combination of security measures - The South Carolina State

Malls and other shopping centers rely on layers of security measures designed to keep shoppers safe without clamping down too much on the free flow of commerce.

At Columbiana Centre, where a man was killed and his daughter injured Wednesday in a shooting in the mall’s parking lot, security is provided by AlliedBarton Security Services, a 50,000-employee company that provides guards to 125 malls nationwide.

Staffing for fair security changes - Fargo (ND) Forum

When the Red River Valley Fair opens today, both sheriff’s deputies and the fair’s own staff security members will be watching closely.

But for the first time in years, the fair hasn’t hired any off-duty sheriff’s deputies to work as staff security.

Editorial - Private Security — Safeguarding - Topeka Capitol Journal

The good news is the city of Topeka is among the Kansas communities that have established regulations for private security guards.

The bad news? The city may be in the minority.

In the Line of Duty: Palm Spring Security Officer Passes Away

We regret to inform you that Security Officer Wallace Brown of Bowers Security, who was brutally attacked a few nights ago while working construction security in Palm Springs, passed away late last night.

Mr. Bowers, a 66 year-old ex-Marine, was attacked by members of the Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang.

As reported by the Palm Springs Desert Sun, the website of KTLA-TV Channel 5, and KESQ-TV Channel 3, the Riverside County District Attorney's office has upgraded the charges against the two 18 year old and two 17 year old attackers to murder.

The CALSAGA Security Officer Memorial Fund will be contacting Bowers Security and the family or Mr. Brown to offer assistance.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 14, 2007

Guard in gun drama posed as Hub cop - Boston Herald

An off-duty security guard accused of pointing a loaded handgun at two women who didn’t buy he was a Boston police officer kept up his charade even as the real cops were arresting him.

Man shot by security guard awarded $52.4 million in damages - Canton (OH) Repository

Not responding to the lawsuit of a man paralyzed by one of its security guards will cost a Willoughby-based security company $52.4 million.

Port Of Miami Has Plan To Avoid Bankruptcy - Channel 10 TV News, Miami, FL

Officials Want To Replace Sworn Police Officers With Security Guards...Currently, the port pays police officers $60 to $90 per hour in overtime. But Port Security Director James Maes said private security officers could be hired and paid straight time to take the place of police officers on overtime.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 13, 2007

Butte County Votes to Contract for Private Security over D.A.'s Objections - (as reported in the Chico Enterprise-Record and in the Oroville Mercury-Register and KNVN NBC-TV)

Butte County’s District Attorney is fighting to save jobs in his department.

The Butte County Board of Supervisors voted four to one to contract private security officers at the two welfare offices in the county. The current security forces are the responsibility of the Fraud Investigation Unit which falls under the umbrella of the District Attorney’s Office.

District Attorney Mike Ramsey says privatizing security is not the right move, “These are folks that are paid minimum wage and stand in a uniform inside of a welfare department and basically call the police if something bad happens.”

According to Ramsey, there have been violent incidents at the welfare offices and an armed peace officer is necessary. “My investigators are peace officers,” Ramsey said, “[They] are first responders should there be any trouble and actually have the authority, unlike private security, to arrest people.”

Representatives from the Employment and Social Service Office say several other counties in the state have private security at many different county offices. The welfare offices in Butte County will contract Elite Universal Security. The firm will then staff three guards daily at the Oroville office and two at the Chico office.

“We currently perform the same duties in down in Yuba County at the Department of Social Services, the EDD Office,” said Mike Hahn of Elite Universal Security [Editor's Note - CALSAGA Member Company], “and the Courthouse Government Center, and so far have a zero percent incident or injury rate.”

According to District Attorney Ramsey, limiting his investigators from security duties is just the beginning. Employment and Social Services has plans to eliminate some of those positions all together. “If we have too much of a cut, then Butte County gets back to the bad old days of a Welfare Capital, in which people come here to be on welfare because there’s very little oversight,” Ramsey said.

The private security officers will start July 1. As far as cutting back the Fraud Investigators Unit, the Board of Supervisors will tackle that issue on June 26.

Security guard shot in bank robbery - KVBC NBC-TV, Las Vegas

A bank robbery in Las Vegas Tuesday turns into a shooting. The bullets flew at the Wells Fargo branch located at Tropicana and Eastern.

Police say a man walked up to the teller's window and took an undisclosed amount of money. When he walked out he shot the bank's security guard and took off.

City boosts security at pools - Arlington (TX) Star-Telegram

A dozen car burglaries at the city's three most popular pools have prompted city officials to hire private security guards to patrol the parking lots.

Since city pools opened May 26, seven vehicle burglaries have been reported at Bad Konigshofen pool in southwest Arlington, three at Allen Bolden pool in southeast Arlington, and two at Randol Mill pool in central Arlington, according to police and parks officials. Thieves have smashed windows and broken into car trunks, officials said.

The city recently gave the Parks Department $25,000 for security, which it is using to hire uniformed, unarmed personnel.

Street Roots says Rent-A-Cops Have Been Enforcing Sit/Lie Early - Portland Mercury (Blog)

Street Roots says it’s been receiving reports that officers working for Portland Patrol, Inc. (PPI) have been issuing verbal warnings to homeless people about the upcoming sit/lie ordinance before the official enforcement date, in a letter to the mayor and city commissioners sent today.

Cops' security jobs getting new system - The Jersey City Journal

It's taken a year and a half, but Jersey City is finally overhauling its system for hiring out off-duty cops - and in the nick of time.

Already given two extensions from the state to put the entire process under the control of the Police Department, the city's latest deadline is July 1.

In the past, the Jersey City Police Department officials referred police officers to whoever called in looking for security help. The private companies paid the officers and in some cases renegotiated fees with them.

But in 2004, the state enacted "The Security Officer Registration Act," stating any law enforcement officer performing the duties of a security officer must be directly compensated by his or her department or they must become a registered security officer of a licensed security company, which would require additional mandatory training.

HPD captain steps away from private security deals - BlogHouston

This Houston Blog reports on a Houston Police Department Captain who had been taking fees to coordinate off-duty police officers working security.

Revolt from Above: A family-run union for security guards ousts its members - The Village Voice (New York City)

...the embattled leaders of a family-run union representing 3,000 metropolitan-area security guards recently went in the opposite direction, dropping members rather than adding them.

Review Security Contract Says NZ First - New Zealand Scoop

The political party NZ First has called for the review of a security contract of a firm providing services at Defense Ministry buildings.  NZ First says the firm has been accused of hiring private security officers with criminal records.

In the Line of Duty: Update on Wounded Palm Springs Security Officer

In Monday's private security news clips, we posted an article about a Palm Springs security officer who was severely wounded while on duty.  The officer, Wallace Brown of Bowers Security, is a former Marine who was working construction security ion Palm Springs.  The alleged attackers were all associated, according to police, with the Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang.

There are two new articles today updating us on the status of the officer and the investigation:

Police arrest four in beating of security guard - Riverside Press-Enterprise

Police have arrested four young men in connection with the beating of a 66-year-old security guard that left him with major head trauma.

During a news conference Monday morning Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron said authorities will use all resources available to prosecute the four males whom he described as being members of or associated with the Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang, a Palm Springs gang.

Suspects in security guard beating members of Palm Springs gang - Palm Springs Desert Sun

Zero tolerance was the message from the Palm Springs Police Department today.

Within 26 hours of the brutal beating of 66-year old Wallace Brown, a Bowers security guard, police had arrested four suspects believed to be in the Palm Springs based Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang.

CALSAGA will continue to keep members updated on the status of this assault, and the CALSAGA Memorial Fund will contact Bowers to determine if we can be of assistance with medical bills.

Security Officer's Letter to the Editor Rebuts AP Story about Low Standards

A private security officer in Indiana had the following letter to the editor published in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette today.  The letter offers a good rebuttal to the recent Associated Press series on low standards in the security industry.

Regarding the story “Quality control up to employers, not state” (May 30) about security guards: I found this very offensive since I am a security guard.

Not all security guards have the intelligence of a burger flipper, which is a no-win job, too. Most companies just want the cheapest they can get, and they get what they pay for.

Not everyone who applies gets hired. There is a background check at the company I work for.

Most security companies offer little or no benefits; there is no advancement and hardly ever a raise. There are no holidays off or holiday pay. Even McDonald’s has retirement plans; we don’t.

I make a dollar more an hour than the guards across the street who work at the power house. Our job entails using computers to ship and receive trucks. We are also the answering service and do Canadian customs paperwork and visitor orientations. In other words, we are shipping and receiving clerks, so not all “guards sit and watch employees go by.” And we are not rent-a-cops.

CINDY WILSON
Cayuga

Well said, Security Officer Wilson.  Your pride and professionalism are a tribute to you.

CALSAGA Studying Legislation to Address Unlawful Possession of a Security Uniform

In this morning's edition of the Daily Private Security News Clips, we posted a link to this story:

BAKER — Police arrested a security guard accused of handcuffing two people Sunday while claiming he was a police officer, Police Chief Mike Knaps said.

Knaps said officers arrested Johnny Rogers III, 25, a security officer at the Renaissance Village trailer park on Sunday night after a complaint by a 27-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy. The incident occurred in another Baker mobile home park, where Rogers lives at 2119 W. Azalea Drive.

The other two residents said Rogers told them they were under arrest for stealing bicycles.

The 27-year-old man said Rogers managed to put a handcuff on one of his arms before he broke free, while the 15-year-old said he was handcuffed and thrown to the ground, Knaps said.

The two also claimed Rogers drew a pistol at one point and told them he was a police officer.  The teenager said Rogers waved a collapsible baton in his face, the police chief said.

Knaps said officers booked Rogers at Parish Prison with false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous weapon, false impersonation of a police officer and simple battery. Officers found a pistol matching the one described by the victims in Rogers’ home, Knaps said.

CALSAGA has been tracking the use of security officer uniforms by individuals to impersonate police officers and commit crimes, and we believe it is a growing problem.

Because of this, CALSAGA is considering sponsoring legislation next year to strengthen laws against impersonating a police officer, and to make it illegal for an individual to possess or wear a security uniform if they are not employed as a security officer.

We are still exploring exactly how to formulate this legislation, and are interested in your opinion.  If you have other examples of this happening, or thoughts on how this potential legislation show be worded, please email us or post a comment here.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 12, 2007

Security guard prevents armed robbery at gas station - Kansas City Star

The presence of a security guard thwarted an armed robbery early today at a Shell gas station.

The failed heist occurred about 1:10 a.m. in the 5500 block of Bannister Road.

It began when three men walked up to the store's front doors and the first man stepped in with a gun. He yelled "Break bread!" as a way of demanding cash. The other two men had not yet walked into the store.

At that moment, a security guard stepped around a corner in the back of the store.

"Security!" one of the robbers yelled. The robbers then backed up and ran away. One of them fired one or two shots at the store as they fled, breaking a large window at the front of the store.

No one was hurt. There were several customers and 6 employees inside the store.

Security guard accused of claiming to be officer - Channel 2 (ABC News) New Orleans, LA

Police arrested a security guard accused of handcuffing two people Sunday while claiming he was a police officer, Police Chief Mike Knaps said.

Suspected shoplifter goes to the well one time too many - Framingham (MA) Daily News

Police say a Millis man believed a shoplifting scheme he used at Target on Thursday worked so well, he tried it a second time Friday.

On Thursday, store security watched Derick Kerrissey take a set of $90 Bose speakers out of their original box, according to police spokesman Lt. Paul Shastany. He then grabbed a $10 fan, took it out of its box and put the speakers into it.

Kerrissey paid for the fan and left the store before security guards could catch him, Shastany said.

Stores hire extra security against looters - Sydney (Austrailia) Morning Herald

Stores in Newcastle have hired extra security to protect their goods as the first cases of looting have emerged from the weekend's storms.

Brian Fagan Arrives in Iraq

As many of you know, former CALSAGA Vice-President South, Brian Fagan, resigned his position when his Navy Reserve unit was activated and sent to Iraq.

After a few weeks of Army basic training, Brian traveled to Iraq and arrived in late May.

Here is a photo of Brian in transit to Iraq (click on photo for larger image):

Along with this photo, Brian sent a short note for all his friends in CALSAGA:

Hey Everybody,

Well I finally made it out here. I landed on Monday local time. It is very hot out here, around 110 degrees, but it cools down to the upper 80’s at night. And, this isn’t even the worst time of the year yet.

The conditions aren’t the greatest, but what do you expect for a war zone. At least there is plenty of food and snacks to eat, 24/7. Right now I work nights, 1800 – 0600 which pretty much corresponds to daytime there in the US. I attached a picture of me and a few friends at the Ramstein airport. We came over on a cargo plane, a C-17 Globemaster. The ride wasn’t too bad, until they announce that you have to return to your seats because we are entering a war zone. We landed at night and stepped off the plane into another world. It was very surreal.

If any of you want to send any letters via snailmail, my address is:

Brian Fagan
Unit #931003 / TFTP2
APO, AE 09391

It should take about two weeks to get to me. I work 12 hour days, seven days a week, so I may not be able to get out a quick response.

Take care and be thankful you’re not here,

All The Best from Iraq,

Brian

Please join us all in thanking Brian for his service and wishing him a safe tour and trip home.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 11, 2007

Four suspects arrested after allegedly attacking security guard - KESQ-TV (news website), Palm Springs

Four men are behind bars tonight, accused of beating a Bower Security guard until he was unconscious.

Palm Springs Police are saying, a 66 year old US Marine Corp veteran that was working as Bower Security guard was viciously beaten early Saturday morning.

The guard was watching over a construction site on El Dorado Boulevard, when four men alleged dragged him from his patrol car and beat him until he was unconscious. The four then allegedly robbed him and fled in a older model Ford Explorer.

Chipman weighs hiring private security - Canadian Broadcasting Company

The New Brunswick village of Chipman is looking into hiring private security guards to address vandalism, officials say, because they're unhappy with RCMP coverage and response times.

Chipman Mayor Carol Doherty said recent vandalism has council thinking a different approach is needed.

"I know we're not the only place, too, but I guess Chipman's my concern right now," Doherty said. "If we have to go with [private] security, I guess we'll have to try that."

The village of Hillsborough hired a security guard in May, because it said a lack of RCMP visibility in the community was partly to blame for a rise in vandalism.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 10, 2007

Sorry this is posted late...I was traveling this morning.

- Jeff

Security guard assaulted in Palm Springs - KESQ-TV (Website), Palm Springs

An apparent brutal beating has left a valley security guard hospitalized and on life-support tonight.

The security guard was reportedly on patrol, when he was attacked early this morning in Palm Springs. It happened around 3 o'clock saturday morning  on El Dorado blvd, just west of Indian Canyon.

Maintenance Complaint Leads To Tenant's Assault, Arrest - WCPO-TV (website), Cincinati

A complaint about a leaky ceiling early Saturday morning led to the tenant of an apartment complex to allegedly assault a security guard.

Harvard security guards agree on new deal - Boston Globe

Harvard University's security guards agreed to a new contract Wednesday, allowing the school to avoid planned picket lines and civil disobedience during graduation events.

Security Guard Shoots Man At Gas Station - NBC 5 (TV Website), Dallas

Police said a security guard shot a man who followed him to a gas station after an argument at a Dallas nightclub, NBC 5 reported.

Police said two men who were involved in an altercation with the security guard at Club Karma waited until the club closed and then followed him to a Chevron gas station near Keller Springs and the tollway.

When the two men assaulted the security guard he shot one of them in the chest, authorities said.

Homeless man attacks security guard in Yonkers - Westchester (NY) Journal-News

A security guard at a commercial building in Yonkers was assaulted early this morning by a homeless man, police said.

About 4:11 a.m. Jason Jackson, 32, assaulted the guard in a lower-level bathroom at 1 Executive Blvd., said Lt. David Komar. Jackson was arrested at the scene, he said.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 9, 2007

Grand Lake Residents Call in the Berets - East Bay (Oakland) Times (BLOG)

Oakland citizens fed up with rising crime and scarce police officers have long discussed hiring private security forces to patrol their ‘hoods. Now, residents of Oakland’s Grand Lake neighborhood are finally putting the tactic to the test. The area’s crime prevention council convinced the beret-clad Guardian Angels to patrol their neighborhood starting today in light of increasing burglaries and robberies.

Metro says its guards acted properly after holdup - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Two MetroLink security guards acted properly following the May 26 robbery of two passengers at a bus stop near the Wellston station, according to findings of an internal investigation by the transit agency.

The victims alleged that one of the guards stood by and failed to act while they were robbed.

Security guard gets 1 to 3 years in fatal Yonkers stabbing - Westchester (NY) Journal News

A security guard who fatally stabbed an unruly visitor at a Yonkers apartment building was sentenced yesterday to one to three years in state prison.

4 mall security guards arrested - Twin Cities (MN) Pioneer Press

They were hired to protect Rosedale Center merchandise. Now four security guards are accused of pilfering thousands of dollars of merchandise from mall stores.

Roseville police arrested the guards Wednesday while investigating a rash of burglaries within the mall the past few weeks. Police on Friday did not name the guards, who have been released without charges being filed.

The guards, who were employed by IPC International and were working under contract for the mall, are believed to have burglarized stores in the mall after completing their security shifts, Roseville police said in a prepared statement.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 8, 2007

Downtown businesses hire private security team - Vallejo Times Herald

If you look closer, you'll figure out that those uniformed guys riding their bikes on some key downtown streets are not the Vallejo police officers who disappeared three years ago.

Downtown businesses are hoping that the private security officers they hired will help lead to a bustling shopping district, and allay safety concerns of area visitors.

...

Vallejo police officers patrolled the downtown area from 2001 to 2004, but were redeployed in a cost-saving move. Last year, Sylvain asked the city to restore the officers, but was told the CCRC would need to find ways to fund their own security.

CCRC hired Napa-based RedPhantom Enterprises, Inc. [Editor's Note: CALSAGA Member Company] to provide security services downtown for about a third of what the VPD would cost, Sylvain said. The firm also patrols Hidenbrooke and the problem apartments at 201 Maine St. in Vallejo, she added.

Local firm securing the First Coast - Jacksonville (FL) Financial Times

The security industry has also changed, said First Coast Security Vice President Earle Ginn. He has been in the business since 1977 and was recently named a “Certified Protection Professional” by ASIS International. Ginn said it took him years to prepare for the 225-question test he had to pass to earn the board certification from the global security organization.

The days of a night watchman walking around with a flashlight and shaking doors are gone, replaced by personnel trained in a variety of roles.

Man Says Wal-Mart Security Guard Wrote Profanity On Fake Ticket - Channel 9 News, Orlando, FL

Getting a ticket was bad enough, but an Orange County Wal-Mart shopper was even more outraged after reading what was written on it. He said a security guard for the Wal-Mart on South Kirkman Road wrote the ticket, leading store officials to apologize, at first.

The guy freely admits his car was taking up two spaces, but said that doesn't begin to justify the fake parking ticket left for him by a security guard.

The "Notice of Inconsideration" looked official, but a quick read by Carlos Vazquez showed something was a little off about what was left on his truck by a security guard.

"It says, 'Your vehicle is parked very selfishly and deserving of a real summons,'" Vazquez said.

Farther down it has some hand written comments, including the word "a**hole."

Terzi's Lobbying Raises Eyebrows - Hartford (CT) Courant

The so-called Guardsmark Bill was inspired by the plight of security guards earning $11.50 an hour.

But on its way to approval by the legislature Wednesday, the bill was amended to advance the cause of workers in another industry, too - broadcasters, including celebrity news anchors.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 7, 2007

China to step up security guard training for Olympics - People's Daily Online (China)

China will step up security guard training in its occupational education in an effort to have more qualified personnel for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

"China is in urgent need of security guards with specialized skills," said an official with the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) Wednesday.

Editorial: Nation’s armor needs some work - Batesville (IN) Herald-Tribune

AP cited a Labor Department survey that found average pay for security officers in 2006 to be $23,620.

The article blamed the low pay on cutthroat competition among security companies seeking to win contracts with the lowest possible bid. To keep costs low, the article said, many companies skimp on training and background checks.

Harvard security guards agree on new deal - Boston Herald

Harvard University’s security guards agreed to a new contract Wednesday, allowing the school to avoid planned picket lines and civil disobedience during graduation events.

The deal was overwhelmingly approved by the guards, said Lauren Jacobs, director of organizing for the guard’s union, SEIU Local 615.

Officials Probe Loomis Truck Wreck That Left 2 Security Guards Dead - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Department of Public Safety officials are investigating an unusual collision that broke open an armored Loomis truck full of cash and left two Loomis security guards dead at the scene.

Breaking News: Security Officer Helps Police Arrest "Irreconcilable Differences" bandit in Glendale

A private security officer at a Glendale bank helped police track down the so-called "Irreconcilable Differences" bandit yesterday.  The alleged bank robber is believed by police to have attempted as many as 17 bank robberies in the last six months.

You can read the whole story here.

Monty Hecker is Again CALSAGA's Region 1 Director

Monty Hecker of Elite Universal Security Services in Marysville is once again CALSAGA's Region 1 Director and member of the Board of Directors.

Hecker, who had served the prior two years as Region 1 Director, had chosen not to seek re-election so that "some new blood" could serve on the Board.  Members from Region 1 selected Tom Jordan, then of Allied-Barton Security Services, to be the 2007 Region 1 Director.  However, in April, Jordan left his position with ABSS, and after the 60-day transitional period proscribed by the CALSAGA by-laws, the position was deemed vacant.

The CALSAGA Board of Directors wasted little time in appointing Hecker to the position he had previously served.

"Appointing Monty was a no-brainer," said CALSAGA Northern California President David Travers of Guardian Security Agency.  "He knows the issues and was ready to hit the ground running from day one."

Hecker will serve the balance of the 2007 year, and has not stated yet whether he will seek election again for 2008.

Region 1 serves Sacramento County, surrounding counties, and rural Northern California.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 6, 2007

Security guard finds baby left inside hot car at Memphis grocery store - Memphis, TN

A baby was left unattended inside a hot car late Tuesday afternoon at a Kroger grocery store on Kirby.

According to police, a security guard saw the three month old baby inside the car and was able to get it out.  The guard went inside the store, called the police, and paged family members.

Security guard shot, killed - Selma (AL) Times-Journal

[The guard, Steven James] Aguero, 35, told police there had been two incidents at the Selmont apartment complex on Nannie Drive. When officers arrived, a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old were taken into custody for fighting. A short time later, officers responded again after Aguero called to report he had been assaulted.

The security guard, who was on duty and was armed, did not return fire, authorities said. He told police "several people," who were upset with him had attacked him.

Once officers arrived after 10 p.m., shots rang out and Aguero was hit in the chest by a single gunshot wound.

Man shot to death inside Birmingham high school - The Decatur Daily

A man was shot and killed during a struggle with a security officer at Hayes High School early Tuesday after officials were alerted to a burglary.

Regina Waller, a spokeswoman with Birmingham city schools, said two security officers who were sent to the school because of a possible burglary saw a man leaving through a window about 3 a.m.

As an officer tried to handcuff the man, the suspect turned to attack him, Waller said. The two fell down in a struggle, and the security guard's gun went off.

Gove security firm fined for using unlicensed guards - ABC (Australian Broadcasting Company)

The security company that services Gove Airport has been fined for employing unlicensed staff to act as security guards.

The Northern Territory Licensing Commission has fined ISS Security $6,500 for employing two staff who didn't have current licences.

One of the guards worked 24 shifts without a licence, over 35 days last Christmas.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 5, 2007

Up to 5,000 in security industry have no licences - The Irish Times

Up to 5,000 door supervisors and private security guards have yet to apply for licences from the Private Security Authority (PSA) despite the introduction of mandatory licensing of the sector in April.

This suggests that a significant number are continuing to work in the "informal economy". It is thought that in particular door supervisors, or bouncers, may not have applied due to the "cash-in-hand" nature of much of this work.

Strict security angers grad guests - Salisbury (MD) Dailt Times

Fletcher said a security guard -- whose name was being withheld -- asked her to leave the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center auditorium Thursday when she stood up from her seat. After consulting with another guard, Fletcher retreated to the upstairs level to watch the rest of the graduation.

Preferred Private Security Terms

Much has changed in the world of private security over the years, and as you know CALSAGA strives to continue increasing public awareness and improving public preception of the private security industry, as well as raising the level of professionalism within the industry.

With the changing times, some members have contacted us expressing an opinion that the official names of our firms and employees, as referred to by the state, are somewhat outdated and no longer appropriate or relevant.

For instance, some have said that the term "Private Patrol Operator" or "PPO" is not reflective of the broad array of private security services that our member companies provide.  Some have suggested "Private Security Services Provider", "Private Security Firm", and other such terms.

Others have said that the term "Security Guard" does not reflect the increased professionalism we are striving toward in our employees, and have suggested "Security Officer" or "Contract Security Officer" as more appropriate terms.

We would like to get our members input on this discussion.  To change these terms, CALSAGA would have to sponsor legislation, because the terms are set in state law.

Please submit your comments to the questions below on this blog, or email us at info@calsaga.org.

1.  Do you think CALSAGA should seek to change the names of terms such as "Private Patrol Operator" (PPO) and "Security Guard", or do you think they should stay the same?

2.  If you believe "PPO" and "Security Guard" should be changed, do you have any suggestions for what the official term should be?

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 4, 2007

Statehouse ramps up security measures - Indianapolis Star

The first Statehouse visitors were funneled through metal detectors this morning as new security measure went into effect.

"I was actually surprised that they didn't have security prior to today," said Courtney Smith, who arrived for her first day of work in the Indiana Senate's press office.

Kelso teen held in theft, knife attack on Sears security guard - Longview (WA) Daily-News

A Kelso teen was arrested Sunday afternoon after allegedly attempting to stab a security guard at Sears in the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso.

According to Kelso Police Sgt. Darr Kirk, officers responded just before noon Sunday to a weapons complaint at Sears. Security Officer Terry Cook told police that he had caught the 17-year-old Kelso boy attempting to conceal a pair of pants and a package of socks while inside the store. The retail value of the items is about $30.

According to the police report, Cook detained the youth and escorted him to the store's office. The boy asked to use the restroom. When he came out, he started running toward the west exit of the store.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 3, 2007

A worker for janitors, guards - Los Angeles Times

The Times profiles SEIU Deputy Director Jono Shaffer, who is leading the effort to union security officers in Los Angeles.

Excerpt:

The SEIU deputy director is orchestrating another breakthrough, with a new SEIU local representing 4,000 guards who patrol about 700 area office buildings. They join 25,000 SEIU-member guards in seven cities, part of a campaign that Shaffer conceived a decade ago.

The local's goal: To boost pay and benefits for guards to parity with the janitors working in many of the same buildings and for the same contractors.

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 2, 2007

Kansas Doesn't Regulate Private Security Guards - Topeka Capital-Journal

That private security guard watching as you walk through your favorite store could be licensed and trained and have no criminal record — or not, depending on where you are.

Kansas is among 10 states without any state requirements for licensing, training or checking backgrounds for private security guards. That is left to local governments, and at least half a dozen regulate them.

Editorial: Security Guards Critical Piece of Puzzle - Fredericksburg (MD) News-Post

According to the "Homeland insecurity" story, many security personnel who are supposed to be protecting important residential, commercial and infrastructure facilities are poorly paid and inadequately trained. They're there, but their effectiveness in preventing an attack and/or responding to one is in some doubt. The story outlined some disturbing instances where the performance and judgment of private security guards has not been up to snuff.

Did MetroLink guard fail to act during robbery? - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

MetroLink is reviewing hours of videotape to respond to allegations by two people that a MetroLink security guard stood by and did nothing as they were robbed.

A guard "kept eating pizza through the whole thing and stood by as we were screaming, 'They robbed us,'" said Kayla Taylor, 18, of Belleville.

Bally's dealers, security guards vote on unions this weekend - Atlantic City Press

Two hundred and thirty casino and hotel security officers, fire-command officers and security-operations specialists will vote Sunday on whether they wish to be represented by the International Union of the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America.

Security Executive magazine publishes article on SB 194

In the April/May issue of Security Executive magazine, a publication by the National Association of Security Companies (NASCO), California is praised for becoming the first state to require Proprietary Security Officers to register with state agencies and go through mandatory DOJ and FBI background checks.

Without a doubt, California is leading the way in further professionalizing the security industry, which we believe further protects the public and consumers.  It is no surprise that other states are looking at California as the model.

Click here to read article

Daily Private Security News Clips - June 1, 2007

Security guards should get thorough clearance - South Jersey News

U.S. Rep. Robert Andrews, D-1st Dist., of Haddon Heights, thinks there ought to be a law requiring complete background checks on potential security guards, especially those hired to secure critical facilities such as nuclear power plants and ports.

EDITORIAL: Private security guards' low pay, lack of training pose risk - Battle Creek (Michigan) Enquirer

The lead - If our nation has made homeland security a priority since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, it isn't evident in the pay or training received by many private security guards.

Suspect: I was shoplifting for gas money - Cookeville (TN) Herald Citizen

Tara Michelle Hill, 33, of Cordell Hull Memorial Drive, Byrdstown, was arrested at the Cookeville Wal-Mart store on S. Jefferson Ave. on May 25, says a report by Cookeville Police Officer Eric Hall.

Allegedly, she was caught by a store security officer "concealing several video games inside of her purse and walking out of the store without attempting to pay for them," the report says.