1) The Security academy, It all begins there…Crap in crap out…All too often some academies are looking at the bottom line. Get them in, get them out. They don’t care IF they train the cadets correctly…they just want the money. I have had guards…”not Officers” ask me “Do I have to take the whole course? Can I just give you 50.00 more and have you sign off!!!! WHISK TANG FOXTROT….REALLY ?!!!!
This is across the board…I have guards ask “How much for baton , pepper spray and cuffing” I can give you $20.00 more and have you sign off, I am in a hurry…I wanted to Alpha Charlie his Butt…
This is why some academies and security guards are looked down at…because they don’t know what they are doing.
They don’t know about being professional. How to articulate, write reports, basically the instructor just threw them to the wolves. The academy / instructor lacks ethics and professionalism…
The security industry for the most part now looks like they hire just any village idiot….even though they supposedly ave had 40 contact hours of training. To be honest 40 contact Hours is not enough time to train someone who has never fired a gun. I believe that IF you have never fired a pistol, you need to take a gun 101 course first then go take a Level 3 discipline. I have had guards that have had their service pistols for 2 years, they come in to requalify and they don’t know how to load it, clear it, clear jams, dismantle and clean their own service pistols…They are DANGEROUS!!!! NOT only to the guard but to the public at large. I don’t want my family around them!!! I have trained supervisor that do not know how to clean their service pistol, I seen rust on their service pistol, OLD ammo in their
service pistol around 3 to 4 years old!!! WHISK TANG FOXTROT.. No way!!!
I could go on and on…But the Security schools/academies need to care about the cadets as they will be the first responders, The training they received or the lack there of could determine whether they live or die in a critical situation.
2) The Security Company, Most companies grab you, slap a uniform on you and throw you to the wolves!!! They just want a warm body in that uniform. They don’t vet you or confirm you been taught correctly. Most they do is check your back ground make sure nothing in your history is bad and BANG you’re out on patrol.. They don’t verify if you’re up to state code. I.E. you should not be caring a .380 as a service pistol. Cheap gear like level 1 holster that can fall out or be pulled out during an altercation with a subject. Make sure that IF you have pepper spray and a baton that you are certified and have a pocket card for it.. Which by the way MOST OFFICERS DUE NOT, or they have expired one on them. The security company should take pride in their officers and the officers should take pride in their company but all too often the company treats it’s officer like trash….The security company needs to invest in it’s officers, NOW not all Officers are worth that investment some are not even worth hiring…The security industry has a high turnover rate. Some is due to bad officers and some is due to bad security company’s not paying
what they should or they have NO incentive or upward mobility for advancement.
YOU have to offer the Officers something to strive for and reward the officers accordingly.
I think that Security companies should offer FREE training or at least a discounted price with the potential of a raise IF you get so many certification with a certain time period. Again something to offer the officers to better them self and bragging rights for the company.
3) The Security Officer It is up to the security Officer to better himself or herself, YOU should know how to load, unload, dismantle, reassemble, clear jams. IF you are a security officer with 2 or more years in and do not know how to do the above aforementioned YOU should be ashamed of yourself. The gun that you wear is not for LOOKS, that is a piece of gear that you better know how to use it and when to use it. I know…I see this crap every week at the academy I teach at…..You should know most common penal codes “I.E. 30.05 criminal trespassing, 30.06 No concealed carry or 30.07 no open carry ect…. It is up to you to seek out training that will benefit not ONLY YOU but will make the security company want to hire you and maybe even put you in a supervisor position or F.T.O. / CWO.
Look officers let me ask you a question, IF I owned a security company…..What are you bringing to the table? What are you offering me as an owner that I should hire you? What experience? You’re a hard worker? You show up to work? Guess what the last 300 applications we looked stated the same thing!! There is nothing different in your bio/resume that SCREAMS LOOK AT ME!!! NOW you possible thinking how do I do that? How can I increase my chances of getting hired?
IF YOU ARE FOR REAL E-MAIL ME & I WILL GIVE YOU THE ANSWER.
Look officers you do not want to be security Officers all your life….RIGHT? You want to be able to move up in the brass, get promoted to sergeant, supervisors or manage accounts. YOU want the ability to support you and your family. That it is not a job but a nice career with good benefits.
You have get the training…Yes I know that it does not pay much upfront but you need to invest in yourself, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!!! Once you know… They can never take that away from you.. Know policy and procedures of the company, know penal codes articulate yourself in a professional manner at all times. Know your post orders… strive to be the best…EVEN IF THE SECURITY COMPNAY DOES’NT DESERVE IT.. DO IT FOR YOU!!! YOU are the PROFESSIONAL.
CWO5.Traylor