Reporting other security officers

[Watchdog]

For those who aren't in a supervisory position or in a high-profile, high-risk security job locaton, do you feel like it is your responsibility to report those security guards who tend to break the rules and slack off while getting paid the same as yourself, who does the job right and is responsible.
I tend to be a nice guy and turn the other cheek and keep in good relations with all my fellow security officers and many of them, though slackers are pretty nice people that I don't want to see getting in trouble, but now, I'm starting to get very ticked off and can't stand the fact that Officer "Bob" gets the same salary for reading a book all day or being late everyday while I'm up and active and maintaining a serious watch when I'm on my shift and always at work on time, but when our paychecks arrive, we both get the same pay. I am getting very unmotivated in my work.
Okay, I could just as well drop to the slacker level myself and goof off, but I enjoy security work and take it seriously.
Do I just suck it up, keep turning the other cheek, play buddy buddy with other officers and just do my job the way I like to do it or do I start being the company "tattletale" and start telling the head supervisors what is going on and how I feel and bring some responsibilty back to the security company? The way I see it is that when someone else, such as a client or outside person from the streets sees a security guard sleeping, not paying attention, etc they look at that as representing the whole security company and possibly the whole security profession itself and though there was just one or two irresponsible security officers, it could cost the security company many old and new clients and maybe my job.
Unfortunately, the head supervisors are pretty clueless what the other officers may be doing wrong and being a more alert security officer and seeing what really goes out in the field, I believe I should ask, no demand, that I be put in a higher position and get a raise if they respect my responsibility and keep me as a dependable employee.

[Mr. Security]

You're right. Incompetent or lazy s/o's can jeprodize the account. If you have several working at the same account, then chances are your supervisor knows about it and is just ignoring it. No point in reporting them. If you have a supervisor who cares, just tell them that they may want to check on a certain post when you know the s/o is out of uniform, sleeping, or goofing off. Hopefully, the s/s is intelligent enough to keep you out of it. :)

[Bill Warnock]

Does management understand decorum of guard force members project the company?s or corporation?s image, good or bad? In other words, does this organization really care? If not, describe why it doesn?t. What improvements can or should be made?

Leadership, training and supervision do matter. Poor leadership accepts ?plausible deniability? as a reason; good leadership sees it for what it is, a flimsy excuse.

The appropriateness of the maxim should be noted: ?Kindness to the bad is cruelty to the good. Kindness to a bad employee does great injustice to those who are faithful and true.? Sparing the guilty punishes the innocent. And that misplaced sentiment may be the ultimate cruelty.

If the officer you are working with is slacking and you have to pull the extra weight, you might mention it to the officer that you don't appreciate him slacking and you have to do his work. He he doesn't take the hint or becomes combative, request a new work place. Depending upon the circumstances, you might ask management to assign you to a different shift. If enough officers request a transfer from a particular place or working with a certain individual, the light should finally come on it management's head. You have to make the decision, if this officer can in any shape or form place your life in danger, get out of the situation as soon as practical.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Bill Warnock]

I spent a good deal of time and effort in my federal government security career doing my best to rid the system of folks who had the attitude you espouse. It would appear you have never had your life on the line and depended upon your fellows to pull you and themselves to safety.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

I knew a guy like that. Client figured out his views, had him removed, he was terminated, went to another company, other company got the account he was removed from - he was reassigned there, and the client cancelled the contract because the other company sent someone who they'd removed for stupidity - completely endearing the client to the new company.

He's still working, probally, has an active security license in Florida. Just bounces from company to company, because there's always someone who will hire a warm body who can put on a uniform or reasonable parts of it, and sit there.

We had a placard on the guard shack at a rubber factory. The client even found it amusing, because it was true. We were not authorized to care. :)
"Non Functioning Guard - For Insurance Purposes Only. Emergency - Dial 911"

[davido]

I don't care what they do, if it's not going to get me hurt or others I mind my own business, besides if I did snitch then we'd all be screwed anyway, if you got someone being a fool take them aside and let them know, they might straighten up or leave.. problem solved

[N. A. Corbier]

I don't care what they do, if it's not going to get me hurt or others I mind my own business, besides if I did snitch then we'd all be screwed anyway, if you got someone being a fool take them aside and let them know, they might straighten up or leave.. problem solved

That is, at least, doing something. Internal discipline. When it fails to work, then its time to go to your supervisor.

A reminder. As more and more companies expect more and more from their employees, they'll start asking (retorically) "Why didn't you tell us?" and then write "concealed information from supervisor" on the "why was this employee terminated with cause" form.

[The_Mayor]

I really don't care. Unless it absolutely directly affects me (more than just annoying me), I probably won't do anything.

As long as the checks keep showing up, I generally don't care what goes on at work.

Just as I thought..you just dont care :rolleyes:

Fortunatley, my brother and sister Officers are not slackers and I have yet to encounter a circumstance of them being derelict in their duties. If the situation where to present itself I would issue a verbal warning to my fellow Officer, and let them know that if they did not correct the problem that I would advise the Supervisor.

I wouldn't just go about blurting behind everyones back....but if neccessary I would report.

[N. A. Corbier]

Why would I? Most of the morons I work with have the same "there's a new sheriff in town" attitude you do.

Find a better class of morons? :)

[Watchdog]

I happened to have mentioned recently to my supervisor about a particular officer who is always late to work. Since I'm the one who he is relieving I have rhe right to complain.
My supervisor told me that they had trouble with this officer often and said that they don't see him on the job too much longer. Of course, the company needs officers real bad and aren't planning to fire anyone too fast until they get more dependable replacements. The trouble there also is the time it gets new people to get state guard licenses and then other officers quiting and they have to be replaced.

Good news is that I am getting a promotion and higher salary along with a couple other officers and will be of a higher rank than the officer in question who actually has been working for the company much longer than I have.
So though the company isn't real quick on firing the slackers, they do recognize and take care of the officers who do their jobs well.
The owner of the company said to me that the client I work security at said I was doing a very good job, which I suppose is a rare thing this client says about many other officers, so it feels good that I doing something right and being recognized for it. :)

[N. A. Corbier]

I happened to have mentioned recently to my supervisor about a particular officer who is always late to work. Since I'm the one who he is relieving I have rhe right to complain.
My supervisor told me that they had trouble with this officer often and said that they don't see him on the job too much longer. Of course, the company needs officers real bad and aren't planning to fire anyone too fast until they get more dependable replacements. The trouble there also is the time it gets new people to get state guard licenses and then other officers quiting and they have to be replaced.

Good news is that I am getting a promotion and higher salary along with a couple other officers and will be of a higher rank than the officer in question who actually has been working for the company much longer than I have.
So though the company isn't real quick on firing the slackers, they do recognize and take care of the officers who do their jobs well.
The owner of the company said to me that the client I work security at said I was doing a very good job, which I suppose is a rare thing this client says about many other officers, so it feels good that I doing something right and being recognized for it. :)

I am reminded of "Rule One of Supervision." Do not fire someone unless you have a replacement available, unless your motivated (and able) to work that shift yourself.

I've seen guys get pissed off, immediately suspend someone and tell them to report to the office in the morning, then realize with dread that they're now going to have to work the guy's 12 hour shift - because they didn't bring anybody along to relieve the idiot. Thankfully, I learned through their example - and always brought along another employee when doing a post inspection, just in case.

[Arff312]

Well if the officer is doing something that could cause harm to another officer or someone else then yes i will report them. Other wise if it is something such as being late i will adress them and say hey you are relieving me and i am always onto to relieve you so i appricate the same or something along those lines.

[Watchdog]

Real professional of your supervisor to share with you that he'll be getting let go soon. :rolleyes:

I kind of know what you're getting at, but it isn't like I am going to tell the guy he may be let go, plus there are a few of us officers who have a trusting relationship with the supervisors where we don't blab out what is said in the office between us.

[N. A. Corbier]

When I was a supervisor at a previous job, I never would discuss personnel issues with other employees, it's just not professional and it's definately none of your business.

It is spelled out in my policy manual: Supervisors shall not discuss disciplinary actions against subordinates with other subordinates unless such discussion is part of an approved coaching, disciplinary, or training plan.

Supervisors should be using leadership principles to build cohesion and esprit de corps on their sites, their patrol groups, and their commands. Employees should be able to trust supervisors when they give them information it will not be abused. And supervisors should be able to trust that employees will report incidents and conditions that endanger EVERYONE's employment by losing accounts.

Does this mean that everyone should expect paper to be written for every informal counseling session? No. Sometimes, a slight reminder by a supervisor, or even another employee, that we all are a team, and dependent on each other's performance to keep the client happy, is enough.

That is something I cannot stress enough: Everyone is dependent on each other's performance to keep the client happy. If the client becomes unhappy, they may seek to break the contract, and then someone's getting fired, maybe an entire post of somebodies.

[Watchdog]

When I was a supervisor at a previous job, I never would discuss personnel issues with other employees, it's just not professional and it's definately none of your business.

I have to disagree that it is none of my business. If the security officer that is slacking off is causing me problems by being late to work, etc, then it IS MY business and if my supervisors wants to prevent me or other decent officers from getting fed up and walking out the door and quit, then they may just mention that people like him will get fired, so that we know the company will disclipline poor performing officers.

[Watchdog]

I never said getting relieved late wasn't your business. As long as the situation is rectified after you speak to your supervisor, what happens to the other employee is none of your business.

Read before you post.

You are really having a hard time believing that not all companies and supervisors have to have an impersonal, business-only, and a "You are on a need to know basis and you don't need to know" type relationship with the employees...aren't you?
I'm sorry that I don't work for a snob-ass, do-it-by-the-book corporate company.
I guess they broke the rules of the 'School of Supervisors' and became these evil beings that actually shares personal conversation and what is going on in the company with the employees and don't treat the employees like they are sheep who get a paycheck every week or two.

Hard to imagine, huh?

If my supervisor was my father or another close relative and we were having dinner and conversation came up and he said, "Yeah, I'm going to have to fire that guy" Would that be better? If yes, why? Because we are family and the supervisor rulebook doesn't apply there according to you?
If not, then are you so much the do-it-by-the-book corporate type where even close family members should keep certain business related information from each other. Either way, you have a screwed up view of what things should be in the business world.

But I guess it's up to you to decide what business my supervisor shares with me because you......Own the company I work for? Know how well the company runs or doesn't?
Know everything and all the details what goes on in the company and how well each employee works?
Wrote the book of how management should act towards employees? You are God?.....
Which is it? Because I'm getting curious of how it is your business telling me what is my business. :confused:

[N. A. Corbier]

I got along fine with my subordinates when I was a supervisor, we often met up outside of work in social situations.

I'll sum my opinion up, take it FWIW. Regardless of what you think about your supervisor, if he or she discusses personnel issues regarding discipline with other employees, he is not a very good supervisor. What goes on with other employees' counseling sessions, status change, pay, termination, etc. is ABSOLUTELY none of your business. I doubt company management knows that your supervisor is going around discussing others' personal matters with you, his subordinate.

You know, some of that information puts the subordinate, company supervisor, and corporation at risk for lawsuit. Revealing issues related to health (ADA, HIPPA, DOEE Discrimination violations), job performance (ADA, DOEE Discrimination, Slander and/or Libel, State Discrimination), attitude, etc; can all be acts which will allow that alleged idiot to won the company by a slip of a supervisor's tounge.

Example:
Bob sleeps on the job, has a lousy work ethic, and uses profanity, alot, at work. He is reported by the client, and several coworkers.
Jim, the supervisor, informs the coworkers that Bob is going to be fired "as soon as we have a replacement, because he's always sleeping and stuff."
Bob has an undiagnosed medical condition, and an undiagnosed mental health condition. The company determines this through investigation.
Jim, the supervisor, informs a coworker of Bob's problems, saying that they're crap and he's still getting fired.

Bob is covered under the ADA. While he can be terminated due to his condition(s) creating undue hardship, the possiblity of reassignment to a job code that allows him to fall asleep (nacrolepsy) and where his constant mood swings and profanity (bipolar) don't interfere with his job.

Revealing Bob's medical condition is a violation of the ADA and HIPPA. The ADA requires that employees not be discriminated against for mental or physical disorders. The HIPPA states that medical information gained by the company is confidential.

Even if there is no healthcare issue involving ADA and HIPPA, some states prohibit discussing of employment history and discipline under their worker discrimination laws. Just as its illegal to answer anything more than "Did they work here, would you rehire?" It can be illegal to release confidential Human Resources records (disciplinary actions are HR records) to non-authorized personnel.

The EEOC will be happy to send you a 2 foot stack of manuals, and urges you STRONGLY to read them. I'm still reading them, and its amazing what you can and cannot do under the law.

[CAR54]

I believe you do the best job your abilities and conscious will allow. But unless another co-workers work habits impact on me directly, such as always being late or stealing, I generally don't bring their behavior to a supervisors attention.

The other officer that works at my location makes zero effort at customer service and often nods off. I on the other hand work my ass off and go the extra mile to make the customers happy to the point where the manager at the location has asked if I'd consider leaving security to work for them.

At the end of the day both I and the other officer take home the same meager sized paycheck. I still have to fight for my over time and as far as I know no body working this account has ever gotten a raise. Not to mention the awful health "benefits". The other day the bank had a holiday, course it was unpaid for the security working the bank. Last week I needed a day off and requested it a week in advance, my supervisor seemed angry and made it sound as if my job might be in jeopardy, then no one showed up to cover me. And it's almost impossible to get my supervisor on the phone if I have a question. Really I feel as if I've been shipped off to Siberia.

I do the best job I can because I feel better about myself as a human being at the end of the day and I enjoy helping people, not because I feel I owe anything to the company. To them I realize I'm just an expendable piece of meat, really I could perform the required duties even if I'd had a lobotomy. I could probably just stand at my post and drool all day and still take home the same sized paycheck.

[Bill Warnock]

Car54. Absorb all you can, see human nature at it best and at it worst. Benefit from it. When you make supervisor, you'll know what to look for and the questions to ask. Customers will remember, they always do. For you that is a plus. Nothing like finding merchandise stuck behind a CO2 fire bottle.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[CAR54]

Bill I couldn't agree more. I originally got into security because I DIDN'T want to deal with the public, I never felt I was any good at it. By nature I'm not an extrovert and have always been uncomfortable talking with strangers, often beating myself up afterwards for not giving the best answer. I pictured I'd be working an industrail park and spending most of my time in a cramped office viewing CCTV monitors. Yet here I am dealing with the public all day long.

And with each day I gain a little more confidence and I'm starting to find I'm pretty dam good at it, as long as I stay relaxed and focused. Occasionally I'll have to deal with rude people that view me as a police officer and just don't like cops, but I try and stay polite and not let it bother me (though it does).

I also deal with many illegal aliens in my area. I can tell they're nervous around me and I do my best to put them at ease, often using my crappy spanish to explain things to them or just wishing them a nice day as they leave, and within a few visits they're greeting me with a big smile instead of looking at the floor as they pass. It's little things like this that make my day go a little easier.

So as dull as this post is I do feel like I'm gaining some valuable customer service experience that I can take to my next post/job or company.

[crankloud]

Thought this thread was about dobbing in fellow security officers?I have been working in the public service sector for some years now.I have been told by managers that some staff still working here have had police charges bought against them, but their still here.As security officers we cannot afford any police charges being bought against us or we do not qualify for a licence. I can't stand other peolpe breaking the law,slacking off or not doing there job properly. I am sick of showing up to work only to find the lock-up not done properly therefore i have to do it again,5 hours after it should have been done.I hope all forum readers do their jobs properly,for there own safety!

[ycaso77]

Very simply I see it as you're paid to do a job, if you feel that job is beneath your talent, social level, education or super hero skills.....by all means find a new home. I keep careful watch and always listen for the first signs of officers disgruntled with one of thier own. Not only does a lazy employee cause more work for others, they are dangerous and lower morale at an alarming rate making my job that much harder. Fire? Not until you've been given a motivational discussion on your performance and a couple warnings. My first rule of thumb is " I can't MAKE you do something. but I cam make you WISH you had". Theres a whole lot of dirty jobs waiting for the slacker and then its up to them to choose the path to enlightenment.

[ozsecuritychic]

it gets a bit annoying when someone seems to get away with everything i posted in another thread about the other idiot that i have to deal with.even clients have rang up to complain about him all they did was give him an extra shift.

[EMTGuard]

I think everyone has to deal with this problem to some extent. Everywhere you go there will be slackers who refuse to do even the minimum and somehow they manage to hang on to their jobs.

[Lawson]

I have some experience in reporting other guards. Recently we had a guard who was a little... odd...no... psycho. He was constantly talking about military stuff (Like, how he was in NCIS, and how he was in the Navy since he was 12, and how he had to live by beating people up on the streets) He also went on about how he wanted to kill his ex-wife and he would go on about what type of bullet he would use and where he would do it etc... So once upon a time, Im training another officer who worked the same site, but a different post.. he tells me about how psychoguard would call him and start just talking about random stuff. So I went into Internet Explorer, checked the history... low and behold... thousands upon thousands of searched pages... everything like "Ancient Egypt" ; "Exploding animals" ; "666 Satanic Rituals" ; Random ****/adult movie stars ; "How to make a supressor" ; "How to make a bomb using flour" ; "How a machine gun works" ; "How to make a dirty bomb" ; etc...

What really got me was how I would see tons of stuff like, "How to make a bomb" then below it searches for "Washington Trade Convention Center" , or "Will Rogers Memorial Stadium" etc... So I reported it, he was removed from the site, and I think the ATF is conducting an investigation.

[Bill Warnock]

The appropriateness of the maxim should be noted: “Kindness to the bad is cruelty to the good. Kindness to a bad employee does great injustice to those who are faithful and true.” Sparing the guilty punishes the innocent. And that misplaced sentiment may be the ultimate cruelty.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Knight Watch]

By all means go to your or his supervisor (if they are different yours first) and tell your concerns and if nothing happens go up to the next ranking officer and so on. His actions or lack thier of could loose the contract for your co. This is a dangerous person to work with (if on a 2 or more person shift).


BE SAFE
:cool:

[N. A. Corbier]

I have some experience in reporting other guards. Recently we had a guard who was a little... odd...no... psycho. He was constantly talking about military stuff (Like, how he was in NCIS, and how he was in the Navy since he was 12, and how he had to live by beating people up on the streets) He also went on about how he wanted to kill his ex-wife and he would go on about what type of bullet he would use and where he would do it etc... So once upon a time, Im training another officer who worked the same site, but a different post.. he tells me about how psychoguard would call him and start just talking about random stuff. So I went into Internet Explorer, checked the history... low and behold... thousands upon thousands of searched pages... everything like "Ancient Egypt" ; "Exploding animals" ; "666 Satanic Rituals" ; Random ****/adult movie stars ; "How to make a supressor" ; "How to make a bomb using flour" ; "How a machine gun works" ; "How to make a dirty bomb" ; etc...

What really got me was how I would see tons of stuff like, "How to make a bomb" then below it searches for "Washington Trade Convention Center" , or "Will Rogers Memorial Stadium" etc... So I reported it, he was removed from the site, and I think the ATF is conducting an investigation.

That's some creepy s--t, man. I worked with a guy who was unarmed on an armed post (They ran out of probationaries to give me...), and was insane. He wanted to be armed, but he let one thing slip. "I don't think I'd actually kill anyone, I just want the dollar an hour raise." He failed FTO at the end of shift, and was demoted to unarmed.

[crankloud]

I have been recently working with security officers who decide to sleep on the job, not in a secluded office or corner somewhere but in the office with other staff. Snoring away oblivious to anyone or any thing. I need some good tricks to play on these guys to teach them a lesson.

[Lawson]

put a paper bag over their head... thats always funny.

[Mr. Security]

I have been recently working with security officers who decide to sleep on the job, not in a secluded office or corner somewhere but in the office with other staff. Snoring away oblivious to anyone or any thing. I need some good tricks to play on these guys to teach them a lesson.

Take a Polaroid picture of them and post it in the security office. :D

[Lawson]

Haha, someone did something like that to me once.

When I was a cadet for a police department, I had a parade detail in another city, well I had just gotten off another long detail and decided to catch a couple Zzz's in the break room. I guess someone snapped a digital of me, unbeknownced to me. So when all is said and done, the agency we assisted sent these letters to our PD for each of us, thanking us for our assistance. Wouldnt you know it, right where mine has this section that goes on about "You showed a high degree of professionalism, blah blah blah" there is a 1x1 print out of me sleeping. That was pretty funny as I look back on it.

[Lawson]

I typically have a "What happens on the road, stays on the road" mentality. But sometimes... you just need to tell someone.

[Mr. Security]

Let’s be honest no one likes a rat fink....

A/K/A Cheese eater :D :p

[Mr. Security]

Haha, someone did something like that to me once.

When I was a cadet for a police department, I had a parade detail in another city, well I had just gotten off another long detail and decided to catch a couple Zzz's in the break room. I guess someone snapped a digital of me, unbeknownced to me. So when all is said and done, the agency we assisted sent these letters to our PD for each of us, thanking us for our assistance. Wouldnt you know it, right where mine has this section that goes on about "You showed a high degree of professionalism, blah blah blah" there is a 1x1 print out of me sleeping. That was pretty funny as I look back on it.

LOL. :D That is funny. A little humor like that is good for morale.