Nice to meet all of you

[soontobeLEO]

Hello,
I am a 19yo male. I live in Florida, and currently am working security for a company named Securitas. I have been working security for about three months, and couldn't ask for an easier job. I am working for a juice factory, and have been told by the site supervisors that I am not to write any reports or anything. My job is to sit in the officer shack until a semi-truck enters the premises, then I just make sure they stop and enter they information onto our computer. I usually just watch some dvd's or study for college while I'm working.
My main focus is to go into law enforcement. I am going to the local police academy, and am looking forward to graduating on September 14, if all goes well. (please forgive me for my grammar, haven't been to sleep in a couple days now.)

[Mr. Security]

Hello,
I am a 19yo male. I live in Florida, and currently am working security for a company named Securitas. I have been working security for about three months, and couldn't ask for an easier job. I am working for a juice factory, and have been told by the site supervisors that I am not to write any reports or anything. My job is to sit in the officer shack until a semi-truck enters the premises, then I just make sure they stop and enter they information onto our computer. I usually just watch some dvd's or study for college while I'm working.
My main focus is to go into law enforcement. I am going to the local police academy, and am looking forward to graduating on September 14, if all goes well. (please forgive me for my grammar, haven't been to sleep in a couple days now.)

Welcome! Just curious; why don't they want you to write any reports?

[wisconsinite]

Nice to meet all of you

Original post from: soontobeLEO:

No Incident Reports? No Daily Activity Reports? That's like, THE staple of security work!!! DVDs? Studying? In most companies, those activities are strictly forbidden! Sheesh, thats a cake job. But then again, I don't have a whole lot of regard towards Securitas. Back in the mid-1990s I used to work for Pinkerton. And let me say, they are a joke. NO offense to those of you out there that are currently a Pinkerton/Securitas, that's just my personal opinion of that company.

[hemi444]

company named Securitas.

Just kidding...Welcome

[Mr. Security]

Just kidding...Welcome

You're bad!

[N. A. Corbier]

Learn how to write good reports now, so you have a basic understanding when you take Reporting Writing for Criminal Justice.

Other than that, welcome.

[soontobeLEO]

When I take my time I do a pretty good job at writing incident reports. We just finished report writing in the police academy, and its nothing too special. They just told us to cover "who, what, when, where, why. and how." Also told us we need to make sure not to use overcomplicated words, to be as simple as we can.

As far as why we don't have to write incident reports. The site supervisor (contracted with Cargill Juice) said he preferred to write out incident reports on any situations. We just had an incident where an employee got upset and threw a grapefruit threw a window. I showed up to get details, and he told me not to write anything down and to let him handle it. We have daily reports but its usually as simple as "2300 S/o Ray On Duty" then "0700 S/o Ray Off Duty." We don't have any rounds that we have to make at the moment. Don't get me wrong, even though I've got it easy with this job, I don't slack like the others.
I did get lucky with this job though, not too many places you can go and be as relaxed. Believe it or not, I've even been given permission from one supervisor to go to sleep on shift for 30 minutes at a time. I haven't done it yet though, too scared the first time I would to go sleep on shift something bad would happen or my actual supervisor from Securitas would show up, haha.

[1stWatch]

Permission to sleep on duty?
My goodness, that's complacent on the part of that supervisor. To allow things that keep you comfortable or entertained while on duty is one thing, but that sleeping thing can lead to major trouble, especially if you get out into the field. During the period of time I was a supervisor I found nothing to be more of a nightmare than going to meet with a client whose business was broken into while the guard was asleep in the car. Not only did we have to fire the guard, we lost the contract with the business and were sued.

[Mr. Security]

Unfortunately, sleeping while on duty is to security guards what donuts are to cops and apples are to teachers as far as the public is concerned. Granted, we don't need to add anymore to the public's negative view of security. Nevertheless, as long as hourly pay is 5, 6, or 7 dollars/hr., it's going to keep on happening.

[N. A. Corbier]

What school did you get your Class D license from?

[1stWatch]

Unfortunately, sleeping while on duty is to security guards what donuts are to cops and apples are to teachers as far as the public is concerned. Granted, we don't need to add anymore to the public's negative view of security. Nevertheless, as long as hourly pay is 5, 6, or 7 dollars/hr., it's going to keep on happening.

I believe that sedentary job conditions and downright oppressive policies also contribute to that problem. For example, one job I worked around 10 years ago required that I man a lobby desk with a blazer and tie. The desk was monitored by a camera. If I was caught sleeping, I would be immediately fired; however, I would also be fired, per client post orders, if I was caught listening to a radio, reading a book, or reading a newspaper. Just sit there and watch the door for 12 hours. No one ever stayed employed at that post because they were always caught sleeping in their car or in the bathroom, brought reading materials anyway, or just went nearly insane because of the isolation and depression. Better pay would certainly result in better motivation, but so would a better environment.

[soontobeLEO]

I went to a class that Securitas held. In the state of Florida, you have to have 40 hours of training before you can get your license. Securitas has you go for 24 hours, then they submit your test to the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. You have to then bring your certificate of completion to Tampa, and pay around $100, and you get the Class D license. I forget the time, but after you get your license, you have to go back and finish the other 16 hours of training. After you complete that 16 hours, you just get recertified every so often. I don't have the specifics memorized, I'm sorry.
As for the permission to go to sleep. That was a site supervisor, not a Securitas supervisor who did so. The factory I work in is really small. There is also the fact that (1) its located in the middle of nowhere (2) there is nothing but grapefruit to steal basically. Most of the people that work at the factory, including the supervisors, will sleep on shift. They are scheduled 12 hours, and probably only actually work 5 hours of it. Like I said earlier, it is a very rare opportunity. I really lucked out in finding such an easy job. Gives me plenty of time to study for the academy and to just relax. It just sucks not having more action. I am still debating if it is really a dream job or if I'm working in a crappy enviroment, lol. I used to think having a job where you didn't have to do anything would be great, but now that I have it, I feel like I'm failing myself. Don't know how to describe it really.

[soontobeLEO]

Btw, out of curiousity. Where do all of you live, and how long have you been in security. I've been in security three months, and live in Florida. Starting pay where I am working at the moment is $7.50/hr. Minimum wage in the state of Florida is $6.15.

[bigdog]

i live in florida and have been working security 8 months.

[bigdog]

just to let you know aleeping on duty is against 493.6118 and can you can get your license pulled,suspended or even brought up on charges .
violating any section of 493 is a misdemeanor.