Valor Security @ Ontario Mills Mall

[AirWind23]

Hello everyone, im a aspiring police officer towarding getting my bachelors in cimrinal justice. I'm looking for a part time job and my mall is currently hiring security officers, the security company is Valor Security.

Im very much new to this and dont know where to start. Have any of you worked for this company or have any good/bad experience or information? What is the hiring process like, guard card, weapon type allowed, etc.

Any information would be awesome, thanks so much.

Mark

[redrado]

well i do know that in the st louis mills mall which is also valor security you are made to watch a training video which clearly states that no valor employee is to stop or even follow a shoplifting suspect at any time. If you are told that this person is a shoplifting suspect by a store employee the store employee has to call the pd. It is not valor securitys responsibility to contact the police department on a stores behalf.

Basically all you are allowed for this company is give directions to a mall customer and be visible. And the reasons you ask. one word LIABILITY
Valor was a joke of a company in the st louis area and also explains why they have such a high turnover rate. I have worked in another mall for 2 plus years and never had the type of restrictions i had with valor. No self defense items of any kind. no handcuffs. No steel toes. A radio is all you carried and a set of keys that fit about half of the doors in the mall.

I was a overnight shift supervisor after one month of service with the company i was hired during the construction phase and worked through the grand opening until i had to quit. My nightly job was to use one or two officers to retrieve grocery carts form the parking lots and perimeter of the mall and to return them to the stores. Now on my last night there it was in january with about 7 inchs of snow over 2 inchs of ice and i personally got 390 carts off of the parking lots and placed them in front of the mall stores. this took about 6 hours of my 8 hr shift as there are 8 parking lots at this mall. Who was actually watching the mall in this time span? um NOONE as we were understaffed by this time. I had one dispatch myself and one officer. I quit the next morning and went to a trauma center as security. Your choice after all but you can make more money at a grocery store picking up carts for a living. Oh i did get the on the job training to qualify for that position if i desired.

[AirWind23]

Thanks for your detailed reply redrado, really appreciate it. If i remember clearly, I remember seeing Valor security officers walking around with cuffs on their duty belt. But im not sure, im planning on getting my guard card and will be looking at other security positions. I was looking into Valor at Ontario Mills mall because of its close location to my home.

Thanks again

[N. A. Corbier]

One thing to remember. Just because you see a cuff case, or another type of case, does not mean there are actually cuffs IN that case.

A large company (I do not name names, as I understand quite a few company executives read these forums, and bad-mouthing a company is a great way to learn about our civil process, unless you can defend the libel/slander suit with documentation) would buy duty rigs, complete with straight batons. On these duty rigs would be everything but a pistol and speedloaders. OC, cuffs, flashlight, handcuffs, gloves, etc.

Except that the baton was welded onto the baton ring, and every other pouch was sewn shut, with nothing in it. No handcuffs, no pepper spray, no gloves, nothing. The Flashlight was your responsibility, I was told, to provide, but you could wear one if you wanted. (Not required to.)

The entire duty belt was for "visual intimidation." Employees were instructed to flee the scene if accosted or challenged, and call the police. If that meant leaving the client's post, it meant leaving the client's post.

I never believe, for one moment, that someone is actually carrying something that they have a pouch for, without visual or other indication. I think we're moving beyond "visual intimidation," because of the liability factor of having empty police equipment belts, but I don't doubt a large company will still do it.

[Bill Warnock]

N.A. and the Group. Correct me if I am wrong but, when the public sees a security person are they not entitled to assume there is some expectation of safety and security. If a security person flees the scene when someone is being attacked would that person or his company be in the liability chain? I am reminded again of the reasonable prudent man theory.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

N.A. and the Group. Correct me if I am wrong but, when the public sees a security person are they not entitled to assume there is some expectation of safety and security. If a security person flees the scene when someone is being attacked would that person or his company be in the liability chain? I am reminded again of the reasonable prudent man theory.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

They are, but there's a cavaet to that. If it is plainly posted in public view that the "security guard" is actually a "courtesy officer," and that there is no security on property, then there's no reasonable expectation of safety and security.

This is the "courtesy officer" trend that alot of apartment management companies are doing. They do it because they either demand, or are afraid, that the security company is incapable of protecting anyone. Ie: "You will not intervene, only call 911," or the employees sent on property are emotionally/physically incapable of intervention, or are prohibited by policy.

Yet another reason companies are moving away from "security" in the title, reasonable expectation of protection is implied by the very word.

[Firemankoz]

Valor Officers

I am a security Director for Valor at a local mall.
Let me assure you the cuffs, the pepper spray are very real!
The officers at valor are held to a higher standard. The training one officer who is "enhanced" (cuffs, pepper spray, defensive tactics) is a great amount.
You have to remember we live in a post 911 world, we as security officers are being asked to do more then just push carts,( my officers would NEVER do anything like that) we are charged with the protection of multi million dollar malls and the protection of the people who shop with in these walls.

Valor Security Officers are also trained to use AED machines and now have quite a few saves because of these machines. Yes some companies have the officers mentioned previously on this thread, but at Valor No Sir.
And Liability is the at the front of our training, however Valor Executives realize we can't be running away or hiding from problems in today?s world.

We have stepped up to the plate and raised the bar of professionalism for Security Officers around the globe

[Bill Warnock]

Firemankoz welcome to this site. It is the fond hope of its creators you will find it useful as well as informative. The private message portion can prove invaluable.
That is refreshing to hear that some malls are investing in meaningful security which means they are willing to pay for it. In the post 9/11 era, the security officer protecting soft targets such as malls you have described with have to have the strength of Hercules, the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Mother Theresa.
Again, welcome aboard.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

Hello. I found it strange that a Valor Security Officer at a local mall here, in a Milwaukee Suburb, was equipped with a can of OC, a Stinger, but no handcuffs. I found that slightly strange.

Why would security officers carry defensive/offensive weapons, but no means to restrain a person they were required to use them on? This, to me, would lead to more and more levels of force to be used on the attacker, because there's no method of securing them to prevent repeated attacks.

[Firemankoz]

Cuffs

Hello guys and thanks for the warm welcome. N.A. I must warn you though cuff training is long and in some parts boring! perhaps the officer is not cuff trained just yet, it is a long certification process.

But as mentioned earlier in this thread...Liability is the key. If any of my officers cuff someone, there is a review just like a weapon was used. We take use of cuffs, OC etc very seriously here.
Koz

[AirWind23]

Thanks for the replys and information guys. Just reading your conversations just gave me alot of additional information. Turns out one of my friends, friend works at Valor at Ontario Mills and helped me get an application. Turned it in and currently I guess going through evaluation.

What is the application process like Firemankoz? What kind of training is received when hired? And what exactly are valor officers allowed to do? I know at Ontario we have foot patrol, bike, and vehicle, interior and exterior of the mall complex. Any information on the job would great.

[Firemankoz]

Training, depending on the site can take 40 hours just for your basic training.
Ongoing training is continuous, the hand cuffing, Defensive tactics, OC, these trainings are about 10-12m hours per event, the bike training is good as well.
If you do get on board let me know, I'll write to your director and keep in touch. Pending on where you?re stationed is on what you can or can't do.
Valor Officers do more then most, at some malls; officers are deputized and write parking, fire lane and handicapped tickets. (Yes real city tickets!) Good luck getting in it is a great company to work for.....If you have the right attitude. My Ops manager and I just received Commendations and medals for our actions down the Katrina Ground Zero area. We were part of the Response team.
Good Luck

[AirWind23]

Thanks again for the info Firemankoz. Turned in my application this week, hope I get some kind of word or call back soon. Im really excited about it, even more if I get the position.

[N. A. Corbier]

Firemoz, do you know what curriclium they're using for bike training? Is it based on the National Bike Police Officer's Assocation instruction, or is it based on someone else's instruction?

[Firemankoz]

N.A., I'llfind out for youI know we are taught by instructors certified at Valor
the officers I also go thru mall training since they wont be on main streets.
However even though we dress them in bright yellow they are still "Moving targets"
Koz