Right of access

[Blame_The_Guard]

Police, Sheriff, etc. - Fire, Rescue and so on - Licensed Process Servers, Child Welfare (officers of the court) - City, County, State services (water, inspectors, etc.) have access to our community without being authorized by residents. Anyone have an opinion as to whether "The Dept. of Commerce - Census Bureau" would, or should, fall under these categories? I let one in today and got a complaint from a resident. I'd like to find out if these people have a "right to access" before I open my big mouth, Monday, in defense of myself for letting them in.

[N. A. Corbier]

Do you mean the Census Bureau of the United States Department of Commerce? Census workers, I believe, are guaranteed access as government agents, and interference is a federal crime.

[bigdog]

Interference is a federal crime under the united states code . the code section follows.

TITLE 13--CENSUS

CHAPTER 7--OFFENSES AND PENALTIES

SUBCHAPTER II--OTHER PERSONS

Sec. 223. Refusal, by owners, proprietors, etc., to assist
census employees

Whoever, being the owner, proprietor, manager, superintendent, or
agent of any hotel, apartment house, boarding or lodging house,
tenement, or other building, refuses or willfully neglects, when
requested by the Secretary or by any other officer or employee of the
Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, acting under the
instructions of the Secretary, to furnish the names of the occupants of
such premises, or to give free ingress thereto and egress therefrom to
any duly accredited representative of such Department or bureau or
agency thereof, so as to permit the collection of statistics with
respect to any census provided for in subchapters I and II of chapter 5
of this title, or any survey authorized by subchapter IV or V of such
chapter insofar as such survey relates to any of the subjects for which
censuses are provided by such subchapters I and II, including, when
relevant to the census or survey being taken or made, the proper and
correct enumeration of all persons having their usual place of abode in
such premises, shall be fined not more than $500.

[N. A. Corbier]

Violating this law is most likely grounds for suspension or termination of a Class D Security License in Florida.

[Blame_The_Guard]

Sec. 223. Refusal, by owners, proprietors, etc., to assist
census employees

Yep.... thought so. I couldn't find it. Thanks guys. I'll just print it out and take it to work so, if I get hassled about it, I can stuff it in their face....hehe.

Thanks

[Mr. Security]

Based on what's posted, it sounds like you covered your bases. One question though: Did you verify the person's ID w/ a call to the agency? Chances are you did. Even so, it's a good reminder for other guards who may not be as experienced.

[N. A. Corbier]

Census Workers are provided with official credentials which should have a call back number. Its been awhile since I've seen Census identification, though.

[Eric]

Are you in an office complex? If your policy is to have visitors escorted, call the contact and have them escorted. For Census concerns though, it may be your Maintenace / Facilities group to provide escort.

[N. A. Corbier]

Are you in an office complex? If your policy is to have visitors escorted, call the contact and have them escorted. For Census concerns though, it may be your Maintenace / Facilities group to provide escort.

I believe he works in one of those gated communities. You know, the kind where a bunch of homes are surrounded by a giant fence, and there's only one way in or out. With a gate at that entrance/exit.

[Blame_The_Guard]

I believe he works in one of those gated communities. You know, the kind where a bunch of homes are surrounded by a giant fence, and there's only one way in or out. With a gate at that entrance/exit.

Yes, a gated residential community (over 700 homes) with only one entrance/exit. A very complex set of procedures here.... details upon details - high visitor/contractor volume (total in/out gate count for the 3 gates - resident/visitor/exit - approx. 4K vehicles for 24hr period - less on Sundays).

In the 5 yrs I've been here, I've had several trainees simply walk out, several who didn't return and 20, or so, who just couldn't keep up, reassigned to simpler posts. Good computer skills required here.

We provide access control to a "reasonable" degree, strict, but not total (tailgating in the resident's lane, which we do not control - and a few other flaws). We check official I.D.s but do not verify.

Incidentally, check out AZZ Cardfile (type keyword in browser). Inexpensive ($12 for license) and great for Gatehouse use. They were using SideKick when I came here - nightmare. I convinced them to switch to AZZ.

Thanks, everyone, for the input on census officers.

Gateboy