Police Vs. Security duty gear

[cnick001]

This past weekend while assisting state police in arresting a drunk and disorderly person tresspassing on our property, it became painfully obvious that myself, a young security officer working in a campground, has a lot of duty gear that rivals that of the local state police unit.
For example, one officer attempted to illuminate the suspect and the interior of his car with an issue maglite, so to assist I illuminated the interior with my rechargeable Streamlight LED20X, easily 2-4 times brighter than the old maglite the trooper had. With that he turned off his light and went to assist the other officers with the arrest.
In further conversation with the officer, I found that he had only heard of underarmor cold gear, and was soaked in a sweaty cotton shirt under his vest (while I was comfy in my heatgear), only carried a 60 lumen surefire (compared to my gladius), and further that he was jealous of my comfortable nylon duty belt and ESS ICE eyeshields with clear lenses.

Is it just me, or does something seem very wrong that the tax dollar funded police we call as backup are in many cases equipped with lesser quality items than security are?

[LavianoTS386]

^ Did you buy those items yourself or did your client issue them to you?

[cnick001]

All self bought, except the client writes off a portion of all purchases I can justify for the job as overtime pay. I think my point though is more in that we the taxpayers, as clients of police departments, are paying out a lot more then my employer, but career officers only have maglites and uncomfortable duty gear.

Admittedly some of my items that are not justifiable were purchased out of pocket, but in my mind a gladius justifies itself as a liability free self defense tool, just as the underarmor justifies itself in comfort and keeping my body armor from stinking.

[bigshotceo]

Personally, I'm surprised that anyone who is making near minimum wage is willing to spends hundreds of dollars on their own duty gear.....

[cnick001]

I've been in the industry for a few years, so the collection, and the wages keep growing.
That, and I work 60+ hours a week to pay off student loans and such, so why not spend a bit of the check on things I can enjoy at work, all I do at home is sleep.

Realistically though, I live in a very low crime pineland area with no local police department, and security jobs (also jobs in general) are very few and far inbetween (but those that do exist are all in hot spots). Bringing my own equipment and training to boot is a very valuable bargaining chip in a competitive market.

However back to the topic, I've seen this phenomena of better equipped security in a few places, such as the guys interested in the $400 mag 951 mega flashlight thread. I suppose in a way it's to compensate for the dangerous nature of the job. Or in my case dedication to the career.

[mh892]

Personally, I'm surprised that anyone who is making near minimum wage is willing to spends hundreds of dollars on their own duty gear.....

That is just a tad of an insulting, general comment.

Campground? In the Pinewoods? Heck yeah, I'd buy my own for a job like that!!!!

[N. A. Corbier]

I bought my own duty gear, too. Two choices while working for a company that doesn't provide duty gear: Buy your own and have it, don't and when you need it - hope you can run.

[cnick001]

Thank you, I must admit the job is quite fun, although I do get a lot of entertaining false alarms caused by raccoons and skunks. One time I even had a call for kids in the woods doing drugs, turns out it was a deer (standing in the weeds, not smoking any). On holiday weekends though, it's like patrolling an inner city ghetto with pine trees.

[Black Caesar]

Governments have more things to do with money than to pay for police officer's comfort. Most LEOs have other things to do with their money as well .In my case, it's 2 kids, 2 cars, a house, an extra payments to my retirement account (the State of Texas matches what I put in up to 7% of my salary, but I still contribute more than what they match, I want to enjoy retirement) so forth and so on.

All that stuff is nice I guess, but you can get by with the "lowest bidder" stuff we do get issued. When I worked in private security I knew a few S/Os with top of the line gear. They were almost always single/childless and mostly young folks.

And (and please don't take this the wrong way), but most cops I've known or worked with don't really care about having nicer duty gear anywhere near as much as some security officers do and wouldn't pay their own money for something that could only be used on the job anyway. The last thing I bought that goes on my duty belt is a cell phone case with an adjustable strap so i can use it on a regular belt when I'm off duty, if it weren't for that "Dual use", I wouldn't have even bought that lol. Just got tired of my cell phone being in a pocket.

I knew a S/O who had all the fancy stuff and knew alot about police/security gear, everytime a cop would respond to our property he would try to strike up a conversation, asking about the light bars on their cruisers, or the make of their duty belts and equipment, or firearms. 9 times out of 10 the cop would be like "huh? what? who cares? it's what the department issues and it works , so what" lol. It was a little bit awkward sometimes...

[N. A. Corbier]

I know more about duty gear than most people, public or private. However, the only time I bother to use that knowledge is if someone asks me a question (Which duty gear should I get, what's a good retention holster, can I get away with buying CASCO instead of ASP, etc...) or if someone starts a _______ vs. ________ Jihad, and I feel like chiming in.

We've all heard em before. Federal Signal vs. Everybody, ASP vs. Monadnock, Ford vs. Chevy, Glock vs. The Word...

Now, on the other hand, I had a cop ask me where I got all my duty gear, because he went to nylon and chose to buy Uncle Mikes, and I had all Bianchi Accumold. The conversation was less "police gear fanboyish" and more, "So, you know anywhere around here I can get Accumold cheap?" Which, of course, I did.

[LavianoTS386]

Some duty gear I had already and some I was able to get at yard sales.

I already had my mini-maglite and swiss army knife. Someone gave me a latex glove holder and I got a nice pair of binoculars (8x) from a yard sale.

I am planing on getting a keyholder with a retractable chain, so I don't have to worry about locking the keys someplace.

[Mr. Security]

Governments have more things to do with money than to pay for police officer's comfort. Most LEOs have other things to do with their money as well .In my case, it's 2 kids, 2 cars, a house, an extra payments to my retirement account (the State of Texas matches what I put in up to 7% of my salary, but I still contribute more than what they match, I want to enjoy retirement) so forth and so on.

All that stuff is nice I guess, but you can get by with the "lowest bidder" stuff we do get issued. When I worked in private security I knew a few S/Os with top of the line gear. They were almost always single/childless and mostly young folks.

And (and please don't take this the wrong way), but most cops I've known or worked with don't really care about having nicer duty gear anywhere near as much as some security officers do and wouldn't pay their own money for something that could only be used on the job anyway. The last thing I bought that goes on my duty belt is a cell phone case with an adjustable strap so i can use it on a regular belt when I'm off duty, if it weren't for that "Dual use", I wouldn't have even bought that lol. Just got tired of my cell phone being in a pocket.

I knew a S/O who had all the fancy stuff and knew alot about police/security gear, everytime a cop would respond to our property he would try to strike up a conversation, asking about the light bars on their cruisers, or the make of their duty belts and equipment, or firearms. 9 times out of 10 the cop would be like "huh? what? who cares? it's what the department issues and it works , so what" lol. It was a little bit awkward sometimes...

The nerve of that s/o trying to converse w/ the cops. Who does he think he is anyhow, trying to strike up a conversation with the police. Doesn't he know that the police don't speak with wannabe cops...

That's the message your post implies, intended or not.

[Mr. Security]

Most of the police in my area are better equipped than security. Even though the budget in any town is always tight, security companies in general are not willing to invest in top-of-the-line equipment for their guards. When you look at companies like Galls, etc., they target security with lower quality items that are more likely to be considered by purchasing departments.

Personally, I think it's fine for s/o's to upgrade their equipment if they so choose. I've done it for my own protection. One additional note: Some police departments may require their officers to use issued equipment in order to standardize the way the police are equipped.

[Black Caesar]

The nerve of that s/o trying to converse w/ the cops. Who does he think he is anyhow, trying to strike up a conversation with the police. Doesn't he know that the police don't speak with wannabe cops....rolleyes

That's the message your post implies, intended or not.

When I was an S/O, I knew part of my job was to be a "representative" of my industry, especially when dealing with any public authority, including the police. The best way to do that is to avoid doing things that make you look stupid, things that "reinforce" the already negative image given to the industry by substandard security officers and companies.

So, when I'd deal with public authorities, I'd avoid certain things, such as:

--Using stupid sounding "psuedo-Police Jargon" to try and sound "in the know" ie (and these are the actual words of a S/O who I supervised at an apartment complex, I was shift lead) "We visually observed the offender exit the domicle and proceed northbound in a hurried fashion, at that point we began a foot pursuit but lost contact with the offender soon after". The two Dallas cops proceeded to roll their eyes in disgust, and I don't blame them.

The S/O ( a good guy BTW, just way overzealous) cound't have just said "we saw the guy you were looking for come out of his girlfrineds apartment, he ran towards Buckner Blvd and we followed him to see where he was going and call you guys" now could he?

--Offering Unsolicited personal history. When I was an S/O, a Dallas cop wouldn't have cared that I was also a reserve for a small town in Ellis County, that I'd been to a police academy, or anything else. Time and again I'd witness an S/O tell a cop in the middle of an incident that they were reserves, or ex-military, or something else. Who cares?????

Now, on several occassions a cop would say to me "you should consider joining the force". THEN I might mention I was a reserve or something like it, but only when they initiate it.

--Using "ranks" in communitcations. When I'd interact with police or fire personell, I'd always say "I'm (my name) and I'm the security officer here". I've watched S/Os introduce themselves (again, actual words here) "Hello, i'm Gunnery Sgt (name) with (company name) security" and shortly after the Sheriff's deputies he was talking too burst out laughing.

--Interferring with the investigation. Should be common sense, but it's not. One dude (when I was at Wackenhut) told a Plano Policeman that the bank was "his jurisdiction" after the officer asked him to stop interupting a witness with questions. It would have been funny if I'd not been standing there in a Wackenhut uniform at the same time.... The Bank manager insta-punted the guy that day BTW, boy ,was the major pissed at him (the S/O), I think that guy ended up as an "Upscale" oofficer (a demotionn from CPO).

--offering comparisons about duty gear. Now, in Nathan's case, where THEY start it, thats different, but walking up to a LEO who probably has a lot on his mind and trying to strike up what amounts to "fanboyish" conversations makes us all look bad. Truth is most cops don't care that I know of.

Security Officers are the front line of the private security industry. Everything a S/O does reflects on the profession, and all S/Os. All I'm saying is atleast try not to look like a wannabe cop when dealing with cops, that is if you care in anyway about public/private protective service relations......

[HotelSecurity]

When I was an S/O, I knew part of my job was to be a "representative" of my industry, especially when dealing with any public authority, including the police. The best way to do that is to avoid doing things that make you look stupid, things that "reinforce" the already negative image given to the industry by substandard security officers and companies.

So, when I'd deal with public authorities, I'd avoid certain things, such as:

--Using stupid sounding "psuedo-Police Jargon" to try and sound "in the know" ie (and these are the actual words of a S/O who I supervised at an apartment complex, I was shift lead) "We visually observed the offender exit the domicle and proceed northbound in a hurried fashion, at that point we began a foot pursuit but lost contact with the offender soon after". The two Dallas cops proceeded to roll their eyes in disgust, and I don't blame them.

The S/O ( a good guy BTW, just way overzealous) cound't have just said "we saw the guy you were looking for come out of his girlfrineds apartment, he ran towards Buckner Blvd and we followed him to see where he was going and call you guys" now could he?

--Offering Unsolicited personal history. When I was an S/O, a Dallas cop wouldn't have cared that I was also a reserve for a small town in Ellis County, that I'd been to a police academy, or anything else. Time and again I'd witness an S/O tell a cop in the middle of an incident that they were reserves, or ex-military, or something else. Who cares?????

Now, on several occassions a cop would say to me "you should consider joining the force". THEN I might mention I was a reserve or something like it, but only when they initiate it.

--Using "ranks" in communitcations. When I'd interact with police or fire personell, I'd always say "I'm (my name) and I'm the security officer here". I've watched S/Os introduce themselves (again, actual words here) "Hello, i'm Gunnery Sgt (name) with (company name) security" and shortly after the Sheriff's deputies he was talking too burst out laughing.

--Interferring with the investigation. Should be common sense, but it's not. One dude (when I was at Wackenhut) told a Plano Policeman that the bank was "his jurisdiction" after the officer asked him to stop interupting a witness with questions. It would have been funny if I'd not been standing there in a Wackenhut uniform at the same time.... The Bank manager insta-punted the guy that day BTW, by was the major pissed, I think that guy ended up as an "Upscale" oofficer (a demotionn from CPO).

--offering comparisons about duty gear. Now, in Nathan's case, where THEY start it, thats different, but walking up to a LEO who probably has a lot on his mind and trying to strike up what amounts to "fanboyish" conversations makes us all look bad. Truth is most cops don't care that I know of.

Security Officers are the front line of the private security industry. Everything a S/O does reflects on the profession, and all S/Os. All I'm saying is atleast try not to look like a wannabe cop when dealing with cops, that is if you care in anyway about public/private protective service relations......

Great advise. Remember in interventions we are FIRST RESPONDERS. Once the Police (or Fire or Medical) arrive, it's their show!

Years ago to keep up my EMT skills, I worked as a volunteer Medical First Responder group one night a week. We worked for a city on the island of Montreal. We were dispatched by the ambulance service that covers the island. The city was one of Montreal's richer. The group had a lot of rich kids in it. It's budget even came from the recreation department. Some of the kids parents actually sent them to the US to take Paramedic courses. (They were none up here at the time). These guys were coming back better trained than the ambulance guys. HOWEVER they were still FIRST RESPONDERS. Some of them wouldn't act their role. The system was set up so that an ambulance crew could cancel the First Responders if they felt they didn't need them. Because of their attitutes some crews would cancel us everytime. I had to quit the organization