Special Police

[SecurityJamesUSA]

Are there any Special Police Officers, Deputies, constables or conservators of the peace out there?

I am a Sworn Special Police Officer in Washington DC (full arrest powers,blue lights, ect), all armed security in DC have to be Sworn in as Special Police Officers because pretty much Police are the only people allowed to have firearms in the city limits.

I would like to hear from other Special Officers and learn about the regulations to be a Special Police Officers, Deputies, constables or conservators in your state.

[talon]

Special Police

I am a Special Police Officer here in North Carolina. In this state you must have completed a police academy to be sworn in. We have full arrest powers on the property and hot pursuit authority.

[N. A. Corbier]

I have a question for you two. I have heard several Federal LEOs deride the "Special Police Officers" as glorified guards, who should not have arrest powers, and should not have the word "police" in their title.

Does anyone who has special police authority have issues/problems/etc with the local "regular" law enforcement agencies and officers?

I remember one federal contract where the officer on the post (DEA) would be sworn in as a DEA Agent or other Special Police Officer (I forget which), to allow them to arrest any trespasser on property, enforce parking/traffic laws on site, and to have access to NCIC, etc. The company was required to provide one squad with red and blue lights, and another squad with red and blue lights to transport to the county jail. They would write an authorization for the blue lights for the transport unit.

[talon]

Special Police

Here in North Carolina the public security (AKA Police) have a complex. I think it hurts their feelings when they figure out you don't have to call them... I takes away their ability to say "well, all they can do is call the REAL Police". As private security continues to get more and more authority I believe before too long we will be able to take over more of the jobs that the public security (AKA Police) are doing now.

[N. A. Corbier]

Here in North Carolina the public security (AKA Police) have a complex. I think it hurts their feelings when they figure out you don't have to call them... I takes away their ability to say "well, all they can do is call the REAL Police". As private security continues to get more and more authority I believe before too long we will be able to take over more of the jobs that the public security (AKA Police) are doing now.

Its happening in Private Corrections, much to the opposition of the Faternal Order of Police (Who's public policy on private corrections being extremely dangerous and counter-serving the public at www.fop.org) and correction officer's associations.

The strange thing to me, is that from what I understand, the majority of corrections are NOT sworn officers, merely "jailers" or other civilian employees. I understand that alot of COs are trying to get sworn status, so the private corrections movement may be defeating their attempt to be sworn "real" police officers.

This is like the probation officer who is sworn, wondering what the hell is up with the state that has non-sworn probation officers. (I would, too.) Dealing with felons all day without a weapon and a badge that means absolutely nothing to the State... Sound familiar, folks?

Eventually, the "progressive" movement in the industry will either win, or fail to survive against the combined onslaught against private law enforcement services from both public law enforcement associations and the largest guard companies who do not wish an increase in training or responsibility. Increased training means increased capability, which means increased culpability, which means increased pay for employees, and increased insurance premiums. Most insurance carriers will refuse to insure a security company if they take on "police-type duties," referring them to The Hartford or another company that writes municipal bonds for police agencies.

[N. A. Corbier]

Our SCOP program was recently taken over/overhauled by the Virginia DCJS. As a result, many more applicants were introduced to the fun world of "Special Police" and it may backfire over the next few years. Most security personnel who have LE experience know that displaying the word "Police" on our monkey suits and shiny gear is anything but fun, and carries with it a lot of responsibility. -End of rant.

Here's the VA code that deals with SCOP's in Virginia. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...00+cod+19.2-13 if anyone's interested.

If a contract calls for SCOP's, we get into direct contact with the Clerk of the Court in whatever jurisdiction we'll be working, and apply for a four year SCOP license with the court. With the courts approval, we work with DCJS to make sure all requirements are met by the applicant (training, background, pee-pee tests etc.) If everything is a go, and with the courts approval, the SCOP's can use the word "Police" usually followed by "Special Conservator" on our patches, badges, and uniforms.

Firearms restrictions are based on what you qualify with. I believe DC SPO's are limited to .38's. Is that correct SecurityJamesUSA?

We're restricted to Red/White submission lights, and any vehicle with these lights must have a siren.

Because the program is fairly new, you can imagine the looks we get from sworn LEO's when we do alarm response, stop-and-talk's and all the rest of it. But with anything else, if you carry yourself well enough, the local P. D. is more likely to assist rather than be a hindrance.

This is fascinating, this law. It basically allows a Court to create regular police officers with fixed protective areas, out of security guards. Does a SPO require to take a full LE academy?

If not, I can see how this would rankle the rank and file police officer. After all, they took massive amounts of training, etc. They tested into a police department. And now, some company can hire SOPs with less training, no grueling testing process, and they're police officers too!

[SecurityJamesUSA]

Yes some police may look at ?Special Police Officers? or SPO?s glorified guards, and admittedly many are. The situation here in DC having to be sworn in as SPO?s is BECAUSE OF the Police and local government; firearms are basically illegal in the city limits so police officers are the only ones that can carry weapons. Some of the Special Police Officers here are ?glorified guards? because the security companies here have no choice but to have there Armed Security Officers licensed as Sworn Special Police Officers if they want to have the lucrative Armed Security contracts with the City, Federal government and large corporations here in DC.

I have spoken and worked with many Federal LEO?s and there jobs are identical to the Special Police Officers that work on federal properties, they are no doubt quite worried about the future of there own jobs. On the other hand I have never heard any of the retired Police Officers that I worked with complain about Special Police Officers, probably because Special Police Officers with security clearances make 30+ dollars an hour in DC.

As for the arrest powers Special Police Officers have, we can only make an arrest on the property where we are contracted to or in pursuit of someone who has committed a crime on said property. It?s not like were going around writing Jaywalking tickets to people when were off duty. There will always be people in this industry who take themselves too seriously or otherwise act silly, but this behavior is hardly limited to Security Officers.

And I hardly consider myself to be a ?Glorified Guard?, I have a BA Degree in Administration of Justice, I have worked on security/Force Protection contracts for the US Military in Qatar, the Balkans and Iraq, I have dozens of industry certifications, I have worked as a Special Police Officer in 2 states (DC and Maryland) and I make 105K a year, how many LEO?s can say that?.

I am so tired of LEO?s criticizing people who work in the Security Industry as ?glorified? this or that or as ?cop wantabe?s?, the majority of Security officers I know are ?Stone Professionals? and take there jobs very seriously. I would like to ask the LEO?s you heard describe Special Police Officers as ?glorified guards? this one question;

?how many LEO?s own there own business and become Millionaires??

I personally know over 50 ?glorified guards? that do/have, so you can tell them to stop criticizing the hard working people in the security industry


There many federal contracts like you are talking about; I have seen Security Officers Sworn in as Special Deputy US Marshals, Special Agents with the State Department?s Diplomatic Security Service, Special Police Officers with the Department of Defense and as Special Federal Law Enforcement Officers with dozens of different Federal Agencies. I myself was sworn as a Special Army Military Police Officer for 3 years.

On my last Special Police Officer job we had patrol cars with Blue Lights, Sirens, a Dispatcher with access to NCIC, most people that work in the security industry don?t know that you can get a job as a ?Private Police Officer? that?s why I started this thread, to find out about other states that have Special Police Officers and hear about there jobs.

Yes we can only carry 38?s in DC, that?s ok, I have never ever even pulled my gun, and it?s just a deterrent to the bad guys anyway.

[SecurityJamesUSA]

To ?jimmyhat?
I would like to learn more about the Special Conservator of the Pease in VA, I just recently heard about it. Do you have to put ?Special Conservator? if you use the word POLICE on your path/badge? In DC we have to use the word ?Special? if we use the word ?Police? and both words have to be the exact same size, I guess its so you cant make a patch or jacket with Police written 4-inch letters and Special written in 1/100 inch letters, hahaha. You are allowed to use a Siren and red and white lights on your vehicles?

To ?N. A. Corbier;
You are 100% correct about the pay going up when the qualifications go up, like I said Armed Special Police can make over 30 Dollars an hour in DC and Contract managers can make 6 figures. States starting Special Police licensing with lots of mandatory training is the beat thing ever to happen to the working Security officer.

As far as the training goes it depends on the state, in North Carolina they have a ?Company Police? system witch allows someone to set up there own Police Department and offer police services to the public for a fee. There Special Police program is one of the best because it requires the Officer to attend the full police academy.

In DC we only go to a short 1 week academy in addition to the security school.

We will never replace Public Police officers, no more than Public Police will replace security officers. We are a business, weather we are ?Guards? or ?Special Police? our place will always be to provide a commercial service to the public, not a Public Service and that?s the way it should be.

[N. A. Corbier]

James, I like you. I wish this forum had rep.

That said, I think that programs like these will probally be the future of asset and force protection in America. The only issues are clients who refuse to pay more than $8.00 per man hour for a warm body, companies who squeeze profit by ghosting and other neferious acts, and a society who sees the security industry as a convient place to store a segment of its service industry population.

Ie: You want fries with that?

Give it time, though.

[SecurityJamesUSA]

That?s true most commercial security contracts will always be low paying jobs, my first security job paid minimum wage.

That?s why Special Police jobs will be the future of the ?working man? in this industry. The majority of Special Police jobs are State, Federal and Military (DOD) contracts, they have high training standards and in most cases excellent salaries and benefits.

Until I found out about these Special Police positions I did not think that I could make a good living in the security industry, I know what a strain financially it can be it can be to work in the security business, I feel very fortunate that I have finally made a good living in security because I REALLY love this work. And Special Police work is the way to go if you want to make a good living in Security.

So, calling all Special Police Officers, Deputies, constables or conservators of the peace out there, let everyone know about you!

[Will]

This actually came up as a topic between a friend of mine and I today at work.

I'm the security supervisor (I pretty much run the entire department without much in the way of overwatch) for the company I work for. A friend of mine told me about a few "side jobs" his CPD cousin told him about. In this case, at a "side job" he just did, he was un-armed, since he was technically a civilian.

He went on to tell me that people can get trained as SPO's and be legally able to carry a sidearm on certain jobs (if it calls for it). He mentioned that come colleges may even over such courses as these. Where can I find information about something like this?

[SecurityJamesUSA]

To ?Will?

What state do you live in? Maybe there id a Special Police officer from your state here that can help you, I?ll also look in to it for you.

[Will]

Right, sorry, that would probably help goes to edit his profile

I live in Northern Illinois, Cook County.

[N. A. Corbier]

This kinda makes sense. Unless they changed it, there is no difference between a police officer's powers of arrest, and the powers of arrest of a private citizen. Both have full arrest authority upon detecting a criminal violation, immunity from civil and criminal liabliity if the arrest is righteous, and it is illegal to resist a private person's arrest.

I found this out while reading the BATF "State Laws and Regulations on Firearms" book, which it seems BATF considered arrest powers part of the firearms regulations.

Anyone know if this law is still true? If so, it would be easy to create special police, as everyone already has arrest powers.

[talon]

Special Police

Here in my home state of NC a full police academy is required to be sworn as an SPO I however, even though I went through the academy, don't think that you should have to.

SPOs here have no friends at all, Neither at the state or local levels. I mean it's tough that here all LEOs go through the same training and standards but SPOs because we are private arent thought of as equals.

I have worked some of the most dangerous locations in the state, I have been in hundreds of violent confrontations & made hundreds of arrests, I've been shot at a couple of times, I'm at the scene while it all happens, I don't have the luxury of the locals, to show up when I get ready, Im already there.

Yet a small town LEO who has never had to draw his OC much less anything else is still considered one of the "brotherhood" while the SPOs aren't.

Here in this state there are SPO departments who specialize in drug interdiction and many other areas and make as many if not more arrests than departments that are of equal size.

I think it all goes back to the good ole boy syndrome. Maybe things will change at some point...but, I doubt it.