Security Guard Fired for refusing to assist Police Officer

[Squid]

Dollars to Donuts, when she was hired she was told and even signed paperwork that "We DO NOT get involved, we OBSERVE AND REPORT only", etc.

SOP for companies these days. I've worked at places where a big sign says "DO NOT MAKE AN ARREST, call dispatch or 911" and you hear the boss on phone "You should've arrested the SOB, you pussy!" LOL.

She was fired because the PD was embarrassed that one of their cops was begging a grandma out of sheer panic, when clearly the cop already had all the help he needed from the White Adult Male also in the fight on the ground with cop.

The real reason she was fired, of course, is that PD feels she was more a BLM-witness. No doubt PD leaned on firm (if needed) with typical "do you want your company to have a GOOD relationship with Law Enforcement?".

Again, IMO she was 110% perfect. Her role was to be a visible "person in uniform" and keep any would be krew of arrestee at a distance and record anyone interfering. Most important she was acting as Traffic Warning so some hurried motorist wouldn't see the low level ground struggle and run everyone over. If you look past the hood of a car and don't see anyone you assume no one is laying on the ground at a gas station.

[Consolewatcher]

Maybe maybe not. The job entails the prospect of being put in harms way. I mean, for Christ’s sake, it’s SECURITY! You’re not bagging groceries or checking receipts at Walmart, you’re actually working at sites, often in areas that need a form of security to detour, prevent and report theft, and injury to the general public and to the staff of the clients.

"Security" can have a wide range of definitions, but the fact is that most security guards are not expected to enter dangerous situations, and the courts have backed them on that. Remember that a security guard is a private citizen wearing a uniform, similar to a postal worker or bus driver.

You seem to think that being a security guard is a "higher" job than being a cashier or retails store clerk; for the most part, it's not.

[c0187]

Most security guards aren't expected to "get in harm's way" and are taught to get out of potentially dangerous situations, not to enter them.

Maybe maybe not. The job entails the prospect of being put in harms way. I mean, for Christ’s sake, it’s SECURITY! You’re not bagging groceries or checking receipts at Walmart, you’re actually working at sites, often in areas that need a form of security to detour, prevent and report theft, and injury to the general public and to the staff of the clients.

[Consolewatcher]

And “piling on” is what you do in this situation if that’s all you can do. Sorry but, being in security also means you could very well be put in harms way. If she was so afraid to get in harms way, being a security guard should have been the last job she should have taken. She probably should have aimed way lower, like Walmart door greeter or something. Not too much grappling with suspects on that job.

Most security guards aren't expected to "get in harm's way" and are taught to get out of potentially dangerous situations, not to enter them.

[Soper]

As you and others are finding out: Squid knows NOTHING about working.

[c0187]

its also illegal to hitch up more than two mules on Sunday unless the wagon is also accompanied by two or more riders on horseback, but like many other laws "still on the books" they would be laughed out of any court today. Such laws were passed before cars. Laws about joining the "posse" were passed before Police Unions were bankrupting major cities with insane staffing levels and unfunded pensions.

I'm pretty sure even the day after "assist LEO" law was passed a cop that demanded a GRANDMA join in to a street fight that had "gone to ground", when there was already willing YOUNG MAN helping, would be laughed out of court, and hopefully laughed all the way out of the Territory. Sadly, today we have Public Sector unions and this guy will be be on taxpayer's teat till he retires.

she was as he demanded "helping", she was standing by for actionable instructions. There was literally "no more room" in the fight. There were TWO good sized adult males on top of him. Only way she could join in would be called for "piling on" in NFL.

I don't think "instructed by LEO" covers blindly obeying obviously ill-conceived and vague demands of an obviously hysterical LEO. It means stuff like "Park your car across the road here and get out and stand over there" or "lock these doors" or "shut off the power" or even "gimme your keys, I'm hereby commandeering this here vehicle" (my advice would to 'overthrow' the keys into the nearest storm drain, lol). Stuff that wouldn't be too illegal normally, and wont create victims and possible CRIMINAL CHARGES for the helper. Yes, jumping into a fight can get you charges even on the best of days, if some DA disagrees with amount of force you deployed. And of course Civil.

Otherwise, what would keep our Civil Service Superstars from just ordering all us Little People to do their jobs for them?

And “piling on” is what you do in this situation if that’s all you can do. Sorry but, being in security also means you could very well be put in harms way. If she was so afraid to get in harms way, being a security guard should have been the last job she should have taken. She probably should have aimed way lower, like Walmart door greeter or something. Not too much grappling with suspects on that job.

[c0187]

Failure to assist a Police Officer when instructed to by them is a misdemeanor.

Squid. Just stop posting.

Agreed! How utterly disgraceful of that guard. I have been put into a few situations that the police officer was requesting backup and guess what? I did what was needed and helped. If that POS had gotten that officers gun, he would have shot him and that guard too, all because she didn’t want to get involved.

[antidote11]

I'll reply on this one. As a level III officer by trade and CHL now LTC for last 15+ years I will say the following and leave it at that as far as the firearm is concerned. If a suspect was fighting an officer and was actively trying to get the officers firearm and the officer is requesting my aid, I am within my rights to give that person free lead injections. But being that she is level II possibly, without a firearm but in possession of a EDW, if it was me, I would yell as loud as I could "STOP" then deploy my taser. Since armed, I would draw firearm, yell "STOP" and if not stopped, tripl3 tap.

[Squid]

I have seen someone charged with not aiding a police officer. Actually, a New York security guard was charged with it I believe.

If she is an officer trained as a level 2 officer, then it is her responsibility and her company's, to gauge that ability to function at that level. If she is carrying it, she damn well be ready to use it. Age doesn't matter. I know cops over their in their sixties that still kick ass.

There is a reason she is recording it and refusing to help. We all know why and aren't saying it.

I'm guess it was not opening a gate or not giving an access code, etc when cops in "hot pursuit". A lotta NYC is armored against NFL tier door kicking and even blasting locks with guns. Was watching a punk movie and asked "What is all that stuff on door?" Its these massive steel plates that are supposed to be shotgun blast proof.

I'll say it. Its because she was thinking her fellow Black person was gonna have his Human and Civil rights violated and might be an important case against the police.

If the police aren't doing anything wrong they shouldn't mind. In fact they should WANT their actions recorded to protect them from wrongful lawsuits and lies.

[Consolewatcher]

She definitely should have been fired. in TX, YES the tiers actually mean something. and yes you are compelled to help when commanded by a police officer. I HAVE seen successful prosecution for it. and besides, why get yourself arrested?

Do you have any cases of successful prosecution in Texas you can cite? I don't doubt your statement, but I would like to read them. As for "why get yourself arrested", it's very likely that it would happen, and even if it did getting arrested (and then released) can have a lot less consequences in the end then getting involved in a violent altercation.

[TOII]

She definitely should have been fired. in TX, YES the tiers actually mean something. and yes you are compelled to help when commanded by a police officer. I HAVE seen successful prosecution for it. and besides, why get yourself arrested?

[Consolewatcher]

I have seen someone charged with not aiding a police officer. Actually, a New York security guard was charged with it I believe.

If she is an officer trained as a level 2 officer, then it is her responsibility and her company's, to gauge that ability to function at that level. If she is carrying it, she damn well be ready to use it. Age doesn't matter. I know cops over their in their sixties that still kick ass.

There is a reason she is recording it and refusing to help. We all know why and aren't saying it.

The New York case was from 2011. I don't know what ended up happening but I suspect the charges would be dropped.

Being a "level 2" officer means nothing. The whole "levels" thing for security is pretty much BS that isn't recognized by anywhere and it mostly a tool for security companies to sell training to people. Heck, the difference between "levels" if often less than a week's worth of training.

[PhantomX0990]

I have seen someone charged with not aiding a police officer. Actually, a New York security guard was charged with it I believe.

If she is an officer trained as a level 2 officer, then it is her responsibility and her company's, to gauge that ability to function at that level. If she is carrying it, she damn well be ready to use it. Age doesn't matter. I know cops over their in their sixties that still kick ass.

There is a reason she is recording it and refusing to help. We all know why and aren't saying it.

[Consolewatcher]

The expression on her face tells you everything you need to know. If you work in security, you have to expect to encounter the police at some point. If you hate the police, think that laws are how the elite keep people down or are otherwise anti-social in your opinion or lifestyle, this isn't the job for you.

On another note, I fully expect to see a day in the future when a building burns down or a bridge collapses, and everyone is so busy filming and posting everybody forgot to call emergency services.

No doubt it's entirely possible that she hates the police. I have met plenty of security guards (both black and white) who hate the police for various reasons. Keep in mind though that there are many security guard jobs where you will very rarely encounter the police, if at all, and if they do come to your site they'll be interacting with the client or your supervisor instead of you.

I dunno; the whole thing about getting fired left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like how the police union guy went to the security company and basically complained to try to get her fired. To me, it comes off a little like suggesting that police are "above" security guards and that he is saying "how dare you not follow the requests of the police! You report to us!". Also, even though he went as the representative of the police union and not the police department, the company may have felt like they had little choice but to do what he said.

[Condo Guard]

The expression on her face tells you everything you need to know. If you work in security, you have to expect to encounter the police at some point. If you hate the police, think that laws are how the elite keep people down or are otherwise anti-social in your opinion or lifestyle, this isn't the job for you.

On another note, I fully expect to see a day in the future when a building burns down or a bridge collapses, and everyone is so busy filming and posting everybody forgot to call emergency services.