Security doing non-security jobs

[ST7382]

I spent 6 months working in an office building.
At first it was a decent temporary gig, with little to no "extra duties".
It was about the time that the contract was almost up that another company started low balling the rates.
At this time the "value added" package (as I liked to call it)
was created.
Aside from patrols and access control, we started to deliver the mail news papers and every now and then pizzas.
what made this a tad bit silly was.
While doing these extras our post located in the front of the building with access to any and every door and area of the building (as well as a cash box) was unmanned.
let me just say this.. In a 25 story building it takes a while to go door to door.
I questioned the rationality of this move. But never seemed to get an answer.

[SP1]

Hotel security additional duties

I work the 9PM - 7AM security weekend shift (Fri, Sat, Sun) at a 3 star hotel. There are 444 rooms. Just one security officer - ME.

The night maid leaves at 12:30 AM, Maintenance leaves at 12:00AM. The Bell people leave at 9PM

All that is left is the 2 night auditors, the bartender and me. The night auditors never leave the front desk.

So from 12:30AM till I leave at 7AM I am it. I am expected to handle everything that comes up, from maintenance, maid service, deliveries, bell service and all other non-essential security work. Also included in this is a 1-130AM walk through every floor collecting door room service tags and also collecting all food trays left outside the doors. Then at 2AM there is the pool area, picking up all towels, and straightening the area up before locking it down.

So yes I see your point. Do I like the situation? = N0.

This situation is not unique to hotel security.

I accepted this position knowing most of the pitfalls associated, so I will continue to perform this to the best of my ability, until I decide to move on. At that time the choice will be mine.

[HotelSecurity]

SP1 - Do you have to deliver newspapers & deliver the express check-out folios? The folios I don;t mind too much, it assures that the Officer is patrolling but the newspapers are a big pain.

[acula32]

non-security related work

Where to start,

In most of all my other employ as an officer I have been that.. An officer. But the last two positions, my current one and the one before officers "multitask" to use a kind word.

Here we are the college after everybody else leaves for the day. We have an on-call system but for the most part we go to it first.

Heating, pluming, animal complaints, odors, maint. issues, anyting and everything.

We have adopted a comfort zone aproach. We go, see if we can fix, or call in the on-call. I can give you an extensive list but you get the idea here. Our officers have been known to board up windows, plunge toilets, stop leaks, fix lights, change smoke detectors, salt walks, change car tires, fix various other issues.... The list goes on.

Now I have to say that in our defence we do most things with a smile. And by doing so that is a service most of the people might not remember but at the time they appreciated it.

For me, those type of calls help the shift go by faster. It is what it is, you take the good calls with the boring.

[SP1]

SP1 - Do you have to deliver newspapers & deliver the express check-out folios? The folios I don;t mind too much, it assures that the Officer is patrolling but the newspapers are a big pain.

Yes use to be before I got there, they delivered to all overnight guest, but now I just deliver to the top (9th) floor, our secured "penthouse suites" and just on Monday morning, no weekend delivery's.

[OccamsRazor]

Consider yourselves lucky...On a high-profile EP gig I worked last year, one of the cllients asked, nay, ORDERED my to clean up after what had dripped out of the baby's diaper onto the carpet.

Negatron.

[navyleo]

non-security in the military

Being security forces in the Navy, we were always being told to do non-security duties. I dont mind taking out the trash and cleaning up my post before being relieved but sometimes our tedious, non-security tasks get out of hand.

A few years ago, I was told by the on-coming supervisor that I had to get rid of a puddle that was at the main gate!!!! His reasoning was that when a car drove through the puddle, it would splash water and mud up onto the guardshack and give security a "bad image." When I respectfully refused, my supervisor got involved and squashed the issue

At one base I was at overseas, it was security's responsibility to return the shopping carts that civilian's had left in the parking lot back back to the base exchange because the manager of the NEX was a complete moron.

Its really bad when non-security duties are given to security in the military because you can't exactly tell your superior officers "NO".

[HotelSecurity]

Its really bad when non-security duties are given to security in the military because you can't exactly tell your superior officers "NO".

I was told that we were free to tell our management no - And our unemployment papers would be ready for us the next day

[CorpSec]

Our local 4 star hotel classifies their security staff under the guest services umbrella. Therefore, they are able to accept tips. There they do not mind lugging bags and running things up to the rooms since it usually results in some palm greasing.

[Silva Consultants]

I have performed numerous security assessments over the years, and one of the things I always examine is the number and type of "non-security" duties assigned to the security officers. It's hard to believe the things I've seen. Many examples have already been mentioned in this thread, including having security officers act as delivery drivers or janitors. More troubling cases I have seen include having security officers wash the personal cars of company managers and going out to fetch lunches for employees.

Not only are non-security duties a distraction, but they can demean the image of the security officer in the eyes of employees and may cause the security officer to question his or her own sense of self-worth.

I touched on this subject briefly in one of my security tips called "Ten Ways To Get Poor Performance From Your Contract Security Agency" http://silvaconsultants.com/index_files/Page779.htm

[Mr. Security]

Consider yourselves lucky...On a high-profile EP gig I worked last year, one of the cllients asked, nay, ORDERED my to clean up after what had dripped out of the baby's diaper onto the carpet.

Negatron.

Tell 'em you're not trained in biohazards and therefore are not allowed to handle such substances.

[Ewfr 'Gomulee]

I was usually ''requested'' to do Cleaning duties and at one point the management even tried to get me to go clean the toilets. HA!
Called in to HQ and told them I was suspicious of the management trying to keep me away from them so they could take stuff.

[Deputy Dawg]

It seems to be common place especially in the hotel industry.

I work 3rd shift (10:30pm - 7:00am) and am expected to do everything. Maids leave around 5pm, engineering and bellmen leave between 11:30pm and 12:00am.

Sometimes I goto rooms to fix TV's, AC units, or deliver towels and guests are surprised to see security. From time to time I have caught people off guard doing things they shouldn't be and they always seem to take a REALLY long time to open their door or have that "Deer in the headlights" look when they open the door and see me hahaha.

I've known a few people that refuse to do anything unless it's handling a "Security Related" call. I can't blame them at times, but at the same time, they knew what was expected when they took the shift.

It does suck though at times that security is expected to do all this on our own while trying to keep an eye on everything.

[HotelSecurity]

It seems to be common place especially in the hotel industry.

I work 3rd shift (10:30pm - 7:00am) and am expected to do everything. Maids leave around 5pm, engineering and bellmen leave between 11:30pm and 12:00am.

Sometimes I goto rooms to fix TV's, AC units, or deliver towels and guests are surprised to see security. From time to time I have caught people off guard doing things they shouldn't be and they always seem to take a REALLY long time to open their door or have that "Deer in the headlights" look when they open the door and see me hahaha.

I've known a few people that refuse to do anything unless it's handling a "Security Related" call. I can't blame them at times, but at the same time, they knew what was expected when they took the shift.

It does suck though at times that security is expected to do all this on our own while trying to keep an eye on everything.

I feel your pain. The worse is when you have to go to a room to enforce a rule (like keeping the noise down) a half hour after you have been to the same room to unblock their toilet

[Deputy Dawg]

I feel your pain. The worse is when you have to go to a room to enforce a rule (like keeping the noise down) a half hour after you have been to the same room to unblock their toilet

haha, very true! been there before