Some questions....

[tacscuba]

Hey Guys,

New to the forum, and I have some questions.

Why do most security companies set the minimum age limit at 18 for security officer positions? Is it because of labor issues (no late shifts, no more than 10 hours a day, etc), or do they think 16 and 17 year olds don't have the expirience?

Has anyone worked for or had expirience with Control Security Services Inc.? I put in an application for them, wondering if they are a good company.

[NRM_Oz]

Well in Australia you are legally an adult at 18 so you can vote, smoke drink, fight a war and even shave (men and some women too). Even then, there are too many `kids` in the industry who nolonger have the `old boys` to keep them in line as most leave the industry after a short spell or find other employment.

We require you to be licenced through our police and as this is also a requirement for every state you MUST be over 18. Also age does include life experience and whilst some S/O's act like kids on the job, I personally refuse to work with anyone under the age of 28 as by that age hopefully the brain has developed with the level of maturity required. Another thing to consider is most security bouncers have to be of legal age to check on ID's and to eject unruly patrons from the premises.

Oh and most of our police and security work 4 x 4's - 2 x 12 hour days (then 24 hours break) then 2 x 12 hour nights (then 4 days off) - except those working special shifts or clubs which may be a pissy 8 hour shift.

[sgtnewby]

I wouldn't trust some people under the age of 25, let alone a 16 or 17 year old. I started when I was 18, and if I had known back then what I know now (at the ripe old age of 29, almost 30), about the industry and liability, I don't think I would have started at such a young age. I don't think an 18 year old has any business running around with a badge and a gun (as I did). I really think a person should have more life experience before they are allowed that amount of responsibility.

[Andy Taylor]

In California a person must be 18 in order to obtain a guard card. Where I work a person must be 21 to even enter the building, so legally I can't hire anyone under 21.

[SecTrainer]

Hey Guys,

New to the forum, and I have some questions.

Why do most security companies set the minimum age limit at 18 for security officer positions? Is it because of labor issues (no late shifts, no more than 10 hours a day, etc), or do they think 16 and 17 year olds don't have the expirience?

Has anyone worked for or had expirience with Control Security Services Inc.? I put in an application for them, wondering if they are a good company.

There are some positions that do not require licensing and for which a younger person might be used...for instance, in the office filing reports, entering data into the management system, etc. When young people who appear to be responsible express an interest in the field, we should at least look for ways to bring them into the organization. Such experience can be very valuable for the future when they can be licensed.

Despite their public image, there are young people who are quite responsible. I know that when I was in high school I was a very good employee, working after school and weekends in a local hospital (I was thinking about medicine as a career at the time), and had no problems with tardiness, absenteeism, etc. I really enjoyed what I was doing and it gave me a sense of becoming an adult as well.

[N. A. Corbier]

SecTrainer hit it, I think. For a "guard" position, most states require you to be 18 for licensing. States that require no licensing at all (no company or guard licensing) usually don't have a prohibition. Those that license firms usually make it 18+

But, for the 16 year old receptionist, that's perfectly fine. They're not guarding anything, so child labor laws apply normally.

[Hank1]

At CIS, we have younger folks who work in the office on weekends and after school. We even have them answering phones and dispatching calls for service.

Be Safe,

Hank

[tacscuba]

Ok, so there are some legalities, they're not just saying that because of the popular image of kids.

Hank, what is CIS?

[NRM_Oz]

A good way to learn the ropes without getting too involved. Just knowing terminology and what happens where and when is a good stepping stone. I used to have a 17 year old kid work with me who would do all the ground work every Saturday. He would be paid more than what his friends would earn in a month at McDonalds and when he turned 18 he came to work onsite with me as he also had a drivers licence and car to pay off so appreciated the fuel cards I would give him too.

[bpdblue]

tacscuba, you can sometimes go on-line, or even make a call to your state offices to see if there is a licensing agency for security guards.

If there is, you can find out the rules and restrictions on being in the security field, which in state's like mine (california) there are a whole bunch.

Good luck.

[Taktiq]

I wouldn't trust some people under the age of 25, let alone a 16 or 17 year old. I started when I was 18, and if I had known back then what I know now (at the ripe old age of 29, almost 30), about the industry and liability, I don't think I would have started at such a young age. I don't think an 18 year old has any business running around with a badge and a gun (as I did). I really think a person should have more life experience before they are allowed that amount of responsibility.

Man, there's tons of people over 25 (and MUCH older) I worked with, who I didn't think had any business running around with a badge and a gun either.

[tacscuba]

I wouldn't trust some people under the age of 25, let alone a 16 or 17 year old. I started when I was 18, and if I had known back then what I know now (at the ripe old age of 29, almost 30), about the industry and liability, I don't think I would have started at such a young age. I don't think an 18 year old has any business running around with a badge and a gun (as I did). I really think a person should have more life experience before they are allowed that amount of responsibility.

You can't even carry a gun in Mass. until you're 21

[Hank1]

Man, there's tons of people over 25 (and MUCH older) I worked with, who I didn't think had any business running around with a badge and a gun either.

Taktiq~
As long as someone will pay to have a person armed, regardless of how fit they are to carry it. There will always be those around. To my disappointment unfortunately!

Be Safe,

Hank

[SecTrainer]

Hank, what is CIS?

(Hank - I'm answering this as I don't believe you saw the question.)

CIS = Critical Intervention Services, a security company headquartered in Florida.

[Mr. Chaple]

In Illinois only contact security guards must be licensed. Unless they are armed there are no restrictions on proprietary security. Therefore my first legal, on the books job was as a security guard (in Illinois you must be 16 to legally work with out a special work permit, therefore I worked off the books doing landscaping from 12-16). As a result I feel that no one under the age of 18 should be permitted to work as a guard. I know that there are a lot of people who are more mature at 16 than I was, but not enough of them to justify letting high-school kids work security. I had no understanding of liability or force restrictions and went hands on more times in that few months than I have in rest of my time in security combined. At that time if anyone got out of line I would: 1. ask them politely to leave 2. Tell them to leave 3. Throw them out physically. I never warned them, and I never called the police. You were asked, then you were told, then I used force. How I kept from getting fired, arrested or beaten into a pulp, I will never know.