Homeless Felons Worked As Security Guards

[Campus Security]

Homeless Felons Worked As Security Guards
By Elizabeth Scarborough
POSTED: 8:03 am CST December 19, 2007
HOUSTON -- Most people assume that men and women in security guard uniforms are legitimate, but a group of men working in northeast Houston were missing a few important things, KPRC Local 2 reported Tuesday.
"They had the patches and the badges," state Trooper Larry Shimek said. "You'd have no idea there was anything wrong unless you asked for their pocket card."
Security guards must be registered, have completed a criminal background check and, if they are carrying a gun, have a license or "pocket card."
Shimek said Texas Private Security required none of those things.
He said he found Wiggis J. Verdin, Rondall King, Donald Paul Lindsey and Joe David Rankin II working as security guards in cantinas and bars around northeast Houston who should not have been paid to protect anyone.
"They haven't been trained to use a weapon," Shimek said. "In this case the people we arrested were convicted felons and one was a sex offender. It's not safe for the public."
Over the past three months, all four men were arrested on charges of not having the proper licenses and some faces charges of carrying weapons as convicted felons. Rankin was also charged with failure to register as a sex offender.
Shimek said they were all working for the same man, Carlos Posadas. He was arrested Monday.
"Most of them he was picking up from homeless shelters, Shimek said. "(He took) them to get uniforms."
He said he believes Posadas was running the illegal business out of his home for at least seven months and was employing as many as 10 guards at one time.
Posadas' wife said she thinks her husband was wrongly arrested.
"He's a good guy, he's never done anything bad to me," said Patricia Walsh. "I don't know about that. I think he's doing everything right."
Troopers said these arrests may just be the beginning. They are already looking at six other people in connection with the case.

[EMTGuard]

Interesting. I'll be checking into this thread regularly to look for updates to this.

[JB diligence]

Scary... Just when you thought the 'black market' has reached it's depths...

[Maelstrom]

There is no limit to the depths of human greed...

[N. A. Corbier]

This is pretty standard, folks...

[bpdblue]

Another news highlight for the public to read about.

I'm sure it will be even more food for the public to digest, making them even more weary of persons in our profession.

All the info in the world, explaining that these guys should never have been in the security field, will not undo all the damage something like this does to the image of our profession.

All we can hope for is that these guys get long sentences, and that other criminal types will stay out of the security field.

[Chucky]

How about this fine citizen? The felon S/O. You can never use enough deadly force against potential shoplifters. Just let one get away with it and next thing you know every one will start boosting sun glasses. I love how the person that chooses to break the law in some areas was always just one step away from being a choir boy as the below seems to state.True the guy didn't deserve to die but no matter what he did the family would have said the same thing. In fact John Wayne Gacey got rave reviews from friends and family.
Ironic it was lead poison that got him in this situation and lead that blew him away.

A loving father, family says

Mitchell's family was baffled at the death of a man they described as a loving, good-humored father.

"It's crazy to me. He didn't have to shoot him," said Flossie Mitchell, Alexander Mitchell's mother.

Mitchell had four children but had never married. He received disability benefits because of a learning disability his mother attributed to lead poisoning that occurred when he was a child.

He had worked part time as a custodian in the past few years at Peace Lutheran Church in the 5200 block of N. 51st Blvd., his mother said, and enjoyed going to church, listening to music and cooking.

"He was just a happy person," his mother said.

This is also a quote from his aunt."If (the guard) figured he was a threat, call 911," said Mitchell's aunt, Flora Hayward. "I mean over a pair of glasses."
Well aunt Flora I fully agree with you on this one but how about you and your friends try something like this. If you didn't pay for it or was legally giving it then it is not yours so keep your GD hands off it and things like this would not happen.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=319373

[N. A. Corbier]

That case is pretty old, and the company who he worked for wasn't even licensed.

But, hey. Even a licensed guard should just call 911 for a theft.

[flashlightcop509]

Wonder if this Trooper is related to Bob Shimek...

[ESI AGENT]

This is a product of "poor" management or just down right con job security companies. Their is such a thing a Due Dillagence when being involved in any business transaction.

[craig333]

In CA, I am required to show my guard card to any law enforcement officer who asks to see it. They don't need a reason. Its never happened but perhaps its something they should get in the habit of doing once in a while. Of course in my case it would be that one day a year when I'm running late and left my wallet at home.

[EMTGuard]

I've started wearing my Guard Card attached to my shirt pocket flap alongside my ID the Steel Mill issued me when I was assigned there.

[Charger]

My cards stay in my wallet with my DL and other important items at all times. I never leave home without it, so I never have a problem presenting if asked. Course, nobody has asked, so I haven't had to.

As for the original story, I hope they nail the company owner the hardest. If he was intentionally going out and 'recruiting' these guys, he needs to be put away. Seriously NOT OK.

[Andy Taylor]

In CA, I am required to show my guard card to any law enforcement officer who asks to see it. They don't need a reason. Its never happened but perhaps its something they should get in the habit of doing once in a while. Of course in my case it would be that one day a year when I'm running late and left my wallet at home.

In 12 years of doing this work I have never been carded. I know of three instances where it has happened to other security officers.
1. Officer (my boss at the time) was stopped for speeding on his way to work and then got mouthy with the cop.
2. Officers were doing pat downs on people entering a night club. They find a .38 in an ankle holster and responded approriately. they then find out that the subject is a LT on the local PD. He had not said anything to them prior or during the pat down and was then offended that they secured the weapon until they determined who he was. The next night he sent a unit out to card the whole security staff. They had no idea what to look for and asked one of the security officers.
3. One of my officers was walking through the parking lot and a motor officer pulled up and carded him. The motor officer said "I've been a cop 13 years and just found out today that we can check you guys without PC."

[N. A. Corbier]

Boys and their toys.

Most states authorize law enforcement officers to check the occupational license of a security officer/guard without probable cause, including the firearms permits. I think this is because the police are usually armed, so are more equipped to deal with a man with a gun

Seriously, though, what's funny is that while they're authorized, only state inspectors are told wtf they're looking for in most cases. Most aren't even made aware of why or how a security officer/guard/person may carry a firearm, they just know that 'they obviously can.'

One day, I watched a Tampa Police officer look my partner over, and go, "Hey, don't you guys have a license to carry guns?"

I have never had my licenses checked by a law enforcement officer, and only once did I meet a state inspector in Florida. He was rather mad because he could not come on US DOT property to inspect my licenses, and I was on US DOT property. He was, as we nicely put it, not authorized to be on the facility. Especially since the State of Florida ends where you're standing, and Federal property starts where I'm standing.