Bank Security Catches Robbery Suspect

[1stWatch]

Wichita, KS:
An off-duty police officer who was working as a security guard at a bank chased a robbery suspect who got out of the bank with a bag of money after claiming he had a gun. The suspect was caught and arrested and the money was recovered. He did not have a gun.

http://www.kbsd6.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=KBSD/MGArticle/BSD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834092327&path=

[N. A. Corbier]

Lucky cop. Every bank branch I worked had a "isolate and storm" response to robbery. Ie: Activate the alarm early, and allow the police to set up perimeter and storm the bank.

[Mr. Security]

I doubt that this officer would have handled the situation the same way if he had been on duty and dispatched to the robbery. Chances are he would have waited for back up before engaging the subject or at least decide when and where a confrontation presented the least amount of risk for him and any innocent bystanders should a fire-fight actually occur. This was a property crime that could have turned tragic if the robber had actually been armed.

[Bill Warnock]

I doubt that this officer would have handled the situation the same way if he had been on duty and dispatched to the robbery. Chances are he would have waited for back up before engaging the subject or at least decide when and where a confrontation presented the least amount of risk for him and any innocent bystanders should a fire-fight actually occur. This was a property crime that could have turned tragic if the robber had actually been armed.

Your estimation is quite accurate. This could have been tragic. You can always wait for back-up, very few instances reflect otherwise. It could have been front page news for days and our profession, another black eye.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

Your estimation is quite accurate. This could have been tragic. You can always wait for back-up, very few instances reflect otherwise. It could have been front page news for days and our profession, another black eye.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

I hate to say it, but it wouldn't of really been a black eye on our profession. It would of been carried as a police officer, who was off duty, executing his lawful duties. The fact he was a security person would not of come up, or would of come up in passing.

You are never "not" a police officer. Even if your working an off-duty shift. It would be made sure that he was named a police officer, acting in performance of his duties, not a lowly "guard."

[Bill Warnock]

I hate to say it, but it wouldn't of really been a black eye on our profession. It would of been carried as a police officer, who was off duty, executing his lawful duties. The fact he was a security person would not of come up, or would of come up in passing.

You are never "not" a police officer. Even if your working an off-duty shift. It would be made sure that he was named a police officer, acting in performance of his duties, not a lowly "guard."

N.A., I could not agree with you more. In the metropolitan Washington DC area, the news media report security duties first and then say an off duty police officer providing security.
Whether or not a LEO is always on duty and when he makes an arrest he will never ever make it as a security guard.
I would like to have it reported that a police officer providing security .... and not the other way around.
I would suspect the departments do not like to refer to officers moonlighting or in a extra job. The connotation is they do not make sufficient money during working hours and therefore must supplement their incomes.
Takes me back to the '50s and '60s when the average police officer had to have a second or third job to survive because they loved law enforcement so much.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[EMTGuard]

Wichita, KS:
An off-duty police officer who was working as a security guard

I would like to point out that this is my definition of a "Rent-A-Cop" and in a case such as this I would not object to the use of the phrase.

[N. A. Corbier]

I would like to point out that this is my definition of a "Rent-A-Cop" and in a case such as this I would not object to the use of the phrase.

You are, indeed, renting a police officer. Lease-a-Cop?