Worst security jobsite/post you ever worked...

[N. A. Corbier]

I learned awhile ago that anything that affixes itself to a perimeter fence is not concidental or random. Someone marked that location for a reason. On one property, the local professional homeless would mark the fence line with vines - a bare patch of fence suddenly with a bunch of vines weaved into the chain. They would also use colored ribbon, bits of candy bar wrapper woven in, anything "inconsipcious."

We eventually started finding fence cuts, almost surgical, so that the entire fence could be rolled back, in the marked areas.

[Bill Warnock]

There are still some in this business who do not believe fence markings such as you and I described amount for much. I firmly believe a lot of stock as well as finished product got out the door and over the fence.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Serpico]

There are still some in this business who do not believe fence markings such as you and I described amount for much. I firmly believe a lot of stock as well as finished product got out the door and over the fence.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

I couldn't agree more. When I worked in loss prevention at a major chain home improvement store, we had a very large fence surrounding the lumber yard. No matter how many times I complained to store management about fixing the gaps in the fence, they never would. That was until we caught a guy with $8500 in drills trying to go out through the gap in the fence.

[Bill Warnock]

I wonder what other inventory left the plant before this person and the drills was found and stopped. I am amused by all the talk about reducing theft and do little to close the "bard door" as the last horse is stopped.
We in security started the "proactive" business. Now it seems we are in the reactive mode and I wonder why?
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

I wonder what other inventory left the plant before this person and the drills was found and stopped. I am amused by all the talk about reducing theft and do little to close the "bard door" as the last horse is stopped.
We in security started the "proactive" business. Now it seems we are in the reactive mode and I wonder why?
Enjoy the day,
Bill

Cheaper that way.

Alot of times, the security department in a retail enviornment notes things like that. The maintenance department dosen't have it in their budget to fix those gaping holes in the fence, so they're left alone. The security department keeps nagging, till its made uncomfortable for them to nag by the store manager. After all, its going to look bad on her performance evaluation if she can't get the fence holes plugged, and someone knows they're there.

This all stems from genie out of bottle syndrome. Its out, and upper level management, the client, etc, demands that it be put back in - they can't handle the genie, and they're afraid of what its knowlege will do to them legally.

The Editor-in-Chief of Security Dealer, a CygnusBusinessMedia magazine, wrote about the trend in corporate governance to be deaf, dumb, and blind to threats. The rationale, based on the WTC 1991 ruling, is that you can't be sued or fined over it if you don't know its existance. This, of course, goes against the entire point of the security department/contract security company concept. But, then again, it also provides more targets to sue. "The contract guards didn't tell us all the security lights have been out for 8 months. They stopped reporting them after 6 months. We thought they fixed themselves. That's why we're not at fault that 20 co-eds were gunned down because they couldn't see the gang war out front of the dorm room."

The job now, in some areas, seems to be definately reactive - shut the hell up and go back to turning keys on that clock.

[Serpico]

In response to the original topic, I was working an insurance claim investigation in one of the projects in Jamaica, Queens. It was on Labor Day and there was a huge BBQ at my claimant's residence. There must've been 50+ people in that yard and probably a half dozen pit bulls. I needed to verify which one my claimant was out of the crowd. My boss, in his infinate wisdom, had the worst pretext I've ever heard. I was told to walk up to this crowd of people and identify myself as a member of the "Human Foundation" and I was to ask for my claimant by name to thank him for his charitable contribution. I was a clean cut white guy walking through the project park, needless to say, I was pegged as police instantly. I saw about 20-25 people approaching me with their dogs and got the hell out as fast as I could.

A similar incident happened in the South Bronx. This time, my boss decided it would be wise for me to question a dozen Latin Kings about my claimant. It didn't go over so well.

[Mr. Security]

In response to the original topic, I was working an insurance claim investigation in one of the projects in Jamaica, Queens. It was on Labor Day and there was a huge BBQ at my claimant's residence. There must've been 50+ people in that yard and probably a half dozen pit bulls. I needed to verify which one my claimant was out of the crowd. My boss, in his infinate wisdom, had the worst pretext I've ever heard. I was told to walk up to this crowd of people and identify myself as a member of the "Human Foundation" and I was to ask for my claimant by name to thank him for his charitable contribution. I was a clean cut white guy walking through the project park, needless to say, I was pegged as police instantly. I saw about 20-25 people approaching me with their dogs and got the hell out as fast as I could.

A similar incident happened in the South Bronx. This time, my boss decided it would be wise for me to question a dozen Latin Kings about my claimant. It didn't go over so well.

Are you sure your boss doesn't have a policy out on you with him as the beneficiary? Sounds like he was trying to help you have a most unfortunate "accident," if you get my drift.

[Serpico]

Are you sure your boss doesn't have a policy out on you with him as the beneficiary? Sounds like he was trying to help you have a most unfortunate "accident," if you get my drift.

Could've been the case. If there's one thing I learned, never piss off the brass when you're 1000 miles from home.

[ff000525]

Seems like this thread is winding down but.....

I'll post my thoughts anyway. I work for a international security contract company. The account I work is in the ghetto of a town in WI and is a pretty "soft" site. We wear blazers and ties to work, take car reservations, and have set routes were we hit electronic chips. The tours are all inside with no perimeter checks despite being in the work part of town. In the few weeks I've been called "dude" "bro" and "man" by employees and have realized that we're just low paid receptionists. Despite the fact that this company had a shooting at one of its out of state plants that killed 3 and injurered 5 less than 3 years ago, nobody here seems to be in the "progressive security" state of mind. It's a pretty quite site, minus the police chases past the facility but I hope I can find a better job before the sh$# hits the fan one of these days, because if they stay so complacent something is bound to happen, and when it does it will be a lose lose situation for everyone.

[N. A. Corbier]

I'll post my thoughts anyway. I work for a international security contract company. The account I work is in the ghetto of a town in WI and is a pretty "soft" site. We wear blazers and ties to work, take car reservations, and have set routes were we hit electronic chips. The tours are all inside with no perimeter checks despite being in the work part of town. In the few weeks I've been called "dude" "bro" and "man" by employees and have realized that we're just low paid receptionists. Despite the fact that this company had a shooting at one of its out of state plants that killed 3 and injurered 5 less than 3 years ago, nobody here seems to be in the "progressive security" state of mind. It's a pretty quite site, minus the police chases past the facility but I hope I can find a better job before the sh$# hits the fan one of these days, because if they stay so complacent something is bound to happen, and when it does it will be a lose lose situation for everyone.

Strangely enough, it sounds like your in Racine or Milwaukee, and work for either Wackenhut, Securitas (They seem to be big up here), or one of the other globals.

It also sounds like your doing Fortune 500 "Conceirge" service, which is where the security officer is responsible for maintaining a visible point of service for the employees - they answer questions, direct guests, etc. That your hitting key clocks says alot about the mentality of the client - they require verification that the contract security company is doing their job, and probally won't pay the contractor if the keys aren't hit.

I have never, ever, liked keys. Mainly because any time keys are installed, the guard will be given a set plan, be told a timetable on when to hit the key stations, and will be given the impression (Never in writing, mind you...) that when the keys are late, the guard is slacking off.

Many times, like mobile patrol, the guard will hurry through the key stations watching the clock, and completely miss unsafe conditions. (The guard is technically not there for criminal activity or other life safety issues if they're punching a key station, usually.) Any bad person, inside threat or outside, will quickly determine the key schedule, and know when to do their business.

A federal site I worked used key clocks. Not due to the client, but because of the county airport that had "oversight" over the guard force, and religated them to the control of the "Airport Police." This meant we had a police radio we were never allowed to turn on (No authorization from state to use radio, using radio is a crime), and the "Airport Police's" "Chief" (A Lieutenant) put it best: "We don't care what you do, but when we don't like you, we fire you." They're 8 man police force was replaced with two deputy sheriffs in the area. Most of the airport police officers were reserve deputy sheriff's, as well.

Many a Coast Guardsman knew our key schedule, and when we deviated from it, the airport police would call the security company and complain we weren't "doing our job." I recieved a reprimand from the company for deviating from the key schedule to investigate a fire next to the facility. Amusingly enough, I recieved a commendation from the Coast Guard for detecting a dangerous fire that could of destroyed millions of dollars of USCG Helicopters, and raised an alarm. Then we sat back and watched the building burn, we all hauled foam lines out in case embers hit the base and set it alight.

[Mr. Security]

.....
I have never, ever, liked keys. Mainly because any time keys are installed, the guard will be given a set plan, be told a timetable on when to hit the key stations, and will be given the impression (Never in writing, mind you...) that when the keys are late, the guard is slacking off.

Many times, like mobile patrol, the guard will hurry through the key stations watching the clock, and completely miss unsafe conditions......

I absolutely agree. Even w/o a timetable, it allows guards to just hit the "keys" and not check other areas of the building that don't have a checkpoint.

[ff000525]

And this is why I joined this forum

Because its a bunch of professionals, trying to be professional and trying to do their job the right way despite the lacksidasical attitude of account clients. N.A, you're right I do work in Racine, but I'm not going to put my employer's name out there because its just not good business. Being the "FNG" at this site, my opinions and ideas aren't recieved by anyone, but oh well. The security guys and gals at the site are all good people, but the job is overwatched by the client contact, who by the way has never been in Security, the military or even stood in our shoes for one minute in her life. I'm getting off the point of this topic, but some guys just need to vent. For example, during a Medical incident the other day, I was standing by a door to direct Fire Fighters in and radioed to base to ensure that I was going to send them to the proper door..... it went a little something like this
Me: "Patrol to base, that Med incident is at door XYZ, correct?"
Base: "That's correct"
Me: "Copy, let me know when Medics arrive and I'll send them there"
Client contact: "Patrol, send them in door XXY, it'll be easier for them"
Me: "Copy, I'll send them in door XXY"
So medics get there and I send them in door XXY, as I walk in the building after them, I see them backing out of the door (it wasn't easier for them) and the LT giving me a "dumb-ass rent-a-cop" look. Needless to say, its hard to do a job when every moved is micro-managed and mirco-managed incorrectly. Yet our illustrius company is so worried about losing an account that no one will stand up to this "security manager". Oh well, time to put my business suit on and get to work.

[ff000525]

Sorry I went on a tangent before I replied to N.A.'s comments

Really, I don't mind manning a post and checking people in, I even give them directions in a nice courteous manner. What I don't like is the fact that we mop up water leaks, get yelled at if we pass up a burnt our light bulb and don't write an IR about it, and are required to make car reservations even though this company has a travel department. I probably wouldn't mind doing these things so much if someone said, "hey good job" or "that leak you wrote up and then fixed the best you could saved the company $xxxxx" but nope there is none of that. They actually pay us pretty well, starting pay is over $10, but anyone who has ever taken a leadership class, or leadership training knows that its not how much you pay employees but its how you take care of your employees or subordinates, its how you treat them and how well you try to give them a good, safe and progressive working enviroment.

[Mr. Security]

Really, I don't mind manning a post and checking people in, I even give them directions in a nice courteous manner. What I don't like is the fact that we mop up water leaks, get yelled at if we pass up a burnt our light bulb and don't write an IR about it, and are required to make car reservations even though this company has a travel department. I probably wouldn't mind doing these things so much if someone said, "hey good job" or "that leak you wrote up and then fixed the best you could saved the company $xxxxx" but nope there is none of that. They actually pay us pretty well, starting pay is over $10, but anyone who has ever taken a leadership class, or leadership training knows that its not how much you pay employees but its how you take care of your employees or subordinates, its how you treat them and how well you try to give them a good, safe and progressive working enviroment.

I think I used to work for your company. I finally got fed-up with their "Value-Added-Services," when they started taking precedent over security. The company just didn't have the backbone to stand up to the client even when the client's requests compromised security. They didn't want to lose the account.

I work for another large security company now. At least we aren't required to perform non-security functions.

[N. A. Corbier]

If my POV didn't blow up, I'd of taken a warm body security post in Racine just to get my WI guard license at the company's expense, and to learn how they're doing things up here. The Ops Manager for the company I applied to recongized me from SIW, and asked, "Are you here to work, or here to learn about our company?" I told him the truth, "I'm here to see how things are done in Wisconsin. I'll give my 40 hours, and your company's proprietary information is yours." I was accepted for an unarmed (by request - paying for a rig I want is expensive) mobile patrol shopping mall be bored post, but then had a POV engineering casualty so I had to decline. :|

So, I'm still doing IT, whee. But, what I did learn from the interview spoke volumes about the companies up here - managers still don't know the laws. "We can't carry rifles up here." Yes, you can, several companies routinely carry the M4 rifle in their cars. Its things like this that make it obvious: Training, Training, Training. Know your laws. Know your company's abilities. Even if your a branch manager working in the confines of your parent company - know your laws and company regulations. It may be against Company Regulation to be armed with anything but a 9mm and a shotgun, but it isn't against Wisconsin State Law.

And, of course, I'm still plotting, scheming, and saving up for start up day. And looking for investors.

The following statement was a forward looking projection, and not a guarantee of securities or bond. Any investment contains substantial risk, and should be researched throughly by the investor prior to comitting to an investment. The statement "looing for investors" has not been approved or endorced by the US Federal Trade Commission, or Securities and Exchange Commission. Thank you for reading this little diatribe.