In Security, video of Private Security indust

[EMTGuard]

Came across this while surfing around.
http://www.guba.com/watch/2000756381...e_step=0&o=401
It's a report from Canadian TV about the use of Private Security in Canada and the US. Using terms such as "Parapolice", "Rent a Cop" and "Private Police" they look at the growth of private security and the backlash from some citizens.
It begins with a look at those gung-ho guys at Intelliguard in Canada. Next we see Wackenhut in action and there's even some time given to a private citizens patrol group. They go around in their cars a couple hours a week spotlighting neighborhoods and listening to calls on the police scanner. While they just about pegged my Whacker meter it seems they have some support from the local ploice.
Take a look, then lets see some comments on this report.

[HotelSecurity]

CBC radio did a similar program a year or 2 ago. I wrote & got the transcript. Other media in Canada have followed this story. What bugs me is when they are trying to tell the public because we get our powers from & report to private property owners, we are only accountable to them. Therefore the public has no control over any abuses done by us. This is not true. We can be charged criminally if we for example, use excessive force. And there is always civil court. Anyone who feels we have harmed them can always sue us &/or the people we work for.

Another disturbing thing is the fact that they easily find people to do this type of work at 1/3 the cost of a sworn Police Officer.

I'll probably have more to add after I watched it again & have read what others think.

[IB107]

i also dislike the fact they called security "parapolice" or "private police" we are by no means a sworn leo and there for do not req and/or deserve the term police to be included with our job titles

[bigdog]

Actually in some states leos are considered special poklice or private police they have commissions given to them by the state namely in south carolina and mass. In N.A. Corbier's state of wisconson anyone can use the title police officer.

[talon]

i also dislike the fact they called security "parapolice" or "private police" we are by no means a sworn leo and there for do not req and/or deserve the term police to be included with our job titles

Give yourself more credit man, sure some SO's aren't worth that title either but a whole lot of LEO's are has beens that never should have been.

I have seen a whole lot of Security Departments that are run just like Police Agencies with all of the professionalism and accountablity. Yes they are few and far between but they do exist.

North Carolina and Virginia also have Special Police who are "Sworn" LEO's.

[N. A. Corbier]

i also dislike the fact they called security "parapolice" or "private police" we are by no means a sworn leo and there for do not req and/or deserve the term police to be included with our job titles

Deserve?

Also, "Police" is a verb. Not a noun. I'm 5 minutes into this documentary. Other than the accusatory tone (acts like police, but is just a security guard), its telling the truth. When you have a private citizen protecting people and property and enforcing laws, its private policing. The term "public policing" just means that the person doing it is an agent of the state.

[N. A. Corbier]

I'm almost through this. Is most of CBC programming this biased? This broadcast is loaded with negative connotation, hyperbole, key words, and situations to play off the fears of the Canadian public.

I love the part where they state that the Intelliguard person was "holding his flashlight like it was a real gun," and the "uneasy alliance between private police and the armed public police." It didn't look that uneasy - the police arrived and assisted in removing the suspect out of the vehicle.

The cititzen's patrol is "more intrusive" than the police because they look for "any graffiti," or "any loiterer in the park."

[davis002]

I love the part where they state that the Intelliguard person was "holding his flashlight like it was a real gun,".

I agree NA... I rolled my eyes when I saw that It's great that these guys are being proactive when it comes to taking care of these problems, but holding your flashlight like it's a firearm will get you killed. As far as standing in front of the guys car and yelling "That's assault!"... No it's not (at least in MN), you put yourself there, so stop being a knob.

[N. A. Corbier]

In Florida, that's actually aggrivated battery, and a felony. The thing, of course, is that the holding the person against their will (by standing in front of the car) has to be lawful. In the case of making an arrest by outstanding warrant, that is lawful.

Also, how is "private security not accountable?" Neil is right.

[EMTGuard]

I'm almost through this. Is most of CBC programming this biased? This broadcast is loaded with negative connotation, hyperbole, key words, and situations to play off the fears of the Canadian public.

I don't think it's that much different than US shows such as Dateline or 20/20. They have to hype it up some to make it interestng and entertaining for the mass market.

[N. A. Corbier]

Its been years since I watched those.

[HotelSecurity]

I don't think it's that much different than US shows such as Dateline or 20/20. They have to hype it up some to make it interestng and entertaining for the mass market.

Except the CBC is funded by my tax money

[EMTGuard]

Well, anyone else watch the video and have comments? What caught your attention?

[1stWatch]

Okay, I should comment on this before it gets buried too deep in the list.
The presentation was farcicle at best. It showed a couple of uber-aggressive security companies doing what they do best. The Intelligarde company was being very proactive. The idea of the guy standing directly in front of a car was risky though. The Florida Wackenhut officers made an excellent stop on that burglary suspect. This is, however, only a small presentation of the job and only serves to create a hypnotic suggestion to the uninformed viewer about what the job is.

The political figures who spoke up in the video need to get over themselves. These are the people who would love to see all of us locked up and for private security to be criminalized. This is not for the betterment of society, but for the advancement of their political goals, which is to establish a system where the public does not participate in protecting their own community, but to defer to the "authorities" on each and every issue and to live in fear of the system instead of being an integral part of it. Our enemies make themselves known plainly.

The slanting tone of the whole commentary made it sound like how dare those "pervasive" security guards pick on people? It also painted the image of us, the bumbling fools, taking away from public law enforcement. The Montreal police seemed pretty happy to see them, don't you think? The image painted doesn't fit the reality I'm afraid.

Bottom line, I hated the video. This is the kind of video, paid for by tax dollars mind you, we need to be able to combat with our own media.

[Lawson]

All I can say is, "Is Intelliguard hiring?"