One thing that I don’t feel many think about is the risk and dedication each security officer faces every time they put on their uniform:
Law Enforcement
We think about the risks law enforcement is exposed to. We know that when they hit the street, they put their lives on the line.
Military
We think about the risks the military are exposed to. We understand that some may not come home. So do they.
Fire / EMS
We think about the risks firemen and EMS face.
These are all careers where the public has respect and understands the challenges.
Security:
What I feel is often misunderstood and neglected is the commitment and challenging work of security officers. Security is laughed at. “You’re a rent a cop”, “hey Paul Blart, Mall Cop”, “Wanna-be”, etc. Yet, our security officers are often the first line of defense. They are either on the scene or first responding to the scene of many major issues. They are often the ones who deescalate and address the problems. Law enforcement is stretched thin and spending their time on the higher profile issues. This means that lower priority calls are often “stacked”, meaning law enforcement will get to them “when we can”. If you are the victim; if you are the one in harms way, do you want to hear that someone else’s issue was more important? Regardless of opinions regarding security officers, they are the ones handling the pan handlers, vagrants, drunks, overdoses, etc. Companies like Proteus Protective also handle domestics, gun violence, threats with weapons, shootings, deaths, all the way to the other end of the spectrum to evictions for non payment, trespassing, loitering, parking issues, etc.
Wait!!! Doesn’t that sound like what law enforcement agencies do? Actually, yes! Certainly, there are distinctions between law enforcement and security and a security officer should never imply or represent themself as law enforcement. But often, the public doesn’t see a distinction when we pull onto a scene. Certainly, sworn officers can do certain things that security cannot. Yet, law enforcement is restricted on private property whereas security often has agent of the owner authority, giving security more authority than law enforcement on their contracted properties.
All of this to say that I am sometimes dumbfounded at the characterization of security professionals, when they put on a uniform and protect life and property. Their scope of influence may simply be their client property, but should that matter? Should they be disrespected and labeled because they chose security as their career?
Look at all of the hype around first responders. How often do you consider a security officer as a first responder? Yet, they are. They are often the ones using Narcan to revive a drug overdose victim. They are often the ones handling violence long before police can arrive. They are often the ones getting victims to safety when fire breaks out, long before fire services arrive. Yet, do you ever hear security professionals recognized for their service?
As a security professional, I see the heroism of my officers. I know what we are faced with every day. Would you know that I responded to a suicide? That the victim cut his wrists and pushed a knife into his head? He had significant blood loss. He was conscious when I arrived, 5 minutes after being dispatched for the emergency call. I secured the knife and used empathy to talk with the subject. I helped keep him alert and discussing why he was trying to kill himself. Shortly after, my partner arrived. He’s a paramedic. He began treating the victim. Then police arrived. Then Rescue arrived. The subject was transported to the hospital and is alive today.
Maybe I should tell you about the dozens of lives saved by our officers who carry Narcan and addressed overdose situations. EMS has reminded us countless times that the victim would have died if we hadn’t acted as we did.
We are often the first on scene of motor vehicle accidents, just due to the nature of patrol between our client properties. Our agency isn’t paid for the time we stop to render aid and secure the scene or reroute traffic to keep everyone out of harms way until police or Rescue arrive.
Security officers are looked down upon by many Law Enforcement officers and treated as less. Why? Would you know that many law enforcement officers get their start in security? My agency has been the launching point for 5 who are now local deputies.
There is debate in the security community about “observe and report” vs. “proactive and progressive security”. Proteus Protective Services is a respond and resolve agency. This means that everything I described is what we face daily. We don’t see something and just call the police. We act proactively to prevent issues that we recognize as potential risks. But we are also training our people on how to be aware and how to react. We do this through our partner agency, Proteus Training Institute (DS3300039), where retired Green Beret Team Sergeants are chief instructors and local law enforcement professionals are adjunct instructors. Do you know that our agency mandates training for our officers? We take development of our personnel seriously.
Most calls for service are routine and mundane. Most security officers have boring shifts. And frankly, that is ideal because as a deterrent, we’re achieving our purpose. What isn’t thought of is the fact that police can focus on more serious matters rather than getting a call for a vagrant or someone trespassing.
Private security plays an important role, even if security is underrated by the public at large.
We aren’t paid by tax dollars. We aren’t in a position to be dismissive towards public opinion. Our officers have to be customer service oriented. They have to use verbal tactics to deescalate matters and sway public opinion. The use of weapons is no different than the responsibility that law enforcement is restricted by. Would you be surprised to know that I have never had to use pepper spray, a taser or draw my firearm during my career? But I am very skilled and well trained if I need to one day. But my goal and that of my agency, is to use compassion and empathy. To take a pastoral approach to our interaction with subjects. We also must identify the mental state of those we encounter.
Not every Apple is the same. Either is every security agency. A discerning future client must do their homework. When you hire security, you can be turned off on the security industry just by the security company you hire if they don’t act in the way you hope or they promise. So do your homework. Don’t just pick the lowest price. We all know this can become costly in so many ways.
A security agency shouldn’t be judged by the actions of one officer. Just like we shouldn’t judge a book by the cover. We make mistakes. We have bad agents that we need to weed out. This isn’t any different than law enforcement, fire service, retail, etc. But we address quickly and resolve the situation.
I hope that this op-ed has given you a moment of reflection. I hope you’ll consider looking at a security officer with a bit more regard for what they do. For some it is a stepping stone to get their feet wet before growing into another field. For others it is their passion. For some it is a second life career.
Remember this… you know those who you often honor for their service? Those like the military, police, firemen, EMT’s? Remember how we have special holidays for some? Have you ever stopped to consider that those very same folks you honored yesterday are today putting on their security uniform to go to work? What changed from yesterday? Just their uniform! They are the same person!
At Proteus Protective Services, we employ current and former military. We employ former law enforcement. We employ paramedics and fire fighters. Are they to be disregarded because of their security uniform?
I’ve spent my life serving. I was an Army National Guard, volunteer fire fighter, ambulance technician, fire inspector, sworn auxiliary police officer, civil air patrol, fire police, hospital volunteer, and I currently volunteer since 2014 with my local sheriff’s office. I am highly trained in many disciplines. I spent 35 years growing my career in the service industry learning customer service, management, leadership, developing future talent, etc.
My story isn’t unique by any means! I hope, this holiday season, you will reflect in the spirit of love and acceptance all of the varied talents that come together to create the security industry. I share my thoughts, insights and a bit of my history not as a means to elevate myself or even my agency, but to demonstrate that security is a profession to be recognized and reflected upon in a favorable light.
In an emergency, do you really care what the patch on the uniform says when you need help?
Security may be in the background but it is because security is in the background that you can continue to feel the sense of comfort as you shop or walk to your car, etc.
God bless you and may you have an amazing holiday season! Merry Christmas!
