Wackenhut?

[steelcityk9cop]

I just watched a trial of a Wakenhut guard last week at Common Pleas Court.... he went to a mall and got into some disagreement with the manager at a Dakota Watch store in a large shopping mall. He identified himself as a "cop" and "showed" his concealed hand gun to the manager. (The DA's argument was that this was said and demonstrated to intimidate the manager into giving him the repaired watch back at no charge). Anyhow....even though he carried his "certified security officer" badge next to his gun and said he was a "cop" he was found not guilty because there was no proof that he was trying to intimidate the store manager when he identified himself as a "cop"....... he just "said it" in the words of the judge. The store manager was a poor witness as well which didn't help.

[Norm357]

I just watched a trial of a Wakenhut guard last week at Common Pleas Court.... he went to a mall and got into some disagreement with the manager at a Dakota Watch store in a large shopping mall. He identified himself as a "cop" and "showed" his concealed hand gun to the manager. (The DA's argument was that this was said and demonstrated to intimidate the manager into giving him the repaired watch back at no charge). Anyhow....even though he carried his "certified security officer" badge next to his gun and said he was a "cop" he was found not guilty because there was no proof that he was trying to intimidate the store manager when he identified himself as a "cop"....... he just "said it" in the words of the judge. The store manager was a poor witness as well which didn't help.

Why wasnt he charged with impersonating a LEO?

[steelcityk9cop]

Pennsylvania Crimes Code § 4912. Impersonating a public servant.

A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if he falsely pretends to hold a position in the public service with intent to induce another to submit to such pretended official authority or otherwise to act in reliance upon that pretense to his prejudice.

The judge's opinion was that the statement "I'm a cop" and the showing of the gun was not in itself any type of inducement to "force" the store manager to do anything.....just a comment made when she said she was calling security...... "Go ahead, I'm a cop."

[Drew27k9]

Our county prison is now contracted out to Wakenhut.

[Ranger__101]

In general Wackenhut is one of a mirad of private security firms.

No more -- No less

[Fedguy04]

I used to work for them as a Custom Protection Officer (CPO). There's alot of OT available and alot of people with prior LEO experience, which makes it a good place to network. The benefits could be better. Only 1 week of vacation available after 1 full year and a 90 day waiting period for health insurance. Otherwise its a pretty decent gig. One of the most professional private security companies in the business IMO.

[bookmed27]

I used to work for them as a Custom Protection Officer (CPO). There's alot of OT available and alot of people with prior LEO experience, which makes it a good place to network. The benefits could be better. Only 1 week of vacation available after 1 full year and a 90 day waiting period for health insurance. Otherwise its a pretty decent gig. One of the most professional private security companies in the business IMO.

If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave?

[Fedguy04]

I got a job with the federal government.

[intheaircop]

I allmost fotgot I also worked for Wackenhut for a very short time while I was going to college full time back in 1995. The pay was ok, I think it was only $10.00 hour. I am not sure about the special teams because I never hard of them untill I read this post. As far as I was concerned I was just a security guard with no authority at all. It is just a job and it did not help me at all in getting into law enforcement. I see it as it is: A security guard is a only a security guard and nothing more. I am not bad mouthing any Wackenhut employees because I worked as one too so please do not blast me on this forum. I know what you are saying to yourself(who does intheaircop work for now?) Well the answer if you couldn't tell by the sreenname, I am a FAM.

[Darin]

Wackenhut around here is just security guards. Barely above min. wage security guards.

[sparrow803]

I just saw a documentary on them last night on maybe A&E, I don't know. Anyway, they were in a considerable amount of trouble a few years ago for stomping all over a persons constitutional rights. He was the whistleblower on the Exxon fiasco with the pipeline in Alaska, I think his last name was Hamil. They illegally retrieved documents from his home by posing as a group of lawyers for environment protection attempting to recruit him, when in reality they just wanted the docs to get the names of his informants. They also tried to get at some congressmen - Miller I believe. There was a congressional investigation and they got slapped around pretty good but managed to slime outta it. The big boss still claimed they just did good investigations, the congress didn't exactly see it that way. Here's a link to a story about them or just do a google search. Not the kind of company I'd work for.


http://www.xs4all.nl/~evel/n5m/sheilatxt.html

[Fedguy04]

Darin is right about them just being security guards. The one positive light about Wackenhut though is the potential contacts you could make within the LEO community. The job itself won't help you get into law enforcement but the people you will interact with on a daily basis may possibly be able to help point you in the right direction.