Just Wanted To Ask Yalls Opinion

[stuohn]

I JUST WANTED TO ASK IN GENERAL HOW EVERYONE FEELS ABOUT SECURITY OFFICERS CARRYING GUNS. AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH TEXAS SECURITY OFFICER LICENCES THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS. FIRST IS NON-COMMISSIONED LICENCE WHICH REQUIRES A ONE DAY CLASS BUT YOU CAN NOT CARRY A GUN .THE OTHER IS COMMISSIONED WHICH PRETTY MUCH CONSISTS OF FIVE DAYS WORTH OF CLASSES THAT INCLUDES A TOTAL OF TWO DAYS OF FIREARMS TRAINING AND THIS PERMITS YOU (IF THE COMPANYS PERMITS) TO CARRY A FIREARM WHILE ON YOUR PROPERTY OR GOING TO AND FROM WORK.

[txinvestigator1]

CAPS OFF.

Actually Texas law requires armed guards to pass a 30 classroom hour course. This includes either 10 or 12 hours on firearms, and this includes laws on use of force.

My opinion; it is woefully inadequate.

[InSane1]

I THINK ITS WE TODD IT!


I think anyone who carries a gun should have proper firearm training and 2 days or even five days doesnt cut it with me. Then again, being from the midwest, we aren't as open armed about permits to carry.

[smith]

I was a armed security officer and the training took about 7 days total. It is a scary thought when you only get 2 or 7 days worth of training because i myself did not feel comfotable with only 7 days.

[txinvestigator1]

I THINK ITS WE TODD IT!

Took me ten minutes to figure this out:D

[MarineDispatch]

TX,
Have you ever played the game Mad Gab...It's a game where they have words like "We todd it" and you have to figure them out. Ten mins won't cut it when playing though!

[Stump]

I would SUCK at that game. I still haven't figured it out. I thought it was just a typo for the longest time..

:rolleyes:

[P01IC3M4N]

Originally posted by stuohn
I JUST WANTED TO ASK IN GENERAL HOW EVERYONE FEELS ABOUT SECURITY OFFICERS CARRYING GUNS.

some of the security officers i've run into shouldn't be allowed to carry squirt guns. come to think of it, i've met a few cops who shouldn't even be allowed to look at guns. :eek:

depends on the mental stability of the person carrying. this line of work is not for GI JOE.

[txinvestigator1]

Stump, say it real fast "Wee Todd It" Get it??

[Charlie]

I JUST WANTED TO ASK IN GENERAL HOW EVERYONE FEELS ABOUT SECURITY OFFICERS CARRYING GUNS.

stuohn--I don't know anything about you so don't take this personal.....

* Generally, I have to agree with a previous comment about the inadequate firearms training TX security officers receive. It's not enough! But at the same time, WHAT would be an acceptable amount of training? WHAT should the training consist of and how extensive? Firearms training is serious stuff and there are a lot of security officers (and as someone else mentioned, a few cops too!) that probably should not even have a gun to begin with!:eek:


* I have issues/questions with the mental health/stability some security officers may have out there that are carrying firearms. To my knowledge, very few are even given psychological evaluations by their employers. To me, this would equate to the possibility that the odds increase that you could find yourself face to face with a genuine "Tackleberry" (From POLICE ACADEMY movies). There have been a few instances where I have encountered security officers in the past that don't appear to have any business carrying a loaded gun! And, I have seen some of the guns some of these characters carry "on-duty." Geezuz!!! I recall seeing some carrying stuff with pearl handles, 44 mags, autos with all sorts of modifications and even one guy who was carrying a single action wheel gun!!! (I had visions in my head of this particular guy shooting his gun by "fanning" the hammer spur as he shot something like in a Clint Eastwood Western movie!!)

So, yeah, I have some reservations about some secuirty officers out there being armed. BUT, in all honesty, I know there are some professional security officers out there just trying to do their job. Some are working in some of the roughest areas of town I have ever seen!

It's a tough issue but I guess overall security officers should be under the appropriate cir***stances, armed. But more training and better screening is definitely needed in TX.

Charlie

[txinvestigator1]

Charlie,

You are correct, there is absolutely NO requirement for armed guards to be psychologically evaluated before being hired.

A guard in Texas simply must never have been convicted of a felony, or certain misdemeanors in the last five years. Then they fill out a form swearing the are not a drunk, addict or mentally unstable. They send in couple of sets of prints, a photo and $$ to the state along with the training certificate. A few weeks later they get their "commission card" which allows them to carry.

There has been legislative talk about requiring MMPI's, but the industry is opposed to that.

The typical billing for a guard is $11-$18 per hour. Guards are paid min. wage up to $8-$10 on average. There is tremendous turnover in the industry, and this would be a nightmare for the industry.

Here is Dallas recently a Guard shot a kid in the head in the daytime for suspicion of shoplifting. The guard chased the kid and several others from a store and shot him dead. No merchandise was discovered.

[Charlie]

Txinvestigator--Yeah, I saw that on the news about the security officer shooting the kid. It's a sad and tragic situation. I believe the guard was given a murder charge and book into Lew Sterrett.

Again, I've got to agree with you about your overall views of the industry. I think your assessment & opinion is pretty much on the mark.

Charlie

[InSane1]

Originally posted by txinvestigator1
Took me ten minutes to figure this out:D

WE TODD! did you read this?:
scroll half way down


Also, I heard about that moron security guard. WHO SHOOTS SOMEONE cause they dont want to run anymore.

[Charlie]

From the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, Metropolitan Section, Page 34A, Saturday, December 7, 2002:

DALLAS
"Security guard indicted in teen's shooting death"

" A Dallas County grand jury indicted a 50-year old security guard on a murder charge in the Nov. 2 shooting death of a Pleasant Grove teenager he suspected of shoplifting. Bennie Franklin Pointer Jr. will stand trial in the shooting of LeShard Wilson, 16, as he fled with two other boys in the 1500 block of South Buckner Boulevard. If convicted, Mr. Pointer could face 5 to 99 years or life in prison. He posted a $50,000 bond a week after the shooting. Police said the boys were thought to have been shoplifting ata dollar store, but no gun was found on LeShard and there was no evidence to show that he had any stolen merchandise. Police reports state that a witness saw Mr. Pointer fire his pistol as LeShard ran away from him. LeShard died six hours later."

Just some follow up information about a previous post mentioning this situation.

Charlie