Mall security

[po7532]

How come mall security guards are laughed at by some real LEOs? They obviously don't think it's a worthy job or something - sad.

[Citicop]

I don't look down on a person just because of the job that they do.

There are a small percentage of Mall (and other) Security Guards who take their jobs waaay too seriously. Those specific persons are the ones we make fun of.

-Citicop.

[Joeyd6]

You have asked several questions on here that are raising eyebrows. Now its my turn to ask one which may help us all put things in perspective.

How old are you?

[greg72982]

At a local mall around here they make more money than me, so to me they are the ones who should be laughing.

[Cat_Doc]

They obviously don't think it's a worthy job or something - sad.

I'm sad that you're sad. I hope your day gets better.

[Samuel]

Remember, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing WITH you...

[PiQF]

I worked in mall security for awhile, we had a great relationship with the local PD so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

[Drummadude]

Well during my last trip to the mall, a security guard with an afro, handlebar mustache, and a wrinkly uniform sped past me on a Segway. On the floor below, a few minutes later, he was no longer rushing. So I laughed....

[ChaosXIW]

Having worked mall security for three years and now being a police officer, I think I can shed some light on this. When I first started, I had a supervisor who was around 5'5" and 120 lbs. soaking wet. However, he had the personality of a pissed off linebacker and no social skills whatsoever. He trained me to ignore the so-called "rules", be aggressive, and MOST IMPORTANTLY carry AT LEAST two pairs of handcuffs at all times. Hey, we had to show our authority, right? When the annual carnival was in town, fights were common among the kids, so he carried two EXTRA pairs of cuffs. Out on patrol I have two pairs of cuffs, and one extra in my bag. If I'm in a mess and I need four freakin pairs of cuffs, I'll be calling for backup, not trying to be super-trooper. He thought that the best way to handle any situation was intimidation and aggression. If they didn't comply, it was time to rock and roll. Thanks to my own common sense and the desire to work the midnight shift alone, I was able to avoid him and any potential lawsuits.

It is people like that who give mall security a bad name and give cops a reason to joke around about them. The public does it too. A mall security guard is a privately hired person who ensures that shoppers on the property are safe. They are there to call authorities in the event of incidents and to call for proper help in the event of medical emergencies. They are not law enforcers. It's not that they aren't capable with the right training, it's that they are not trained to handle law enforcement. There are liability issues and most importantly safety issues. A K-Mart Loss Prevention Agent was killed outside of Los Angeles last year when he wrestled with a shoplifter(which is against company policy) and the thief drew a gun and shot the LP Agent in the head. I have training, a ballistic vest, a Glock, and backup, but I'll tell you my heart skips a beat when I roll up on a car with blacked out windows and multiple occupants. I haven't been a cop for that long yet, but I know a lot of the veterans I work with feel the same way on the road sometimes. You don't know what's there, and that can be nerve-wracking sometimes. Yet there are security guards out there who go balls to the wall playing cop when they have NO protection from a potentially harmful situation. It's dangerous. Any self defense training you receive as a guard is minimal at best, and pepper spray and defensive tactics are only there to use in the event you are in a situation you can't avoid and get out of. There is never an intent for a security guard to go out and enforce laws at a mall. Alright, off my soapbox now....

[Joeyd6]

....now being a police officer...

Chaos,

You will have your verified tag soon. To all...I just finished verifying him!

[pac201]

Chaos,

You will have your verified tag soon. To all...I just finished verifying him!

Congrats Chaos!

[ChaosXIW]

Chaos,

You will have your verified tag soon. To all...I just finished verifying him!

Wooo-hooo! Thanks Joey!

[MP_Steve]

You get what you pay for.

Our local mall guards get $9.53/hour, no benefits. In my opinion this package could only attract a certain skill set of potential employees.

It's a service industry occupation, and by large generalization, the "training" they receive, if any, is minimal and unregulated.

[Cat_Doc]

You get what you pay for.

Yep, I can think of several mall security guards who we have arrested over the years for internal theft. When the cat is away, the mouse will play.

[PiQF]

In my state, NY, all security guards must undergo an 8hr course and 16 hours on the job training. This by no means makes you a law enforcement officer, it makes you aware of what is legal/illegal. Anyone who carries 4 pairs of handcuffs and plans on using them is asking for a lawsuit. In my job we had to be trained on how to use handcuffs before carrying them, in a separate course from the standard 8hr training. During rough times (Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays) we had REAL police on site.