Private security given police authority in Chicago.

[Autumnleaf]

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/police.private.security.2.966243.html

What do you think? Is Blackwater-like policing coming to your city too?

 

[Billnew]

Not a good idea.
Cheap rent a cops, can not replace or stand in for real cops.

It demeans the real police and cheapens the badge. And who pays for the security
if a guard prevents a robbery of a store, not paying that firm? Or will security just drive on by?
Do you ant law enforcement to be handled by the lowest bidder?

 

[Autumnleaf]

Not a good idea.
Cheap rent a cops, can not replace or stand in for real cops.

It demeans the real police and cheapens the badge. And who pays for the security
if a guard prevents a robbery of a store, not paying that firm? Or will security just drive on by?
Do you ant law enforcement to be handled by the lowest bidder?

If they can do the same job for less...?

You are assuming they won't do a good job. What if they work out fine? What if they are too good? What if they go 'Blackwater' on crime.

 

[Billnew]

I am talking about over use of force, under use of force, and having
poor character people, as being a poor job.

If put into a situation, they might harm more people then needed. But with Armed private security, that is always a possiblity. JUst in this case the city would be endorsing them.

Of course, this could be an anti-union thing. Union has pushed salary up so high the city can't afford enough police, so they
hire non-union security and get more bodies watching the city. Being one of the liberal citys in America, what would this say about Unions?

 

[ACougar]

Security contractors work for a private company, their pay comes from that private company and their loyalty is going to be to that private company. It is in my opinion a very dangerous practice, if the police are incapable of keeping an acceptable level of peace and money starts flowing to security contractors, regular police are only going to become less and less capable while those with money receive private police services.

Once private police services start making political contributions that public police can't, your public police services are going to be in serious jeopardy.

 

[Panzerkamfwagen]

Once private police services start making political contributions that public police can't, your public police services are going to be in serious jeopardy.

In Illinois, counties are required to elect a sheriff.

 

[BobW188]

Retired officers and those who left their departments after a few years of honorable service, sure. But not just any security company hire. I've been on both sides. The training most security officers receive is usually a few minutes of orientation on the job site. Supervision? Forget it. Supervisors cost money.
I don't know what firearms training Chicago and Cook County require. I know in many places it's none at all. In my case it was about thirty minutes on the range proving little more than that I knew to point the end with the little hole in it downrange. Later, at the state academy, it was a week on the range, classes, shoot-don't shoot, Nightmare Alley, all culminating in mandatory qualification on the FBI/NRA Police Pistol Combat Course. On the firing line, many of our coaches were FBI agents, all were veteran LEOs.
Blackwater? More likely Al Qaeda.
It's a shame, but most contractors and clients have no idea what security is; and they are in no hurry to learn. I've heard that's changed some after 9/11 for government contractors but too much private security is low pay, no benefits, no training, no incentive.

 

[ACougar]

There are many differant levels of security contractors. No, your average mall cop will not be trained anywhere near the level of your average police officer... which means he can be paid much less. At the same time, if you hire security professionals from Blackwater your going to get people who are paid much better than your average policeman.

Retired officers and those who left their departments after a few years of honorable service, sure. But not just any security company hire. I've been on both sides. The training most security officers receive is usually a few minutes of orientation on the job site. Supervision? Forget it. Supervisors cost money.
I don't know what firearms training Chicago and Cook County require. I know in many places it's none at all. In my case it was about thirty minutes on the range proving little more than that I knew to point the end with the little hole in it downrange. Later, at the state academy, it was a week on the range, classes, shoot-don't shoot, Nightmare Alley, all culminating in mandatory qualification on the FBI/NRA Police Pistol Combat Course. On the firing line, many of our coaches were FBI agents, all were veteran LEOs.
Blackwater? More likely Al Qaeda.
It's a shame, but most contractors and clients have no idea what security is; and they are in no hurry to learn. I've heard that's changed some after 9/11 for government contractors but too much private security is low pay, no benefits, no training, no incentive.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Once private police services start making political contributions that public police can't, your public police services are going to be in serious jeopardy.

Funny you mention that. Part of my community's budget problems are from a very generous pension system for the police and fire department who have a powerful union.

 

[ACougar]

After someone has made a career putting their life on the line for you and your community, perhaps they deserve a generous pension system. Why isn't the problem the communities unwillingness to raise taxes and meet it's obligations?

Funny you mention that. Part of my community's budget problems are from a very generous pension system for the police and fire department who have a powerful union.

 

[Sphere]

Perhaps his community should just do away with it's emergency response system and first responders like police and fire.

Let the community solve it's own problems.

Have you become the victim of fraud? Investigate it yourself, figure it out yourself.

The neighbor's house is on fire? Deal with it yourself, figure it out yourself.

The local grocery store has been robbed? Investigate it yourself, figure it out yourself.

A child has been pulled from a lake and isn't breathing? Deal with it yourself, figure it out yourself.

Aren't these alternatives so much better than paying for a 'generous pension' system for police and fire?

 

[Col3_11n12]

In the end, it all comes down to one word: I-N-T-E-G-R-I-T-Y. It doesn't matter whether the guy went through academy, is deputized, or lived in his mom's basement all his life. Ultimately, all people with integrity ought to have police authority, and none who don't should have anything. The problem is that people both with and without are in all career paths, and not very many of us are good to judge who's who.

 

[Autumnleaf]

After someone has made a career putting their life on the line for you and your community, perhaps they deserve a generous pension system. Why isn't the problem the communities unwillingness to raise taxes and meet it's obligations?

Lets see. We've got cops and firemen retiring after 20 years of service pulling in $80,000 a year for their pension pay, free medical for life-not even a deductible or copay ever, and a cost of living pay raise yearly. Combat Marines can't even dream of that kind of pension, yet the local po po got the hook up.

 

[BobW188]

I'd say the combat Marines - and sailors, and soldiers, and aircrews and security police - ought to start raising hell. They and their families. The Legion, VFW, VVW etc. There's a lobby to be had out there if some of the potential beneficiaries will start organizing.

 

[Tu Es Petrus]

Can Private Security Guards Act As Cops, As They May Be Asked To Do On Far South Side - cbs2chicago.com

What do you think? Is Blackwater-like policing coming to your city too?

People were so worried about their civil rights under Bush with the wire-tapping and such, and it was all over-blown. But with Obama the same people are just willingly throwing away our rights and our country, whether it is stuff like this in the OP, or his socialist government takeovers of business, or all the other stuff he's doing. It amazing to see a generation just willingly destroy the nation out of sheer apathy and ignorance.

 

[Autumnleaf]

I'd say the combat Marines - and sailors, and soldiers, and aircrews and security police - ought to start raising hell. They and their families. The Legion, VFW, VVW etc. There's a lobby to be had out there if some of the potential beneficiaries will start organizing.

It is illegal for the military to unionize. I think it goes back to Roman times when the Praetorian Guard started choosing Rome's Emperors and extorting higher pay from them.

Besides that, once pensions get so high it becomes ridiculous. Fair pay is fair. Unionized pay negotiated to asinine levels at the expense of taxpayers is another thing entirely.

 

[Sphere]

Feel free to picket your local fire and police department then.

I'm sure your community will express enormous gratitude to you after you challenge it's heroes in red and blue.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Feel free to picket your local fire and police department then.

I'm sure your community will express enormous gratitude to you after you challenge it's heroes in red and blue.

The local politicians and media are the ones addressing the issue. That is how I learned of it. I do get your pro union vibe though. Its nice to know the union mentality didn't die with the American auto industry.

 

[Panzerkamfwagen]

Feel free to picket your local fire and police department then.

I'm sure your community will express enormous gratitude to you after you challenge it's heroes in red and blue.

I worked as a security guard to put myself through college. One time, I called the cops to report a felony. It took them about for hours to arrive to take the report.

I've got a lot of respect for them.

I've had a bad experience that may have risen to the level of a federal felony from the state cops.

 

[Sphere]

The example you provided doesn't mean anything, as we don't know the priority of the 'felony' you had. I work in law enforcement, and the calls for service we get are handled based on priority / urgency.

If someone reports that their credit card was stolen 2 weeks ago, and a fraudulent charge of $150 dollars appears on their statement--they're reporting a felony. Though this is something that doesn't require an immediate police response, the report could even be taken over the phone. If on the other hand, if they're calling in to report an in-progress burglary, this will receive a faster response than a for example,a delayed burglary or fraud.

You simply can't sum up the experience you has as a "bad one" if you have no idea what was going on behind the scenes or don't know anything about their specific procedures for handling calls of service. And as I was alluding to above, a felony doesn't necessarily require a 'fast' police response.