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There is a growing problem throughout the country with the use of private security guards protecting private property as well as state and federal facilities. Generally, the guards are overworked and under-paid. Security companies have to bid on contracts and the lowest bid gets the work. In order to show a decent profit, the low bid means a lower hourly wage for the security guard. People who accept this employment are usually college kids looking for some extra walking around money, retirees supplementing their income, recent arrivals to the U.S. with little language skills or no skills at all, and people who just need a job period.
Today, companies do extensive background checks on employees to avoid costly lawsuits. Local police departments find themselves under-staffed due to budget constraints or overly deployed due to high crime rates and post 9/11 issues. This leaves the public safety business wide open to the use of private security companies to fill the void.
Many security companies are first rate enterprises that train their staff, give close supervision, and offer better pay and benefits to attract a high caliber employee. But, unfortunately, many do not. Some just fill a post with whoever they can get for the cheapest price. This is done with the compliance of the vendors who see security guards as merely window dressing to ease the concerns of a nervous public.
We all know that security guards are the subject of derision and jokes and are usually scorned by sworn law enforcement officers who see them as taking away jobs that should be theirs. But the truth is most of these jobs will never go to sworn law enforcement officers. The company that’s hiring can’t afford the price. It’s important to remember that security guards have given their lives to serve and protect.
They have also saved lives on many occasions. It is inevitable that the use of private guards will continue to grow, like it or not. So what should we do? Cities and towns should establish standards for all security guards. To operate a taxi, one must pass a test and be licensed – so why not security guards?
If a person decides to seek employment as a guard, they should be required to pass a test, get some basic level of training and get a license before they can apply for the job. Companies should be forced to hire only “licensed” security guards. Licensed guards should then be allowed to form an organization to seek collective bargaining rights for fair working conditions, pay, benefits and protection from abusive employers.
Many security guards see the work as a pathway to become police officers and with crime rates destined to climb higher and higher, and budgets getting smaller and smaller, there’s just not the money out there to pay sworn cops for every job in the public safety arena.
Security guards are here to stay, so let’s accept the fact, give them the respect they deserve, and let them form unions and bargain with their employers for a fair deal.
John Sacco was a police officer in Boston for 32 years. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites        
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