MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AWARENESS www.privateofficer.com

Security Officer Mini Training Camp Module 7- Mental Health Crises www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA. May 28 2008

By: Rick McCann

Executive Director

National Association of

Private Officers

MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AWARENESS

As private officers, our duties are varied and our assignments often require us to interact daily with a wide variety of individuals. Some are citizens seeking our assistance; others are criminals we want to apprehend; still others are individuals who are engaged in behavior that might not be illegal but is troublesome or potentially harmful to themselves or others. As a security officer, clients, employees of the business, customers and visitors look to us to resolve all of the problems and situations that occur on the property whether they are security related or not.
How we as a professional respond to each of these situations is critical to our success in ensuring the safety of our employers and their staff, visitors and those who have legal business on the property.In situations involving those who may not be of sound mind or who may be experiencing a mental health crises, especially children, it is imperative that as the professional first responder who has either been called to evaluate the situation or who may have observed it ourselves while patrolling the area, we must be able to recognize the crises and take the appropriate actions without overstepping our authority and without escalating the crises.
Because responding officers have a limited perspective on an individual’s health status, they are often placed in situations that can lead to terrible tragedy.

With limited training and exposure to mental health crises, it may be difficult if not impossible for the average security officer to recognize that the individual is experiencing a crises and is not attempting to commit a crime. In fact, many times during such crises, the person may not even know his or her true actions or surroundings.

Private officers may encounter a person yelling at the top of their lungs, standing in traffic swinging at passing cars, sitting on the floor in the middle of a busy shopping mall or acting out in a dangerous or violent way. Although at first glance, these seem to be acts of a criminal who is trying to cause a disturbance or harm someone or possible acts of an intoxicated person.
A closer look may reveal that the person is having a mental health issue and is neither intoxicated nor intentionally trying to break the law.

When a private officer is evaluating a particular situation, it is important to keep an open mind, taking all things into consideration and be non-judgmental. Mental illness is just that, an illness.
Sometimes it may be difficult if not impossible to know whether the person is intoxicated or under the influence of illegal narcotics or if they are truly having a mental health crises.

To help in your assessment, watch the person’s movement to see if they stagger or are unsteady on their feet or fall. Try to smell the air and breathe for signs of alcohol. Listen to speech to see if it is slurred or other signs that might show that they are impaired by alcohol or narcotics.

There may also be times when you encounter a person who is both intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs and who is mentally ill. This combination is frequently found when dealing with long-term homeless persons who have made the streets a way of life due to their illness and drug and alcohol abuse.

There are a number of steps that you can take in the event that you are called upon to make contact with a person that is believed to be mentally ill:

A. After making your initial contact and evaluation,
Talk to the person in a normal voice; do not speak loud, authoritive or condescending

B. Try to find out what the situation is, i.e. why is he sitting on the restroom floor or in the middle of the hallway

C. Offer assistance; make a phone call to someone that they know who may be able to talk them through their crises

D. If they are upset over something whether real or imaginary, De-escalate the situation by offering suggestions or resolutions. Show them that you are a friend and not there to harm them in any way.

E. Never try to intervene in a situation where the person is armed or there has been an act of violence prior to or during your arrival on scene. As with all dangerous suspects, back off and keep the person under observation and call for back-up immediately.

F. When notifying police or medical personnel for assistance, give them complete details of the situation including the facts that it may be a mental health crises.

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Security officer shoots man involved in shooting www.privateofficer.com

Rochester NY May 28 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/
City police officers today are investigating after a man allegedly shot someone in downtown Rochester, then was wounded by a security officer just moments later.

Rochester Police officer Deidre Taccone today said one man allegedly shot another man, who was a passenger in a nearby vehicle, about 2 a.m. yesterday, May 26.

That man was shot in the head, officers said.

According to police, a licensed security officer working in the area witnessed the incident and responded to the area and confronted the shooter.

Officers said the security officer reportedly shot the alleged shooter in the chest to keep him from running away.

Both wounded men, whose names were not released, were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment. Their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, Taccone said.

Police are investigating both shootings and charges are pending, Taccone said.
The name of the security officer was not released and police did not say if he would face any criminal charges in the shooting.

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OFFICER DOWN GEORGIA www.privateofficer.com

MACON, Ga. May 28 2008
A Bibb County Sheriff’s Office motorcycle patrolman has died from injuries suffered in an April 26 crash.
Deputy Michael Sean Thomas, 26, collided with a pickup truck, which was pulling out of a liquor store parking lot. Thomas hit the passenger side of the truck.
A Sheriff’s Office investigation determined that the driver — 49-year-old Levi Bonner of Macon — failed to yield the right of way. Bonner and his passenger Lewis Bonner Jr., also 49, suffered only minor injuries.
The Macon Telegraph reports that Thomas, who suffered multiple injuries, died Sunday at a hospital. He was an eight-year veteran of the department

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Man arrested for performing lewd act in store www.privateofficer.com

COCOA, Fla. May 28 2008 A Cocoa man was arrested after a woman accused him of following her around Wal-Mart and performing a sexual act in a clothing rack.
Timothy S. Cressey, 23, was charged with a felony count of lewd and lascivious conduct and a misdemeanor count of stalking.
According to Cocoa police reports, officers responded at about 10 a.m. Saturday to the Wal-Mart on Clearlake Road after female customers complained about Cressey following closely and making them feel uncomfortable.
The Wal-Mart employees told police they started watching Cressey in person and on the store security camera and saw him following a woman and her 9-year-old daughter. The employees said it appeared as if Cressey had no other purpose in the store other than to follow females, according to the police report.
According to reports, the security tape showed Cressey performing the sexual act while hiding under a clothes rack.
Cressey told police he had been shopping at the store with his girlfriend and daughter but had gone back into the store for something he forgot. He told officers he was only in the canned food aisle when he went back into the store alone, police said.
Cressey was taken to the Brevard County Jail.

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Police apprehend fleeing shoplifters www.privateofficer.com

Omaha, NE May 28 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Police officers on the look out for three people wanted in a series of shopliftings at numerous city stores pulled over a vehicle matching the suspect’s vehicle.
Officers say that as they questioned its occupants, they found a car full of stolen goods.

Police pulled them over just after 5:00 Monday night, and it turned out to be the right car and shoplifting suspects…
The officers arrested 40-year-old Jeffrey Hayes, 38-year-old Sherry Hayes and 57-year-old Charles Derrick.
Police say that they all face felony shoplifting charges for the cases in Douglas County.

They could also face charges in Sarpy County and in Council Bluffs officers said.
All three were booked in the county jail and held pending further investigation.

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Security agents nab two for shoplifting www.privateofficer.com

Security agents nab 2 for shoplifting www.privateofficer.com

Naples Fla. May 28 2008
Two women who had young children with them while they stole clothing and accessories from a North Naples department store were arrested Thursday, sheriff’s deputies said.Astrid Souffrant, 27, 4615 Bayshore Drive, Apt. E8, East Naples, was charged with grand theft, a felony.
Claudine Bathold, 28, 11440 Whistler’s Cove Circle, East Naples, was charged with petty theft, a misdemeanor.
Arrest reports say Souffrant and Bathold selected various items from the accessories department at Loehmanns, 6424 Naples Blvd., and then went into the fitting area. When they came out of the fitting area they were carrying large handbags, concealing the items they brought in, reports said.

Souffrant, who had a 5-year-old child with her, left the store without paying for the merchandise, valued at $612, reports said.

Deputies say Bathold, who also had a child with her, stole jewelry and other merchandise valued at $280, reports said.

Store officials told deputies the women used pliers to remove sensors from the merchandise, reports said.

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Police seek assault and theft suspects www.privateofficer.com

Police look for suspects in assault and theft www.privateofficer.com

Greenville SC May 28 2008
Greenville police are looking for two suspects who they say are responsible for stealing Polo shirts from a Belk department store in Haywood Mall and pulling a knife on an employee as he tried to recover the merchandise.
The theft, classified as an armed robbery because a knife was pulled, happened last Friday afternoon, according to an incident report.
An officer was driving down Mall Connector Road and noticed Belk’s loss-prevention employee chasing a man into the mall’s overflow parking lot and jumping a fence toward Gladys Drive, the report states.
The officer drove to Gladys Drive, couldn’t find the suspect and then searched the area on foot with other officers, the report states.
The loss-prevention employee told the officer that he saw two men on surveillance video enter the store, stuff stacks of Polo shirts into Belk shopping bags and walk outside, according to the report.The employee followed the two men into the parking lot and one immediately ran away, the report states. The other man pulled out a knife and moved toward the employee, who moved back as the suspect dropped the bag and ran away.

The shirts, valued at $650, were damaged after the sensory tags had been torn from them, the report states.One suspect is described as a black male with an athletic build, wearing a blue-and-white-sleeved shirt and jeans and wearing a black do-rag with sunglasses on top.

He also is described as having an “under bite” and having a “bulldog appearance,” the report states.

The other suspect, accused of pulling the knife, was a black male wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.Anyone with information is asked to call 23-CRIME.

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Security officer shot 4 times www.privateofficer.com

MIAMI DADE FLA May 28 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

www.privateofficer.com A violent close to the Memorial Day holiday weekend as a security officer is shot outside of a popular club in northwest Miami Dade.

Witnesses told police the shooting happened around 3 a.m. Tuesday in front of Coco’s Lounge on Northwest 119th Street and 14th Avenue after the club’s bouncers tossed man from the club.

A fight then broke out in front of the club until the angry ousted patron returned with a gun and shot the security officer four times.

He was rushed to the hospital in stable condition. “I heard about 7 or 8 shots,” said Bobby Miller, “I was in the back of the parking lot and then I came to the front to see what was going on.

As I was approaching the front of the club I saw a bunch of people scattering, a lot of excitement, a lot of activity.

At that point I saw that there was a brawl going on with somebody firing bullets and the security guard got shot.

Club officials told police it was the man’s first night on the job.

Police are searching for a silver four door Buick that gunman drove away in immediately after the shooting.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Miami Dade Crime stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.

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Shoplifter nabbed for theft of clothes www.privateofficer.com

Pasadena TX May 28 2008

By: Bryan Hill

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

www.privateofficer.com
A Houston woman was arrested at a local Wal-Mart for allegedly shoplifting according to the Pasadena police department..
Pasadena Public Information Officer Vance Mitchell said Maria Vallejo of Houston was arrested for Class B theft in an incident that occurred at 4:40 p.m. May 20.
“Officers were dispatched to the Wal-Mart on 1107 Shaver in reference to a shoplifter,” he said. “The officers contacted loss prevention agents who had already taken the female suspect in custody.”
Mitchell said that loss prevention told officers that they watched while the female selected several items from the women’s department and placed them in her purse.
“She then left the store, passing all points of sale without making any attempt to pay for the items,” he said. “Loss prevention at that time approached and apprehended the woman and escorted her back into the store.”
Mitchell said loss prevention recovered merchandise with a total value of $56.
“Vallejo was arrested by loss prevention officers and detained. All stolen merchandise was returned to Wal-Mart,” he said.
“The officers contacted the assistant district attorney and informed them of the incident,” said Mitchell. “After reviewing the facts, they said they would accept Class B theft charges against Vallejo.”

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Shoplifter gets 8 years prison term www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter gets 8 year prison term www.privateofficer.com

PLATTE COUNTY KS May 28 2008 A 45-year-old man with 13 prior criminal convictions was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for shoplifting.
The judge sentenced Miles T. Washington of Kansas City who was charged with stealing from a Wal-Mart in September 2007.
Washington pleaded guilty to the stealing charge April 3. Authorities said Washington was convicted in Jackson County for murder in 1988 and has convictions for burglary, assault, resisting arrest, and multiple stealing charges.
As a continual repeat offender, Washington showed that he would continue his life of crime, be it burglary, shoplifting or hurting others a court official said.

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PLATTE COUNTY KS May 28 2008  A 45-year-old man with 13 prior criminal convictions was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for shoplifting.

The judge sentenced Miles T. Washington of Kansas City who was charged with stealing from a Wal-Mart in September 2007.

Washington pleaded guilty to the stealing charge April 3. Authorities said Washington was convicted in Jackson County for murder in 1988 and has convictions for burglary, assault, resisting arrest, and multiple stealing charges.

As a continual repeat offender, Washington showed that he would continue his life of crime, be it burglary, shoplifting or hurting others a court official said.

ALERT; KIDNAPPED CHILD www.privateofficer.com

ATLANTA GA May 28 2008

OFFICER ALERT GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST USA……..

Police searched Wednesday for a kidnapped 5-month-old girl, the daughter of a woman found dead on Monday.
The alert said Precious Diamond Spencer may have been abducted by someone driving a 1990 silver Honda Accord with Georgia license plate ADH-6078.
Police found the car Wednesday morning on Glenwood Ave. in DeKalb County.
The little girl was last seen at 3688 Daisy Drive in Decatur.
The child may be in extreme danger, according to officials. Police also are investigating the death of her mother, Alisha L. Spencer, 24.

 

 

ATLANTA GA May 28 2008   Police searched Wednesday for a kidnapped 5-month-old girl, the daughter of a woman found dead on Monday.

The alert said Precious Diamond Spencer may have been abducted by someone driving a 1990 silver Honda Accord with Georgia license plate ADH-6078.

Police found the car Wednesday morning on Glenwood Ave. in DeKalb County.

The little girl was last seen at 3688 Daisy Drive in Decatur.

The child may be in extreme danger, according to officials. Police also are investigating the death of her mother, Alisha L. Spencer, 24.

 

 

Woman robbed by possible security guard www.privateofficer.com

BEAUFORT SC May 28 2008

By: Bryan Hill

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ Police responding to a report of a robbery say that they were told by a woman that she was robbed in front of a Beaufort store by suspects who appeared to be security guards.
The woman told officers that two black men and a black woman pulled up behind her in a silver Ford Crown Victoria at the Bi-Lo on Boundary Street on Monday afternoon.
A woman wearing a uniform with patches, a hat and badge approached the victim, said Maj. Matt Clancy, spokesman for the Beaufort Police Department said that at that point the suspect removed a pistol from a holster and demanded cash.
Authorities searching the area later found the Ford, reported stolen in Walterboro, burning along U.S. 17.
The woman was not injured and police are continuing their investigation of the robbery.

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Security officer arrested for kidnapping www.privateofficer.com

UNIVERSAL CITY CA. May 28 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ Authorities are releasing few details in the arrest of a private security officer who they say abducted a minor and sexually assaulted them.
The sheriff’s investigators say that the 26-year-old security guard who works at Universal City Walk was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor, the sheriff’s department announced today. Christopher Dominguez was arrested yesterday at Universal Studios at 6 p.m., Deputy Ed Hernandez said. Hernandez said he did not know the age or gender of the victim or when the alleged crimes occurred.

Dominguez was transported to the county jail and was being held on an unknown amount of bound pending his court appearance.

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Hospital security responds to shots fired www.privateofficer.com

Hospital security officer responds to shots fired www.privateofficer.com

Fort Wayne Indiana May 28 2008

By: Bryan Hill

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/
Police responding to a report of a shooting at the St. Joseph’s Hospital say that they found a man dead in a vehicle.
According to police, a St. Joseph Hospital security officer reported a shooting in the parking garage Tuesday but did not know who was involved or how many people were shooting. Police officers arrived and say that they found one person deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Fort Wayne police were called to the hospital parking garage at 700 Broadway just after 10 p.m. Tuesday after a shooting was reported by a hospital security officer, a police dispatcher said.
The security officer told police a person was found inside a vehicle suffering from what looked like a gunshot wound.
Police investigators now believe that the shooting was a suicide and the person was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, the dispatcher said.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene.

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