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SITUATIONAL RESPONSE TRAINING-PART ONE www.privateofficer.com
SITUATIONAL RESPONSE TRAINING-PART ONE http://www.privateofficer.com
Module One
Atlanta GA. June 15 2008
Rick McCann
Executive Director
National Association Of
Private Officers
http://www.privateofficer.com
As a private officer, there will many times during your career when you will be dispatched or just happen upon a situation that you will need to respond correctly to.
Incidents or situations could range from catching a vandal in the act of spray painting a building to a felony crime in progress. From a fire or medical emergency to a natural disaster, homicide, missing person, bomb threat and more.
If you can think of a type of emergency, disaster or situation, you can almost be guaranteed that if you stay in the security field for any length of time, you will be faced with it.
In fact there are so many possibilities; you could fill a notebook full of them.
Right now, on a piece of paper, write down twenty five emergencies, crises or situations that a private security officer might face while on duty.
Be Creative! Go Ahead! Write Them Down Now!…I’ll wait here quietly….
Okay are you done now?
Did you include a fire, heart attack or seizure, a natural gas leak, water leak, roof collapse, shooting or stabbing, a burglary, a tree fallen on a building or wires down during a storm, a tornado or a hurricane crossing your post or assignment, a trespasser or civil disturbance, an alarm activation, or bomb threat, explosion, theft or mental heath issues? How many of those did you include in your list of twenty five?
These are just a few, but there really are hundreds if not thousands of possibilities when everything is considered.
Look at just one of the possibilities and ask yourself if you’re ready to respond to that situation and face it head on, knowing how to proceed and doing all of the right things.
Let’s imagine for a moment that the roof collapses on a building of a school campus that you are patrolling. What would You Do First?
In some situations, there may be no right or wrong answers, but in many cases time will be of the essence. What you do and how quickly you do it will definitely make a difference and may be the determining factor in life and death of those involved.
Great military commanders, fire chiefs and law enforcement supervisors know that the difference between doing something well and being a complete failure is practice and training. That’s why they do it over and over and over again. Train. Train Train. Drill….drill….drill. Especially since 9/11.
Most people don’t plan to fail….they just fail to plan.
And that’s why Situational Response Training is so important to every security officer out there. If you are reading these words today, I sincerely hope that you will take them to heart, start thinking about the things that we will discuss and start planning ahead.
In our field today, it is vitally important that we plan, strategize, and train so that when these situations happen during our watch, we will respond accordingly and implement the right plan of response for each different situation.
There is no way to plan for every event or incident, but there is a way to be well informed about your post or assignment, have basic emergency procedures and key information available at the ready and preplan what you would do in various situations.
If you are a contract security officer assigned to one location or several sites, there are a few things that you can do immediately to be better prepared.
A. Conduct An Emergency Situation Audit
During this audit, walk the entire property taking note of fire extinguisher locations, exit doors, fire pull stations, first-aid kits, eye wash stations, and any other emergency safety equipment that might be available in an emergency.
B. Learn The Complete Address and Phone Number of each assignment. Although enhanced 911 systems will show the address that you’re calling from when you dial in an emergency, some communities do not yet have this system and when calling from a cell phone or radio phone, the address will not show at all.
C. Take Note Of Flammable Liquids, Explosives, Or Chemical Hazards and Storage areas for them and ensure proper storage and placards on these.
D.Find Out If The Company Has a “Safety Officer”. Also check with either the safety officer, director of security or your client contact if they have regular fire drills or emergency drills. If they do, get involved! Learn how they respond to various incidents and practice with them!
E. Be Certified. It is important that as a professional private security officer that you are trained in as many emergency areas as possible.
Start with first-Aid and CPR training and include defibulator training as well.
You may even want to step that up to EMT level. (Emergency Medical Technician) Although not required by most security companies, it’s very valuable certification and highly recommended.
I also advise that you contact your city or county Emergency Management Agency and find out about CERT Training.(Civilian Emergency Response Team)
After 9/11, this program was designed to train civilian volunteers in emergency disaster response and they will teach you many skills on emergency response. The course is free and it’s fun!
Those are some of the basic things that you can do on your own right away to be prepared for responding to an emergency on the job. But there are many other things that you will encounter besides life and death emergencies. We can train you on how to react in certain situations but many incidents will require that you use your training and your best judgment to respond appropriately.
Let’s go back to the roof collapse that we mentioned earlier. Were you able to come up with a Situational Response plan for this incident?
1.What did you decide to do first? The proper answer in this case is call 911. Although there may be no injuries, deaths, fires or other need for rescue personnel, you can’t accurately know that without doing a thorough investigation. Most security officers work alone or possibly with a partner. It’s always best to call for assistance and get help on the way. If you find that they’re not needed, you can always cancel them.
2.The second and very important step for you to take is to “Not Rush In” to the area. In a roof collapse, or down trees or fallen debris, there is a good possibility of power lines down on top of that stuff. Power lines that are live and that could kill you if you were to touch any part of them.
Stand back far enough to get a good overview of the damaged area, looking for hazards, down lines, arching, sparking or fires in the lines or debris. Even if someone is yelling for your help, you MUST make an assessment of the area first.
You will not be able to aid anyone if you are injured or killed trying to get into the disaster area. If the area is not safe, DO NOT enter! Wait for emergency personnel to arrive and assist you. Dead hero’s never helped anyone!
3. If the area is safe and you choose to enter the building, Enter Prepared. If you go in without first-aid equipment, flashlights or communication, you are of no use to the victims who might need you or to other emergency personnel. And if you are not prepared to handle emergencies that you might encounter, you become just another person in the disaster area and not much of an aid to anyone.
4. Know Your Limits! No one can battle a blaze, care for the wounded and rescue the trapped while saving the day all alone! That’s only in the movies!
Once inside, search for possible victims and triage them along the way. Prioritize their medical needs or need to be moved out of the area immediately. Contact the emergency personnel on scene and let them know how many people are trapped, injured, and dead. Advise them of fire or chemical hazards, blocked doorways etc so that they can better prepare themselves to enter the area.
Sometimes in these situations, you will better serve everyone if you stay outside of the area, keeping others out to avoid further injuries or loss of life, directing emergency personnel in and controlling the scene.
5. When you’re on post with nothing to do, write down different scenarios and responses and play the What If game. What if there was a fire in the warehouse, or what if the store was robbed or what if there was a gas explosion. How would I respond and what three things do I need to do immediately.
6. After conducting your Situational Response Audit, property walk through, information collection and writing down What Ifs and planning your responses, you may want to formalize them into an Emergency Situational Response Manual and present it to your supervisor or client. If they already have one, possible help them to revise it and implement training or drill time each month or every 90 days.
The bottom line is that you must be prepared. No longer is a security officer just a uniformed flashlight carrying, key holding, not sure what he does here position. Private Officers are looked at in every venue as the “Go To Guy”. The First Responder in every emergency situation and if we can’t respond accordingly as a well informed, well trained, well equipped, capable professional, it could really have serious consequences and could mean the difference between life and death.
In our next module, we’ll look at some of the most common emergencies, situations and crises that we face and some of the ways to respond to them.
If you have questions, comments or need more information please email rick@privateofficer.com
COPYRIGHT 2008 All Rights Reserved-National Association Of Private Officers
This material may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, or used in any manner without the written permission of the The National Association Of Private Officers and Rick McCann.
Former bank employee indicted on identity thefts www.privateofficer.com
Former bank employee indicted on identity thefts http://www.privateofficer.com
Jennifer Mullner, 22, of Hammonton, a former loan services representative for the bank in Mount Laurel, was charged with conspiracy, computer criminal activity and identity theft, state officials said.
The same charges were brought against Mullner’s boyfriend, William Roman, 21, of Galloway, and Anthony Wood, 44, of Philadelphia, authorities said.
The indictment alleges that Mullner accessed bank records as part of the identity-theft operation from March through October 2007 passing personal data on to her two conspirators.
The defendants allegedly stole identities of at least five customers, and then obtained more than $100,000 in merchandise or services to which they were not entitled.
All three were taken into custody and were being held pending their first court date.
Authorities did not say if they thought that there were anymore victims in this scheme.
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Walmart employee charged in felony theft www.privateofficer.com
Walmart employee charged in felony theft http://www.privateofficer.com
A Worcester man working at the Wal-Mart in Framingham was arrested on charges he bilked the store out of thousands of dollars, police said.
Police spokesman Lt. Paul Shastany said police Sgt. Michael Esposito arrested Isabel Omar Leiva, 24, of 71 Southgate St., Apt. 2, Worcester, on the charge of larceny over $250.
Leiva was arrested Thursday at 4:40 p.m. at Wal-Mart, 121 Worcester Road, after store security saw him using a computer register to scan discarded receipts from customers and credit himself with refunds, Shastany said.
Leiva had been crediting himself with receipts from customers since February and had amassed more than $11,000 worth of store credit, the lieutenant said.
The scam worked, police said, because Leiva “was an employee authorized to use the computer system at registers.”
On Thursday alone, Leiva scanned 10 receipts and was able to credit himself with $601 in gift cards and another $105 in cash, police said.
The largest item Leiva bought from the store using gift cards was a 47-inch plasma television, police said.
Police said they were unsure when Leiva began working at Wal-Mart.
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Meijer employee charged with robbery www.privateofficer.com
Meijer employee charged with robbery http://www.privateofficer.com
Fairfield County Sheriff’s deputies were notified by loss prevention personnel that an employee had been involved in numerous thefts from the store on several occasions.
Deputies arrived at the store and arrested Thomas Walter Hubbard, III, Thursday after he admitted to taking money from the store’s register drawers between Sunday and Wednesday, according to police reports.
He is accused of stealing more than $500. He was slated to be arraigned on Friday..
The sheriff’s department release did not state why the additional charge of robbery was added to Hubbard.
Hubbard was being held on an unspecified amount of bond.
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Two responsible for burglary crime wave captured www.privateofficer.com
Two responsible for burglary crime wave captured http://www.privateofficer.com
Twenty-five year old Michael Patrick Donahue of North Foster Street is charged with nine counts of Burglary Third Degree.
Twenty-nine year old Johnathan Elko of Newton, Alabama is charged with two counts of Burglary Third Degree and six counts of Theft of Property Second Degree.
The two are also accused of burglaries at numerous other businesses including music stores, an attorney’s law office, auto body shops and even a church.
Donahue is being held at the city jail on $45,000 bond while Elko was transferred to the Houston County Jail where he has no bond.
May 8, 2008 – Noblitt Auto located at 210 South Alice Street
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Shoplifters pick wrong store, wrong day and time www.privateofficer.com
Shoplifters pick wrong store, wrong day and time http://www.privateofficer.com
Three out-of-town suspects may have chosen the wrong day to allegedly steal from the Yopp Road Wal-Mart.
Jacksonville police officers and Onslow County sheriff’s deputies were at the retail store Friday morning setting up to collect money for the Special Olympics when an employee told them three people had just left the store with two 32-inch TVs that weren’t paid for.
Police officers quickly caught up to the three and took them into custody, said police Capt. David Teeter.
The three are accused of stealing two 32-inch Samsung LCD televisions and a Sony Amp with a total value of $1,655.30 from the Wal-Mart. They were charged with resisting for “running from police officers,” according to warrants.
Wal-Mart corporate spokesman Phillip Keene said the safety and security of customers and associates is a top priority for the retail giant.
“We appreciate the quick response of law enforcement,” he said.
Teeter said detectives are investigating possible connections between the three and other thefts in the city.
Jenkins and Simmons have numerous convictions in Pitt County for breaking and entering, theft and possession of stolen goods, according to the N.C. Department of Correction. Rodgers has been convicted of larceny in Nash County.
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ficer follows tracks to capture thief www.privateofficer.com
Security officer follows tracks to capture thief http://www.privateofficer.com
On Friday, June 13, at 6:20 a.m., deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call to assist a private security officer regarding a felony theft.
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Cleveland police encourage officers not to work private security www.privateofficer.com
Cleveland police encourage officers not to work for private security companies http://www.privateofficer.co
Plain Dealer
Steve Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, said the union opposes the practice for many of the same reasons it opposed the city hiring security guards at the airport and the same reasons sanitation workers opposed private crews cleaning downtown streets.
“It’s privatizing our jobs,” Loomis said. “This is an intolerable and unsafe situation which must be stopped immediately.”
City officials said using off-duty officers offers residents an added layer of protection.
Officers performed off-duty work last summer on city properties, but more officers have been recruited this year, Loomis said. Now, they patrol portions of Kinsman Road, Broadview and Pearl roads and Lorain and Detroit avenues, he said.
But the officers usually work alone and don’t have their police radios. Loomis said that puts their lives in danger.
More than 600 police officers have worked part-time jobs at 1,033 locations. But Safety Director Martin Flask said he is not aware of any private firms patrolling city streets.
Several city councilmen said that off-duty officers work in business and commercial districts and at pools, parks and other places where large groups of people, especially children, gather.
Flask said that off-duty officers don’t have the same ability to communicate as on-duty officers but that officers have been working for community groups for more than a decade.
“They provide a level of security and concern that the city cannot provide,” he said.
Loomis offered another reason last week for officers to avoid the part-time work. The union lost a grievance for an officer who was working part time at an apartment complex when he shot and killed a teenager. The teen was a theft suspect, and he had tried to run over the officer.
The city refused to represent the officer in a civil suit, although prosecutors ruled the shooting was justified. City officials said the officer was working a secondary job on private property, not for the city, when the incident occurred.
“We expect to be sued sometimes,” Loomis said, “but we don’t expect the city to wash their hands of us.”
Several council members spend thousands of dollars from community development corporations to pay the private security companies, which in turn pay the off-duty police officers.
Councilman Zack Reed said it’s better to have police officers in private-security cars than security guards patrolling business districts. He said he will continue to use the security companies as long as they hire police officers.
Councilman Brian Cummins said that he supports the police union but that residents have safety concerns.
He said $25,000 from a social-service fund would be spent on private security in Brooklyn Centre and Old Brooklyn neighborhoods this summer.
Police work is not being privatized when off-duty officers work at recreation centers and commercial districts, Councilman Jay Westbrook said.
Residents are safer and businesses remain in the city when they see police in public areas, he said.
“Mr. Loomis is out of touch with the public,” Westbrook said
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Cal. Senate Hearing Held On Shoplifting Issues www.privateofficer.com
Cal. Senate Hearing Held On Shoplifitng Issues http://www.privateofficer.com
Shoppers are paying more for basic, already pricey goods – from baby formula and razors to makeup and vitamins – because of a new kind of organized crime that brought lawmakers and law enforcers to Redwood City on Friday for an emergency legislative hearing.
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OFFICER DOWN…..EOW..NC DEPUTY SHERIFF www.privateofficer.com
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Officer Down……..NC Deputy Sheriff Killed http://www.privateofficer.com
Deputy Sheriff Steve Boehm
Onslow County Sheriff’s Department North Carolina
End of Watch: Saturday, June 14, 2008
Biographical InfoAge: 36
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details:
Cause of Death: Struck by vehicle
Date of Incident: Saturday, June 14, 2008
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Deputy Steve Boehm and a local firefighter were struck and killed by a tractor trailer while directing traffic on US 17. The two, along with a deputy who was injured, were assisting at the scene of a controlled burn at Camp Lejeune.The driver of the truck has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor death and one county of exceeding safe speed.
Deputy Boehm had served with the Onslow County Sheriff’s department for ten years. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Agency Contact Information Onslow County Sheriff’s Department701 Mill AveJacksonville, NC 28540Phone: (910) 455-3113
Please contact the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.
