Atlanta police officer arrested for murder of security officer www.privateofficer.com

 Atlanta police officer arrested for killing security http://www.privateofficer.com

Marrietta Ga. July 6 2008
By: Rick McCann
Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers
www.privateofficer.com

A private security officer was shot and killed during a confrontation with an off-duty police officer Cobb County authorities said early today.
Police have now charged a 36-year-old Atlanta police officer with killing a security officer at a Marietta apartment complex after the security officer inexplicably barged into the officer’s residential unit early Saturday according to police statements.
Police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said officers found security guard Xavier Mallet, 37, dead, lying in the parking lot in front of building No. 6 at the Ivy Ridge Apartment just before 4:30 a.m.
Pierce said investigators were told Mallet started banging on Alanta police officer John Kevin Freeman’s door and then forced his way inside when Freeman’s wife answered.
The woman, who was not identified, ran while Freeman and Mallet confronted each other inside the unit.
Police say Freeman then retrieved a gun from inside the apartment and shot the security guard as he left the scene.
According to Cobb County authorities, the security officer may have been responding to a loud noise complaint or a disturbance at Freeman’s apartment but they are still checking into his reason for going there.
Freeman is being held without bond on charges of murder and aggravated assault.
A spokesman for the Atlanta Police Department said he did not know how the charges would affect Freeman’s job with APD.

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Library thefts increasing at alarming rates www.privateofficer.com

Library thefts increasing at alarming rates http://www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA. July 6 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Theft is on the rise again but this time it’s not at your local Wal-mart, 7-11 or shopping malls. It’s someplace that you probably have never considered would have a theft problem.
At the Jane B. Holmes Public Library in Helena Alabama, in an affluent area of Shelby County just outside of Birmingham, library director Victoria Ashford said it’s becoming a burden for them.

Thieves are focusing on the library’s collection of music and movies, rather than books, Ashford said.

This library has the largest and the best collection of music and movies in Shelby County,” she said. “It’s a draw for the public, and it’s a draw for the thieves.

“Library staff has ramped up security over the past six months, watching their collections more closely and asking library patrons to alert the staff to suspicious behavior.

“We take it as seriously as Wal-Mart takes shoplifting,” she said. “It’s theft of city property.

These [materials] are purchased with public funds, and they’re for the common good.”The financial drain on the library’s resources is very real, Ashford said. With DVDs retailing for at least $20 and music CDs for $15, thieves can quickly accumulate hundreds of dollars’ worth of stolen goods. However, the financial loss is not the worst part of thievery.”The greater cost is that 20 to 30 people don’t get to use that material,” Ashford said.

Capt. Tim Carter of the Helena Police Department said there is a possibility of jail time or fines for those who steal from libraries. Ashford said library theft has increased simply because libraries have diversified.”Public libraries have gotten better and aren’t just about books anymore,” she said. “When you get the good stuff, somebody’s going to want that.”

At Capital Health System/Fuld Campus (formerly Helene Fuld Medical Center), the Health Sciences Library lost many books and videocassettes. These materials were listed in the catalog but were missing when staff went to the shelves. The hospital had experienced a downsizing of staff, reorganization, and a merger. When the library staff did an inventory, $10,000 worth of materials was found to be missing.
And they’re not alone. In libraries nationwide, thieves are ripping of books, DVD’s and CD’s by the hundreds.

It’s a crime in every state to conceal or attempt to deprive or convert library materials yet few people are prosecuted a police detective said. It’s just hard for them, the library staff to play detective and catch the culprits he said. That’s just not their function there.

(a) Offense defined – A person is guilty of library theft if he willfully conceals on his person or among his belongings any library or museum material while still on the premises of a library or willfully and without authority removes any library or museum material from a library with the intention of converting such material to his own use.

Some libraries employ security officers and security cameras to cut down on theft but not as many as you would think would. Most rely on library personnel and visitors to report suspicious persons or activates.

One library lost six percent of it’s assets in less than two years. Books, music CDs, DVDs and even artwork sprung legs and walked out without ever being noticed. While this may not sound like a lot, it adds up to a loss of almost thirty one thousand dollars which factored in the cost of all items including the artwork. Base this loss on an average library system with twenty or more locations and you quickly jump up to more than a half of million dollars a year lost to thieves.

This doesn’t even count in the cost of books never returned by the library’s borrowers. Which in some cases can be thousands of items per yearly. Like San Francisco who yearly has about 25,000 items are checked out but not returned. A loss for that system of over a million dollars. And other cities face the same crises.

Barbara Stern, a retired librarian and administrator said that costs can be staggering and replacing the items stolen difficult. Some books are out of print or so popular that distributors are having a hard time keeping up with deliveries of the product. And of course, there are those items that are just unreplacable like original works and the original artwork that once adorned their walls. Most libraries are having a hard time getting proper funding anyways Stern said and when thefts happen, it makes things even harder for the customers and the staff. We take pride in having a good selection, enough of popular items to meet demand and in being good stewards of the library’s assets Stern added.

In Salt Lake City, Carson City, Nev., and Jacksonville, Fla., copies of the Bible tend to walk out of public libraries and never return. Never mind that “Thou Shalt Not Steal” stuff.
In Fremont, it’s exam-preparation books to become a police officer. “Gives one pause,” a librarian in that East Bay city said.
In Benicia, books about “the occult, car repair and sexuality” disappear regularly, while in Oakland, it’s anything about how to grow pot at home, pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

The theft of books, CDs, videotapes and pamphlets from public libraries is a national problem, one that probably costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year. No one knows the size of the problem, but in 2002 the American Library Association took a first step, e-mailing hundreds of libraries around the country and asking them to list their most-stolen items.

The anecdotal responses, from libraries big and small, urban and rural, painted a picture of a nation where book thieves have more than just larceny on their minds.
Almost everywhere, librarians reported that the number one stolen item is books dealing with the occult, Satanism, witchcraft or astrology. Books on gay and lesbian issues also vanish. Another constant is exam-prep books, mostly for the high school diploma equivalency test. One reason some librians speculate is that they are truly studying these books and can’t do it in the normal four week return time.

But law enforcement investigators say that other things such as the CDs and DVDs are clearly stolen to sell and turn quick profit. Many times these items are sold on E-Bay or other internet auction sites.
Thieves have also made their way into the libraries of well known people, ex-presidents, law libraries, medical college facilities and other areas but these are usually better equipped to detect and prevent the thefts from happening. But they’re not full proof and thefts do occur said Larry Hucklebee, security expert who often advises libraries about theft prevention.

Hucklebee said that the thefts generally run in spurts with some years being worse than others. This year seems to be one of those bad years where we are seeing a lot of thefts nationally. In part, I believe because in part that it’s the economy and joblessness. Of course it’s no excuse for people to steal and certainly not a license to be dishonest, but it is a factor in the motivation for people to do whatever they have to sometimes to get money.

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Many California security agencies still not licensed www.privateofficer.com

Many California security agencies still not licensed http://www.privateofficer.com

By DOUGLAS QUANThe Press-Enterprise

Sacramento CA July 6 2008
Tens of thousands of security guards working in California have not complied with state licensing requirements, including going through rigorous criminal background checks, officials say.
Among the biggest violators are guards working in the hospitality industry and at short-term events, such as music festivals and fairs.
Registering with the state is the only way to ensure that guards do not pose a threat to the public, officials say.
“If you’re in a uniform, you’re in a position of trust,” said Rolando Taeza, an enforcement field worker with the state Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, which regulates the industry.
Part of the problem is simply a lack of awareness of state laws. But some unscrupulous employers are trying to skirt the rules to cut down on costs, he said.
Guards earn from minimum wage to $25 an hour, he said.
The bureau is trying to improve compliance by conducting random checks at businesses and at venues that employ guards.
The state is also developing guidelines to address the huge disparity in training among guards. There are two types: guards who work for contract security firms, and proprietary or in-house security officers.
Contract security guards are typically found at such places as hospitals, malls, concert venues and banks. They must complete 40 hours of training. If they take a special class, they can carry a firearm.
In-house security officers are typically employed by nightclubs, bars and pubs. But they also are found at theme parks, including Disneyland, and major retail outlets, such as Target. The state does not require them to get any training, though many employers provide their own. They are not allowed to carry firearms.
In-House Security Violators
All guards are required to register with the state and undergo background checks, which cost about $100 per guard.
But compliance, in some cases, is extremely poor.
Only 4,200 — or 4 percent — of the state’s estimated 100,000 in-house security officers have registered with the state, officials said. The law requiring registration has been around since 2005.
Nightclubs, bars and pubs are among the biggest violators, they said.
One problem is that the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services only has a team of four enforcement workers traveling the state looking for violators. They also do not have the ability to punish violators.
Taeza said the bureau has sent information packets to police agencies, which can cite businesses for not complying with the law.
State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, who has been behind much of the state’s security guard laws, said Thursday he is considering legislation that would give the bureau more enforcement powers.
Officials with the California Restaurant Association declined to comment.
Robert Smith, chief executive officer of Nightclub Security Consultants in San Diego, said the 2005 law was not widely publicized and business owners simply aren’t aware of it.

Contract security guards tapped to work short-term events such as fairs and concerts are also frequent violators, officials said.
Taeza said he attended the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival this year and randomly approached 50 security guards. Twenty-one of them, representing three different security companies, were unable to produce state “guard cards.”
One guard even remarked, ” ‘I’m a Marine. I don’t need a license,’ ” Taeza said.
The state fined each company $5,000. Officials declined to identify the security companies because they can still appeal.
Paul Tollett, president of Goldenvoice, which promotes the Coachella Valley festival, is not available for comment because he is preparing for a major festival, said Kristine Ashton-Magnuson, a Goldenvoice spokeswoman, on Wednesday.
William Hodges, deputy manager of the California Association of Licensed Security Agencies, Guards and Associates, which represents contract security companies, said the association is aware of the problem of unlicensed security guards at large events.
He conceded the industry still struggles to overcome the stereotypical image of guards as “rent-a-cops.”
The issue, he said, is that some event promoters are contracting security companies that offer the lowest bid but employ guards who have not been fully trained or licensed.

Hodges said his association is trying to educate businesses to hire only state-licensed security companies and to ask those companies if all their guards have the proper credentials.
Gaps in Training
Meanwhile, state officials are developing a training course for in-house security officers, who, until now, have not been required to undergo any training.
Currently, contract security guards have to complete 40 hours of training. Mandatory topics include terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, powers to arrest, public relations, document writing, communication and liability. Optional classes cover search and seizure, CPR and conflict management.
Lawmakers have twice attempted to pass laws that would require in-house security officers to complete the same 40-hour program. They failed because of heavy opposition from the retail and hospitality sectors.
Representatives from those industries argued the curriculum was inflexible and didn’t apply to the types of duties performed by their security staff.
Last year, lawmakers agreed to form a committee of industry representatives to develop their own basic training course.
The committee, which includes representatives from Disneyland, Mervyns, Target, Staples Center and Marriott International, came up with a proposed 16-hour course in May. Key topics in the proposed course would include powers of arrest, ethics, cultural awareness, liability, communication and emergency procedures.
The state is reviewing the proposal. The new rules are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2009.

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Malls continue to enforce “escorted teens only” week-ends www.privateofficer.com

Malls continue to enforce “escorted teens only” week ends http://www.privateofficer.com

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio July 6 2008

By: Bryan Hill

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ Another local mall is sending a message to young shoppers: If you’re under 18, you’ll need to shop with an adult.
Chapel Hill Mall in Akron is following Tower City’s lead in creating an escort policy for teens. A policy that is being used at many malls nationwide.
Security officers at the mall check the IDs of teens on Friday and Saturday nights after 5 p.m.
The youth escort program is the mall’s answer to what had been a growing problem.

“We knew we had to do something. We’ve had the last several months a problem with the increasing number of unescorted youth that have been in on Friday and Saturday nights, and the resulting fights and disruptive behavior,” said general manager Glen Miller.

About 100 malls nationwide have adopted the escort policy.
Security and police officers now regularly ask teenagers who are unescorted to leave their malls. Nationally, this has cut down on incidents of theft, fighting and other illegal activities.
It has also made the mallas a safer place for adults to come out without worrying about the teens loitering and running wild, a mall security director said.

“Our research tells us that it has been successful, not only in reducing the number of unescorted youth in the mall, but also increasing sales,” Miller said.
Some customers said they’re behind the move.
“If that’s what they need to keep it that way, then that’s what they need to do. Kids can find other things to do,” said shopper Myra Marcinek.
Some of the teens turned away don’t understand why all have to pay for the actions of a few.
“We should still be able to walk the malls if we act right. People should start acting right, then maybe we could,” one teen said.

The mall is open 72 hours in a week. Kosich reported that the escort policy only applies to eight of them and it doesn’t apply to the mall’s major department stores.

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Could a sex offender be driving that ice cream truck? www.privateofficer.com

Could sex offenders be driving that ice cream truck? http://www.privateofficer.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. June 6 2008

“Special Reporter”

Jeremy Wayne Carr

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

www.privateofficers.com A new law aiming to keep sex offenders from driving ice cream trucks is in effect, and the I-Team reports that the law was needed.
The law went into effect this week, and the I-Team’s Jeremy Finley reported that sex offenders have driven the trucks for years and that the Metro Health Department is launching inspections.
Ivan Pryor was convicted of attempted aggravated sexual battery. Michael Dean was convicted of rape. Both men have driven ice cream trucks
Even though a law going into effect this week forbids sex offenders from driving ice cream trucks, the I-Team found a loophole.
“You’re not really sure who is driving the truck,” said parent Enola Walton.
While companies like Goody Wagons of Nashville require all its drivers to undergo criminal background checks, the state of Tennessee does not mandate it.
“We don’t want anyone here with a rape charge or aggravated assault,” said company representative Scott Thomason.
Despite the new law, no company is required to do background checks, so some fear that independent operators will hire whomever they please.
“I think people should be checked out who come into contact with children on a daily basis,” Walton said.
There’s also question about the safety of the food.
“Have your trucks ever been inspected by the health department?” Finley asked Thomason.
“Not since I’ve been here,” he said.
Even though the state mandates it, the Metro Health Department hasn’t inspected ice cream trucks for decades. But Finley reported that the department’s practice changed once the I-Team began asking questions.
“Each inspector has been alerted to look for these trucks that are operating out there,” said Metro Health Department representative Jerry Rowland.
The health department said there has never been much concern because bacteria can’t grow on frozen food.
But a department representative said it has heard of trucks selling more than just ice cream.
“The real concern we have is not the Popsicles, it’s what else the vendor could be selling,” Rowland said.
The driver of the first truck the health department inspected a few days ago wasn’t permitted to sell food.
Residents should make sure they know who their children are buying food from. Find out the company’s policy for criminal background checks, and if they’re selling food that’s not prepackaged, look to see if they’ve been inspected by the health department, Finley reported.

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Shoplifters assault security and flee www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifters assault security and flee http://www.privateofficer.com

Freeport NY July 6 2008

By:Kyle T. Greene

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com

Three shoplifters who hid sneakers inside their clothing at a Freeport sporting goods store attacked a security guard and got away with the merchandise Wednesday night, police said.

Two women and a man, who all appeared to be in their 40s, stole the footwear of an unknown value at a Modell’s store at 222 East Sunrise Hwy. just before 9 p.m. Wednesday.

When the security guard, a 61-year-old man, tried to detain them, one of the women pushed him aside and the male shoplifter punched him, knocking him down, police said.

The three shoplifters then fled the store and headed east on Sunrise Highway according to witnesses.
The security guard received minor injuries but did not require medical attention.

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Wheelchair bound shoplifter pulls gun on security www.privateofficer.com

Wheelchair bound shoplifter pulls gun on security http://www.privateofficer.com

Columbus Indiana July 6 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Loss prevention agents are facing an increasingly dangerous job and many are assaulted, threatened with weapons and injured.
In Columbus Indiana, a man allegedly armed with a handgun attempted to shoplift Friday morning from the eastside Wal-Mart.

When store security agents went to stop him, Johnny C. Tucker, 50, of 813 N. Maple St. reportedly displayed a loaded 32-caliber revolver to customers and employees as he rode through the store on an electric wheelchair.

Police were called and Tucker was quickly taken into custody.
He did not have a permit for the handgun and police said that he attempted to steal $30 worth of merchandise.
Tucker now faces a series of charges, both felony and misdemeanor.

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Police search for shoplifter who fled with carload of merchandise www.privateofficer.com

Police looking for shoplifter who fled with carload of merchandise http://www.privateofficer.com

Springdale KY July 6 2008

Springdale police are looking for a woman that they stole hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise from an area store.
Police say that they believe a woman seen in surveillance video stole over $1,000 worth of clothing from a department store at Tri-County Mall last week.
Police believe a green car also seen in surveillance video was her getaway car.
If you have any information about this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040 or text (513) 352-3050 .
You don’t have to give your name and you may be eligible for a reward if your tips lead to an arrest.

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Woman arrested for trading sex for gasoline www.privateofficer.com

Woman arrested for trading sex for gasoline http://www.privateofficer.com

FORT WRIGHT, Ky. July 6 2008 Police in Northern Kentucky arrested a woman who officers say traded sex for gasoline.
Police in Fort Wright set up a prostitution sting and said one of the suspects they arrested engaged in sex for a $100 gasoline card and other gifts.
Thirty-four-year-old Angela Eversole of Fort Wright is charged with prostitution and doing business without an occupational license.

She pleaded not guilty at a Tuesday arraignment.
Police also arrested a man they said paid Eversole. He is 50-year-old Kenneth Nowak of Avon, Ind.
Kenton County prosecutor Ken Easterling said it’s sad when people are selling their bodies for gas.

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Armored car robbed, shots fired www.privateofficer.com

Armored car robbed, shots fired http://www.privateofficer.com

GARDENA, Calif. July 6 2008 A thief staged a daring daylight robbery on an armored truck in Gardena Saturday, getting away with up to $100,000.

The robbery happened at Guadalajara Meat Market, 14114 S. Vermont Avenue.

The armored truck driver had gotten out to make a delivery when an armed man confronted him. After a struggle, the suspect fled with a bag of money.

A guard fired shots at the man and hit the window of the black or green mid-1990s Isuzu Trooper he was driving.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic or light-skinned black man in his late 20s, about 5 feet 7 inches and 165 pounds with dark eyes, a beard and a braided ponytail. He was wearing a white baseball hat, a long-sleeve blue and white plaid shirt, long blue jean shorts, white socks and dark sandals.

Anyone with information about the robbery can contact Robbery Homicide Division Detectives M. Toms and F. Arroyo at (213) 485-2511 or (877) LAW-FULL.

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