Economy playing role in workplace security www.privateofficer.com

Economy playing role in workplace security http://www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA. OCT 29 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
At 4:20 on a Monday afternoon Randy checks in with the gate sergeant of a large gated community just outside of Orlando Florida.

The plush green grass, 18 hole golf course, million dollar homes and miles of private roads make it hard to patrol on foot or bike, so the security department use to patrol in a 2006 Crown Victoria with light bar, spotlights and a very nice stereo system. But that was before the economy and gas crises and before money was an issue for the management of this wealthy community.
Now, Randy makes a walk around his new patrol vehicle, and makes sure that the golf cart is charged and ready to go.

The patrol car that he had enjoyed driving for the past year sits at the gatehouse and is now only used for medical emergencies or other priority calls, off property mail or errand runs and the occasional trip to pick someone up or drop them off at the airport.
It gets us around Randy says but it’s not very fast or official looking and it hesitates a little going up and down some of our off road areas but it’s cheap and that’s what the bosses are looking at right now.
When Chris Turner turns onto Broadway Street in downtown Nashville Tennessee at around 6 a.m., he can’t help but feel a bit proud. Aside from the occasional office light flipped on by someone who has come in even earlier, his employer’s at Draper Centennial Tower is dark. Only the LifeWay Publishing Company sign atop the building glows as a beacon in the night.
“That time of the morning you can kind of see who’s interested in trying to save power and money,” said Turner, who works for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
But the Draper building isn’t the only one that’s gone dark in Nashville in an attempt to save costs and energy and some in the security and law enforcement community is concerned. Officer Robert Franklin said with the darkness comes the increases of burglaries and other safety concerns.
High rise office buildings, shopping centers, and office complexes have cut back lighting or set their timers to shut off all exterior lighting earlier in the evening when no employee or other authorized person should be on the property.

While it may save them money on their utility bill Franklin said, it’s probably going to cost them in the long run as they see an increase in thefts, vandalism, and break-ins.
Jimmy Johnson patrols a number of these sprawling office and business complexes in metro Atlanta and he has seen the same thing. Exterior lights being cut off and dim lit exteriors that cause him great concern for his personal safety and the safety of others. People do work at some of these places late or come in very early in the morning before the sun is up and now with the properties being as dark as they are it makes these workers an easy target for people to rob them. Just as he was saying that, two men walked out from between two buildings almost undetected. They were office workers who had stayed late but they could have been muggers and we barely saw their darken figures.
Securitas Security, one of the largest security companies in the world is contracted to provide a mobile patrol of the Windsor Square shopping center covering several city blocks of Independence Blvd. in southeast Charlotte. The security officers use a small compact patrol car with the Securitas logo which helps to defray the costs of fuel but now instead of constant patrol, they have been told to sit for fifteen minutes each hour with their engines off and monitor store parking areas.
Many law enforcement agencies are feeling the economic hit also and have scaled back services, patrol areas, and even laid off personnel.

In Sacramento California this week, a huge cut in police services and staffing was announced and a loud outcry from the community was heard.
Police say that they will still provide quality services but that response times will be slower and some services such as responding to minor calls of vandalism, private property accidents, and dogs barking will be eliminated.

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Shoplifters use crowbar to beat store security agent www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifters use crowbar to beat store security agent http://www.privateofficer.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. OCT 28 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com- A shoplifting apprehension attempt turned violent when a store security agent was attacked by three people and later beaten with a crowbar.
Police said the incident happened Monday night at the Meijer store on Preston Highway.
Police said the loss prevention agent watched as a trio stole shoes and when he tried to stop the three people from stealing the shoes, he was attacked and seriously injured.
“The security officer had one of the gentlemen in a hold, and the female came up behind him and tried to scratch his eyes out and left scratches and stuff across his cheek,” said Metro Police Officer Kori Thurman. “The person that was in the hold also bit the security officer on the arm and hand several times.”
Police said the suspects got away, but came back to the store, found the store security officer and went after him again with a baseball bat and a crowbar.
Christopher Miller, Kent Thompson and Jennifer Powell fled the store a second time, but were later taken into custody in Bullitt County, where police said Powell is wanted on for allegedly conning an elderly man out of thousands of dollars and giving him a pill that almost killed him.The store security agent, who police did not identify was treated for numerous non-life threatening injuries and released from a local hospital.

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Security officer prevents armed robbery www.privateofficer.com

Security officer prevents armed robbery http://www.privateofficer.com

GREENSBORO NC OCT 29 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com Police say that a security officer hired to protect a local convenience store who had been robbed several times put his life on the line Tuesday when he stopped another armed robbery.
Police said that it would have been the third time in 10 days that the store had been robbed.
Police say that an armed security officer foiled the robbery attempt at the C&C Market at 2820 Lawndale Drive after a man pulled a gun on the store’s clerk.
Greensboro police said the armed man entered the store at 10:04 p.m. Tuesday and demanded money. But the suspect was immediately challenged by the armed security guard hired who pulled his own weapon. The suspect fled without taking any cash, and no one was injured officers at the store said..
Police described the suspect as a black man who stands 5-foot-11 and wore a black winter jacket, blue jeans, a dark blue shirt and a bandana over his face.
The C&C Market has been a frequent robbery target. On Oct. 19, store owner Gab “Sam” Lib was shot in the neck during a robbery attempt. The store was robbed again Thursday, and he was pistol-whipped on one side of his head.
Anyone with information about any of these incidents can call Crime Stoppers at 373-1000.

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Citizen Patrol presents new bile to injured mall officer www.privateofficer.com

Citizen Patrol group presents new bike to injured mall security officer http://www.privateofficer.com

Colerain Township OH OCT 29 2008
By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
The Colerain Township Citizens on Patrol has bought a new bike for the security officer to use at Northgate Mall.

Valor Security officer Michael Chappell was run over by a robbery suspect on August 8th.

He will be presented the bike at the Colerain Township Trustees meeting on October 28th according to CTCP officials.

Talechia Willis the suspect in the robbery case, is expected to go to trial, next month. Court documents say the Lincoln Heights woman ran over Chappell when he tried to stop her from shoplifting from Macy’s.
Police say Willis put her truck into reverse in the mall parking lot and and struck Chappell five times.
Security officer Chapell was injured but is doing fine at this time.

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Shoplifter “fills orders” around TN. area www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter “fills orders” around TN. area http://www.privateofficer.com

COOKEVILLE TN OCT 29 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com– A man arrested at the Cookeville Mall Saturday afternoon had a carload of stolen goods and a shopping list detailing what his “customers” had ordered, police said.

Derrick Joe Choate, 46, of Old Qualls Road, Cookeville, is charged with five counts of theft in the case, says a report by Cookeville Police Officer Jeremy Lintz.

It was around 3 p.m. Saturday when a security officer in the JC Penney store followed Choate after seeing him allegedly stealing some children’s clothing and taking it out to his car, the report says.

When Sgt. Ken Clement and Lintz arrived, they confronted Choate in the store parking lot and after seeing “the stolen merchandise” inside his car, asked permission to search the vehicle, the report says.

Choate’s wife was in the car and allegedly she began talking to Lintz, saying she was “unaware that her husband was stealing from JC Penney’s,” but she also allegedly told the officers that “her husband steals merchandise for people and then sells it to them at a reduced cost,” the report says.

“She stated that Mr. Choate has a list of merchandise of what to steal for certain individuals. While I was searching the vehicle, I observed a leather wallet that contained an appointment calendar inside it.

While searching the wallet, I found four hypodermic needles, an arm tie-off, and a Q-tip, all items associated with the use of intravenous drugs.

“The officer also alleges that the calendar book contained several sheets of paper with people’s names and “various merchandise listed underneath.”

“Most of the items listed on the sheet of paper were found in the vehicle. The JC Penney employee stated that before he confronted Mr. Choate, he was attempting to steal UFC brand T-shirts.

There were several requests on the list for UFC T-shirts, and another sheet of paper that stated ‘check JC Penney’s for UFC shirts.’”Allegedly, Mrs. Choate’s purse also contained several hypodermic needles and she told the officers she used the needles to inject Dilaudid tablets.

A check of police computers showed she was wanted on a warrant out of Wilson County, and she was arrested for that and was also cited for drug paraphernalia.Derrick Choate was arrested for theft and also cited for drug paraphernalia.

The two were taken to the Putnam jail.

Allegedly, the Choate car contained, in addition to the merchandise stolen from Penney’s, numerous hooded sweatshirts from Rugged Wearhouse, numerous decorative items believed to have been taken from the Hobby Lobby store, items stolen from Walmart, and merchandise stolen from the Dollar General store.

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Shooting at hospital leaves employees, neighbors scared www.privateofficer.com

Shooting at hospital leaves employees, neighbors scared http://www.privateofficer.com

Omaha NE OCT 29 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
There are still very few clues concerning a shooting that took place in broad daylight. Omaha Police say it appears the victim was chosen at random. Shot in the middle of a busy hospital parking lot.
Half of the parking lot at Immanuel Medical Center was wrapped in crime scene tape and dozens of officers and hospital security officers did crowd control and searched for clues.
Omaha Police confirmed Tuesday morning that a shooting of the victim was shot in the chest around 1:30 p.m. Monday. It’s an unlikely scene and one never thought possible to unfold at a hospital.
Hospital workers and residents of the normally quiet neighborhood said the broad daylight shooting is disturbing and scares many hospital employees who go there every day.

What about people who bought homes within walking distance of the hospital, thinking it was the safest place to be in the city?
“I thought I moved away from all the trouble for the most part,” said Carlina Thompson.
“Actually buying this house, I was thinking that the hospital’s right there so if something comes up we can always have somewhere to run,” Thompson said.
Adrienne Grundy and her family have lived in the same neighborhood about two years. The shooting also has Grundy coming to grips with what at one time seemed unthinkable.

However, it proves that anything can happen just about anywhere.
Right now police are not sure if it was a robbery attempt or exactly what caused the shooting to take place at the hospital and are being tight lipped about details.
Police have still not released the victim’s age, name, whether or not she was an employee of Immanuel, a patient or just there visiting someone.

Although the victim was shot at Immanuel Medical Center, she was rushed to Creighton University Medical Center for treatment.

The hospital is a trauma center with staff trained specifically to treat patients with extreme injuries.
The gunman is still at large. Anyone with information, should call police at 444-7867.

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SECURITY OFFICER SPOTLIGHT www.privateofficer.com

SECURITY OFFICER SPOTLIGHT http://www.privateofficer.com

dailycomet.com
Nikki BuskeyStaff Writer
THIBODAUX LA OCT 29 2008— Company ceremonies and events can be something employees dread, but that’s where Phillip Joseph shines.
Thibodaux Regional Medical Center’s security director has a song in his heart, and he enjoys sharing it. Joseph has become a fixture at hospital events and celebrations, engaging his coworkers with carefully selected music for each occasion.
At the hospital’s ground breaking, held Oct. 16 in advance of the hospital’s emergency-room expansion, Joseph sang to open and close the ceremonies, signing off with a song requested by the hospital CEO himself: “Lean On Me,” a former No. 1 song written by Bill Withers in 1972 and performed by a variety of artists. The song was chosen to signify the hospital’s long journey to expansion through two hard hurricane seasons. Coworkers at the gathering swayed and clapped to Joseph’s song.
Joseph, 49, said he likes to use his gift as a way to brighten the days of those around him.
“I like singing in the hospital because it takes people’s mind off their troubles,” Joseph said.
Joseph, who is married with five children, said he’s been singing since he was a child, and often performs at his church, Moses Baptist in Thibodaux, where he also plays the drums.
He’s worked at Thibodaux Regional for nearly 20 years, and he’s been singing for hospital functions nearly as long.
“We have such a great CEO (Greg Stock) who likes a fun environment as much as a work environment, so he came up with the idea of a talent show for the employee banquet that we hold every year,” Thibodaux said, explaining how coworkers initially learned of his singing ability.
After Joseph’s performance at the talent show, he said, Stock routinely asked him to perform at other hospital events.
“A lot of our employees have extraordinary talents,” Stock said. Phillip’s “powerful ability,” he added, “is both uplifting and inspiring.”
Phillip has performed at the hospital for a variety of events, including leadership sessions, special events and celebrations.
Joseph said his favorite songs are ballads, but he tailors his performance for company events.
“The music is something that’s motivated by the event itself. I’ll sing something patriotic or something upbeat for more of a fun-type thing,” he said, adding that he tries not to be prejudiced by his own tastes.
“Even though I’m not a country-and-western-type singer, I could do that, too. I like the challenge,” he said.
Performing in front of people you see at work every day might seem nerve-wracking to some, but Joseph said he keeps his cool.
He thinks back to his teen years when he played drums with the Thibodaux High School band.
“Every time we went to festivals we always scored a one,” he said. Bands are rated on a score of one to five, with one being the highest. “When you sing, you kind of black all that out because you don’t think about anything but giving a good performance. It’s me against myself. I’m always striving to give a good performance.”
And for now, Joseph is just thankful to keep singing. He was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and in June spent nine days in Thibodaux Regional as a patient instead of an employee.
“I didn’t really know that I’d be able to sing again,” he said.
To be back at work and able to perform again is a blessing, he said.
“I choose to be positive,” Joseph said. “Because there are so many negative people in the world, It’s a choice to be positive.”
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Shoplifter assaults security and police officers www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter assaults security and police officers http://www.privateofficer.com

Whitehall Township PA OCT 29 2008

A Whitehall Township police officer dispatched to a shoplifting call sensed the trouble quickly yesterday. As soon as the man allegedly told him he had been arrested before, patrolman Kenneth Stephens Jr. knew this would not be a quick, simple arrest for retail theft at Sears in the Whitehall Mall.He was right.

Now Matthew Phillip Blackwell, 23, 704 Main St., Bethlehem, is charged with aggravated and simple assaults, resisting arrest, harassment to go along with retail theft. Blackwell was arraigned late last night before District Judge Patricia M. Engler of Allentown and sent to Lehigh County Prison under $25,000 bail.According to court documents, Stephens responded to a 4 :03 p.m. report that store security had stopped Blackwell for allegedly stealing six video games valued at $99.90.

While Stephens wrote paperwork, Blackwell told Stephens he had been arrested before for retail theft and asked why the newest arrest could not be handled by summons sent in the mail.Stephens thought an agitated Blackwell might run so he told him turn around to be handcuffed.

Blackwell locked his fingers together instead and when Stephens moved closer, Blackwell punched him in the nose.

Then Stephens and Sears security officer Michael Thompson put Blackwell on the ground and he was cuffed.

Stephens suffered a minor nose bleed and minor wrist sprain and scraped knee. The security officer was not injured.

According to court records, Blackwell had four prior arrests for retail theft. The disposition of those cases was not known.Under the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, a third arrest for retail theft moves from a summary or misdemeanor offense to a third-degree felony.

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ER Doctor Stabbed By Patient www.privateofficer.com

ER Doctor Stabbed By Patient http://www.privateofficer.com

BRANDON FLA OCT 29 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com — A patient at Brandon Regional Hospital reportedly stabbed an emergency room doctor Tuesday evening.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Carolyn Faulk, 30, was receiving her discharge instructions at around 6:39 p.m. when she became angry.
The sheriff’s office says Faulk grabbed a steak knife from her purse and stabbed Dr. Marisel Juarbe multiple times in the upper torso.
hospital security personnel and a detention deputy who happened to be at the hospital at the time was able to get Faulk away from Juarbe and held her under control until another deputy arrived.
Faulk was taken into custody and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The sheriff’s department did not know what caused Faulk to get upset and stab the doctor.
Juarbe suffered non-life threatening injuries.

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Woman charged with felony theft www.privateofficer.com

Woman charged with felony theft http://www.privateofficer.com

NASHUA NH OCT 29 2008

Kyle T. Greene
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com– Police charged a 41-year-old woman with shoplifting more than $1,000 worth of clothing after being called to a local store by security personnel.
Raia Flavin, of Nashua, was arrested Sunday for shoplifting more than $1,000 in merchandise from Bob’s Stores on Amherst Street, police said Monday.

Flavin was observed concealing clothing throughout the store and attempted to leave without paying for it.
Flavin is charged with class A felony shoplifting, and was being held on $1,000 bail pending an arraignment, police said.

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Private Police Chief Charged With Rape www.privateofficer.com

Private Police Chief Charged With Rape http://www.privateofficer.com

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC OCT 29 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com The owner of a local private police force is facing charges for statutory rape.
44-year-old Joseph Guarascio was arrested after local police received a complaint and later charged him with statutory rape.
Guarascio made his first appearance in District Court Tuesday from inside the county jail.
Guarascio faces five charges including taking indecent liberties with a 14-year-old child and statutory rape.
The witness to the charges is a 17-year-old girl whose grandfather had tried to place a restraining order against Guarascio for his contact with her.
Prosecutors asked the judge to increase Guarascio’s bond because they fear he may flee and the sitting judge agreed and raised the bond from $150,000 to $500,000..
Guarascio founded Inter-Pol Special Police services, a private security force operating out of Wilmington.
Guarascio was chief of the agency, but stepped down earlier this year after he was convicted on charges of forgery and impersonating an officer.
Guarascio is appealing that conviction.

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Sheriff deputy shoots, kills armed shoplifter www.privateofficer.com

Sheriff deputy shoots, kills armed shoplifter http://www.privateofficer.com

Fredericknewspost.com
Frederick County MD. OCT 29 2008

A shoplifter killed Friday by a sheriff’s deputy as he lunged at state troopers with barber-style scissors was shot twice in the torso and once in the left arm, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.
The death of Warren Scott Watkins, 40, of Frederick, has been ruled a homicide, Cpl. Jennifer Bailey said Monday.
The theft of a $3,995 gold link necklace Watkins took from Kay Jewelers at Francis Scott Key Mall is under investigation by Maryland State Police.
As is customary with cases of police-involved fatalities, once the investigation into the shooting death of Watkins is completed, prosecutors will present the case to a grand jury to determine whether the use of force was justified.
Cpl. Brett Etzler, 38, a 12-year veteran with the sheriff’s office, is on administrative leave with pay as the investigation continues. Etzler shot Watkins with his police-issued service weapon, a 9mm SIG Sauer handgun.
Cpl. Jason West is handling the investigation into the deputy-involved shooting, which occurred shortly before 11 a.m. Friday in the area of Spectrum Drive and New Horizon Way.
West was in Baltimore on Saturday as the autopsy of Watkins was conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Maryland State Police First Sgt. Chris Sasse said troopers responded to a shoplifting call from Kay Jewelers that mall security was chasing a shoplifting suspect.
Cpl. Eric Corbin and Troopers First Class Josh Arnold and Kevin Wolters found Watkins walking away from the mall property. Other off-duty police officers arrived to assist.
State Police Detective Sgt. Robert Myers said Watkins pulled out the scissors while the three troopers were attempting to apprehend him in close proximity. They were working “in unison.”
It’s possible the troopers did not fire their weapons because of the way they were positioned as they tried to take Watkins into custody.
Watkins was within “several feet” of the troopers when he was shot, West said.
The scissors, about 6 inches long from handle to blade, posed a threat to the troopers.
“They are sharp,” West said.
Watkins did not threaten the jewelry store employees with the scissors as he left with the necklace, Myers said.
In Maryland, Watkins criminal record was clean, except for a May 2003 conviction for fishing without a license in Queen Anne’s County, according to court documents.
Frederick County deputies investigated Watkins in June for a felony credit card offense case, but no charges were filed because “the victim didn’t want to go forward,” West said.The investigation by West into the shooting is continuing. Two troopers and civilian witnesses still need to be interviewed.

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