Phoenix security officer rescues drowning victim www.privateofficer.com

PHOENIX AZ June 15 2013 — Quick action by a security guard at an apartment complex may have saved the life of an 80-year-old woman.
Marley Dominique was doing rounds at the Villa Salerno apartments in north Phoenix, when he saw a woman running around the pool, frantically waving her arms.
“She was waving her hands and she was on the phone, waving her hands at me,” says Dominique. “She was waving her hands so fast, I knew something was wrong.”
It turned out, the woman’s best friend was floating in the pool, unconscious. “She was face down, and she wasn’t moving,” says Dominique.
With the help of another man, the security guard says he was able to pull her out of the water. “I went in, and I saw another gentleman trying to pull her out of the pool, but he was unsuccessful,” he says.”So I went, and I got her out of the pool.”
She was close enough to the side of the pool that Dominique could grab her hand. “I didn’t have to jump in the pool because she was closer to the edge of the pool,” Dominique tells us. “I just grabbed her by the hand, and picked her up out of the pool and laid her on her back.”
Dominique started CPR, and continued it for about 10 minutes until paramedics arrived.
“I was a little scared,” he says. “I just reacted because I knew what to do. I had CPR training before, so I knew how to react to the situation, and I tried to stay as calm as possible.”
Dominique tells 3TV he had actually met the woman a few days before. “I didn’t think about anything else except just to help her,” he says. “I just felt like I needed to try to save her life.”
Neighbors and colleagues are calling Dominique a hero. The humble security guard says he was just glad to be in the right place to help when it mattered most.
“I think I’m just a guy who was there at the right time,” Dominique says. “I just did my job like I was supposed to. I don’t really consider myself a hero. But I appreciate the thought.”
The 80-year-old woman is expected to make a full recovery.

Source -AZFamily.com

Va. Conservation officer receives national law enforcement award www.privateofficer.com

 

Richmond, VA June 15 2013- The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) is proud to announce Conservation Police Captain John M. Hutchens has been named as the 2013 recipient of the Guy Bradley Award. Presented by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Guy Bradley Award is presented to one state agency and one federal agency officer “…whose dedication and public service to protecting the nation’s natural resources demonstrates outstanding leadership, excellence in implementation, knowledge, and a lifetime commitment to the field of wildlife law enforcement, and whose actions have advanced the cause of wildlife conservation.”

This prestigious lifetime achievement award is given in the spirit of Guy Bradley, the first wildlife law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty while protecting the nation’s wildlife in 1905. Captain Hutchens was formally recognized today in front of the DGIF Board by Director Bob Duncan for this great achievement.

Hutchens joined the department in 1972 and was assigned to Greene County as a Game Warden. After being promoted to Sergeant, Hutchens was given the opportunity to become involved in covert operations involving illegal wildlife and fish sales in 1980. Due to the success of the operation, DGIF created a formal Special Operations Unit which focused primarily on the unlawful commercialization of wildlife. In 1983, Hutchens was named as supervisor of that unit and remains in that position to this day. In the 30 years since, Hutchens’ leadership of the Special Operations Unit has led to the successful arrest and prosecution of numerous poachers involved in everything from the illegal sale of rockfish and the illegal sale of black bear gallbladders to the illegal importation of dangerous animals into the Commonwealth. In addition to the myriad wildlife related offenses observed by Hutchens in his covert career, he has been exposed to stolen automobiles, stolen guns, automatic weapons, explosives, stolen appliances, illegal whiskey, prostitution, illegal gambling, arson, and illegal drugs. It quickly became apparent to Hutchens that most hardcore wildlife violators were also involved in other illicit activities and his investigations often branched out to allow other state law enforcement agencies to curtail other crimes with his information and assistance.

For the majority of his life, Captain Hutchens has faithfully served the citizens of the Commonwealth by putting his life on the line and infiltrating groups of some very hardcore poaching rings. Due to his more than 30 years covert status, he has never been publicly acknowledged for his contributions and has remained quietly in the background, content that he has made a difference for Virginia’s wildlife. Hutchens is still as passionate about wildlife law enforcement today as he was 41 years ago when he began his career. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is honored that Captain Hutchens’ selfless dedication and lifetime contributions to the wildlife law enforcement field have been nationally recognized with his presentation of the 2013 Guy Bradley Award.

Source- Smith Mountain Eagle

Aberdeen Centre security helps to deliver baby www.privateofficer.com

 

Richmond BC June 12 2013 A mall cop turned mall doc at Aberdeen Centre last Saturday afternoon. And although he isn’t a father yet, the assistance the security guard provided a woman who suddenly went into labour next to a second-floor escalator, is something he won’t soon forget.

Aberdeen Centre’s Joey Kwan said the incident began to unfold between 3 and 4 p.m. on June 8, when a pregnant woman’s water suddenly broke. Mall security immediately rushed to the scene, and a security supervisor jumped in to assist, putting on gloves to prepare for the miracle of child birth.
As they awaited the arrival of emergency crews, a 911 operator walked the security guard through the process, reminding the woman to breath and push at the right times.

Born was a healthy bouncing baby boy, and his mother was healthy too. They were taken to hospital on Saturday, and have since been discharged. The chaos of diverting the customers away from the scene, and the drama of the childbirth, meant there was no time to even take down names. So as of Tuesday afternoon, they have no idea who the woman is. “It was an amazing and phenomenal situation for us,” Kwan said. “This is not happening every day.”
Aberdeen Centre said if the woman comes forward, she’ll be receiving plenty of extra gifts for the baby boy. Having a baby boy delivered in a mall is considered an auspicious event, Kwan said.

The fact it was the eighth day of the month probably didn’t escape notice. The mall’s bakery, Saint Germain Bakery, has pledged to provide a birthday cake for every birthday the boy celebrates until he’s 18.
And a new restaurant tenant in the mall, Gangnam Northern Chinese Cuisine, is donating a table to celebrate the child’s 100th day birthday, considered among those of Chinese ancestry as an important event. Daiso will also be presenting the newborn a 100-item gift, Kwan. source-Richmond Review

Newark security officers detain man in shooting www.privateofficer.com

 

NEWARK NY June 10 2013 — Security guards helped detain a suspect who police say shot a 50-year-old Newark resident Saturday night, according to authorities.

Officers responded to a shooting on West Market Street around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and found the victim, who had suffered a non-lethal gunshot wound, said Sgt. Ronald Glover.

At the scene, security guards alerted police that they had detained Malik Onque, 21, of Orange in the shooting.

They also recovered a 9mm Beretta.

Onque was transported to the Major Crimes Unit and charges are pending, Glover said. “I commended all the officers involved that apprehended a suspect that disregarded human life by shooting a gun on a busy street.

This arrest is a testament to the dedication that our officers display daily to protect the citizens of Newark,” Police Director Samuel DeMaio said.
Source-nj.com

York County deputy named top U.S. school resource officer www.privateofficer.com

WATERBORO ME June 8 2013 – Massabesic High School’s school resource officer has been selected as the National Association of School Resource Officer’s top school officer for 2013.
Deputy Jason Solomon, a 12-year veteran of the York County Sheriff’s Office, has served as Massabesic’s school resource officer since 2010.
Solomon was nominated by Chief Deputy William L. King Jr. King said he received numerous reports of Solomon’s “exemplary performance” from students, faculty, administrators and parents.
The national award is given to an officer who made a specific and significant contribution.
Solomon will be recognized as the nation’s best school resource officer at a ceremony to be held July 14 in Orlando, Fla.

Source-Portland Press

Security guard, 92, helped secure Normandy beaches www.privateofficer.com

 

Tacoma WA. June 8 2013 On June 6, 1944, Raymond Carreau was a 23-year-old helping sink his vessel off the coast of Normandy amid enemy fire.
The idea was to form artificial breakwaters as part of the D-Day invasion that ultimately defeated Adolf Hitler in World War II.
On Thursday, on the 69th anniversary of the invasion, Carreau carried a picture of himself at age 22 in his wallet while working the night shift as a security officer on the Tacoma Tideflats.
“I lead a quiet life at my age,” he said. “What do you expect at 92?”
About three months before the invasion of France, the U.S. Army took over Carreau’s Merchant Marine ship off the coast of Scotland, he said.
He’d settled on the Merchant Marine after stints with the Canadian Active Army and the U.S. Coast Guard during the war.
The crew crossed the English Channel after picking up 500 to 1,000 soldiers who took to the shores under heavy gunfire once they arrived. Sinking vessels helped create calmer landing waters for troops.
Only six people, including Carreau, remained aboard to help secure the harbor.
“They were firing down on us,” he said. “One shell hit the smoke stack and the top of it got blown off, but we weren’t hurt.”
Carreau continued as a merchant mariner after the war, and in the 1980s he started writing the government to say he never received an Army discharge from his time under their command.
His letters resulted in about 1,000 merchant seamen who were part of the Normandy invasion getting veteran status.
But he still has a bone to pick. The days he worked securing the sunken harbor weren’t on his discharge.
“The Army owes me four days’ pay,” he said. “I got cheated.”
Beyond Normandy, Carreau also talks about being a model in New York, the children’s book he wrote and laments was never published, a book on economics he authored, and his unsuccessful mining venture in Korea.
He also remembers the time he offended a superior in the Canadian Active Army by saying he believed monarchy will one day be extinct as a form of government.
“I could see the Union Jack flapping in his eyes,” he remembered with a laugh.
When he had time off during the war, he’d usually go to Hungary, he said, for the beautiful women. But while he remembers getting at least 100 marriage proposals from European admirers during the war, and a good dozen in the U.S., he’s remained a bachelor, though he stayed in touch with one old girlfriend from before the war until she died, he said.
“I had scads of pretty girlfriends when I was young,” he said.
His Merchant Marine pension is $355 a month, helping pay the mortgage on the Tacoma house he’s had since the 1980s or so. He works four days a week as a security officer on the Tideflats at Jesse Engineering.
The people in charge, he says, are “kind of attached” to him. Source- thenewstribune.com

Easton Honors Director of Public Safety Hugh Harris www.privateofficer.com

Easton PA May 26 2013 Easton’s City Council, Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Squad honored Hugh Harris, the College’s retiring director of public safety, for service to the city and the College.
At its meeting May 8, members of City Council praised Harris’ professionalism, collegiality, and effectiveness, as did Mayor Sal Panto, City Administrator Glenn Steckman, and Police Chief Carl Scalzo. They cited the strong and productive partnerships he forged with the city’s police and fire departments, emergency squad, and other law enforcement and public safety agencies during his 31 years as Lafayette’s public safety director. Council adopted a resolution recognizing Harris’ contributions “to the greater good of the City of Easton.” (The full resolution is at the bottom of this article.)
At the annual Easton Police Awards Ceremony on May 15, where Harris gave a keynote talk, officials of the Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Squad presented him with plaque featuring the insignia of the three agencies and the inscription “In grateful appreciation for your 31 years of outstanding service and devotion.”
Harris formed the Office of Public Safety when he came to Lafayette in 1982 by bringing functions related to the safety of the campus community and functions related to the security of campus facilities together in one operation. He oversaw the expansion of the department’s services to include police and law-enforcement services, with greater capability to conduct investigations, and services related to environmental health and safety.
Harris introduced many enhancements to the department’s systems, services, and effectiveness. Among these were the installation of a centralized fire-detection system across campus, sprinkler systems in all residence halls, and a closed-circuit TV system to aid visual monitoring of the campus. They also include the establishment of an emergency communications system that uses text messages, email, public-address announcements, and siren to alert the campus of emergency situations.
Harris also established the College’s comprehensive incident response plan that is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis and includes protocols for ensuring the safety of the campus community in the event of emergencies of all kinds.
Harris will retire effective June 30. Here is the text of the City Council resolution.

Centenary College security officer works during own graduation www.privateofficr.com

Hackettstown, NJ May 19 2013 Randy Martin has worked two full-time jobs for most of the three years he’s been a Centenary College student.
One of those jobs is a campus security guard. And on Saturday, the 51-year-old chose working security for graduation instead of walking in his own commencement ceremony.
Martin earned his bachelor’s after beginning his studies in February 2010. He said he could have participated in the ceremony if he wanted, but he’ll get a better experience from working.
“To me, the graduation ceremony’s not really a big deal,” Martin said. “It’s more about the kids, and when I work it, I feel like I can share it better with the kids rather than sitting in one spot.”
Centenary College held its 138th commencement Saturday, awarding diplomas to 415 graduates from its main campus in Hackettstown and its School of Professional Studies Learning Centers. Television producer Lou Reda gave the keynote address.
Last year, Martin’s daughter, Ashley, graduated from Centenary with a degree in social work. This year, Martin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. And his wife works as a receptionist for campus security.
Martin had an associate’s degree and worked for the same electronic manufacturing company for 21 years. He lost his job when the company moved to Long Island, and he decided he needed a bachelor’s degree to get the type of jobs he wanted, Martin said.
Taking online classes was the only way Martin could find time to pursue an education while working his two full-time jobs, he said. On a typical weekday, he wakes up at 6 a.m. to get to his warehouse job by 7:30. He works the security job on the weekends, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fulfilling both his work and school obligations required discipline, time management and a few late nights, he said.
Leonard Kunz, director of security for Centenary College, said Martin brings a sense of responsibility to his job as a security guard. He’s not surprised Martin chose to fulfill his work obligations instead of participating in commencement ceremonies.
Kunz said he quickly recognized Martin as someone with a sense of pride for the college. He commands the respect of students without being adversarial, Kunz said.
“It takes a special type of person that can maintain that relationship,” he said.
Annamaria Lalevee, the college’s director of public relations, said Martin completed his classes through the School of Professional Studies. The school serves adult students and allows them to take courses in the classroom, online or through a blended approach.

Juneau security officer helped stop sex assault in progress www.privateofficer.com

 

Juneau AK May 16 2013 A State Office Building security officer interrupted a rape Saturday night and helped lead to the suspect’s arrest, according to new court documents.
An affidavit filed Monday says police located and detained the 38-year-old suspect, Ernest H. Fawcett Jr., just three and a half minutes after Security Officer James Shipley called 911.
Police said earlier they arrested Fawcett on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault, an unclassified felony, and took him to Lemon Creek Correctional Center. On Tuesday, Fawcett appeared in Juneau District Court where Judge Keith Levy continued his bail at $100,000.
According to the affidavit, Shipley heard yelling coming from the upper level of a side stairwell of the Fireweed Place building’s parking structure a little before 9 p.m. The structure is located in the 400 block of Willoughby Avenue near the State Office Building.
As Shipley approached closer to the stairwell from the east side, he could hear a female voice yelling, “No, no, no,” and when he got to the scene, he saw Fawcett on top of her, he told police in an interview, the affidavit states.
Shipley instructed Fawcett to leave and called 911 as Fawcett fled. Shipley reported it to police as a “possible sexual assault in progress” and reported that the suspect was running toward Bullwinkle’s Pizza, according to the affidavit.
Assistant District Attorney Amy Williams wrote that security footage from the stairwell captured Fawcett walking in the area wearing the same clothes as he was when he was arrested. Later, both Shipley and the victim positively identified Fawcett as the suspect, Williams wrote.
In an interview with police, the 51-year-old victim said she did now know Fawcett or his name. They had just met and were walking in the area of the State Office Building when they stopped for a moment to rest.
She told police that’s when Fawcett requested fellatio. She said she refused and began to walk away when Fawcett grabbed her and threw her down on the steps. She reported that he ripped off her clothes and raped her as she repeatedly told him to stop, to no avail, the affidavit states.
Juneau Police Department Sgt. Brian Dallas said in an earlier release that the woman was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital for evaluation and that she was later released.
Prosecutors requested the high bail amount, citing Fawcett’s criminal history which consists of 18 prior convictions including two felonies, as well as his lack of ties to the community which could prove to be a flight risk. Assistant Distric Attorney Amy Williams wrote that the state believes Fawcett resides in Metlakatla, not Juneau.
Fawcett is next slated to appear in Juneau court for a pre-indictment preliminary hearing on May 22. He is represented by the Assistant Public Defender Eric Hedland.

Source- JUNEAU EMPIRE

Mobile Alabama nightclub security detain 2 suspects in rape www.privateofficer.com

‘MOBILE, Ala. May 16 2013 – A club bouncer who intervened while two illegal immigrants allegedly raped, beat and sodomized a woman at a local nightclub spoke to FOX10 News. Police said had Herbert McCants and his team not detained the two suspects when they did, an already vicious attack could have been much worse.
McCants, Club Heat’s head of security, has seen it all making a living amongst the loud music, flashing lights and big crowds in a club. He said most incidents are routine for him.
What happened early Saturday, May 11, he said was anything but.
“Twenty-three years of bouncing off and on in clubs and DJ-ing, I’ve never seen an incident like this ever. It’s a little raw, a little raw and unnerving,” McCants said.
Police said the female victim was attacked by 18-year-old Carlos Chiguil and 22-year-old Juan Martin. They allegedly followed her into the bathroom, beat her with a beer bottle, raped and sodomized her.
A friend heard the screams and called security. McCants and another member of the security team responded.
“We knocked them out,” McCants said. “[We] kicked the door in, and the two assailants were accosting her, and we did what we had to do to break it up.”
McCants said the image when he first got the door open was like nothing he had ever seen before.
“[It was] scary, extremely scary,” McCants said. “For myself, who has daughters, that’s not an image you want stuck in your head.”
FOX10 News wanted to find out more about the two suspects, both of whom police said are illegal immigrants.
The Department of Homeland Security wouldn’t go on camera, but we did get a statement that read in part:

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed detainer requests against Guatemalan nationals Juan Esteban Martin and Carlos Elisel Chiguil Monday after ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents assisted the Mobile Police Department with their arrest. ICE places detainers on aliens arrested on criminal charges to ensure that dangerous criminals are not released from prisons/jails and into communities.”
In addition to the statement, ICE officials did tell FOX10 News they haven’t had any prior contact with these two suspects. ICE has issued a detainer for the two men, so local law enforcement will have to let ICE know when and if these men are released from custody.
Then, if necessary, the agency can take action.
As for McCants, he’s not looking for any recognition – he said they were just doing their jobs.
“There is no commendations necessary,” McCants said. “Most of the police officers who showed up we’ve worked with, or we have worked with, it’s a part of the job. There were no commendations necessary. It’s what we do. My heart goes out to her and we thank God that she’s still here.”
McCants said there could be some additional security measures taken at the nightclub, including adding some female bouncers.
The suspects are being held on no bond.

Source- FOX10.com

Security Guard Thwarts Thieves Attempting To Steal Laundromat ATM www.privateofficer.com

 

SACRAMENTO CA May 14 2013– A heavy chain attached to an ATM was stretched across a laundromat parking lot after an attempted burglary.
The ATM was dragged out with the chain from Oasis Laundry on Hurley Way and Howe Avenue early Monday morning.
Fortunately, a security guard heard the thieves — at which point they abandoned the ATM in the parking lot and ran off empty-handed.
Police have received several calls about the suspect vehicle crashing through gates. It was later found abandoned nearby.
The owner says Oasis Laundry does not have any security cameras, but now will add more security. This was the second robbery at the laundromat within a week.
Investigators were able to collect some fingerprints
Source-CBS13

Fred Meyer security agent stabbed during robbery www.privateofficer.com

 

Vancouver WA May 13 2013 A security guard was stabbed Saturday afternoon after confronting a theft suspect at the Grand Central Fred Meyer store.

A robbery and assault were reported to Vancouver police at about 4:30 p.m.

The suspect, Ryan C. Shook, had allegedly committed a theft at the store and was confronted by a security guard, a VPD bulletin said. The bulletin said Shook stabbed the security guard and fled the store.

Police found Shook, age 38, a short distance away and arrested him on suspicion of first degree robbery and first degree assault.

He was booked into the Clark County Jail. The security guard, whose name was not released, was transported to a hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, according to the statement.
source-the Columbian

Homewood police honor officers, security officer for crime-fighting work www.privateofficer.com

 HOMEWOOD, Alabama May 10 2013 – A security guard who helped to capture a robber and a police sergeant who worked a triple murder were among more than a dozen people honored by the Homewood Police Department this week.
The department on Tuesday evening held its 9th Annual Awards Ceremony. The formal event was held at Rosewood Hall, and designed to recognize top officers, and citizens, of the year.
The Chief’s Award, given by Chief Jim Roberson, went to Sgt. Juan Rodriquez who headed the investigation into the brutal murders of Araceli Juarez-Montero, 30, and her sons, Hugo Adial Juarez, 4, and Uziel David Jaurez, 5. The trio was found slain inside their Abbey at Boulder Ridge apartment on Dec. 14. Juarez-Montero was beaten, and her boys strangled.
Rodriquez assumed control of the scene. Roberson said that he, along with many officers, used excellent investigative techniques to quickly develop a suspect and eventually get a confession. Police charged 29-year-old Anna Patricia Dominguez with capital murder in the slayings.
The Award of Merit was given to Sgt. Doug Finch for his work in a deadly shooting at a Homewood hotel. On March 3, 2013, Finch responded in the pre-dawn hours to a shooting at Rodeway Inn at 260 Oxmoor Road. There they found 17-year-old Jvonte Hines of Forestdale dead on the scene.
Police officials noted Finch had the daunting task of directing a crime scene that spanned multiple hotel floors and included more than 15 witnesses. Within days, police issued a murder warrant for 18-year-old Derrick Leimon Sailes Jr., of Birmingham.
Officer Marti Abernathy was named Detective of the Year. Police officials noted that Abernathy consistently handles more cases than any other detective, especially the emotionally-charged cases that involve family relations and domestic abuse.
Abernathy was applauded for strong work ethic. “Her ability to diffuse and manage the worst of these reflects credit upon herself and the department,” police officials said.
The Exemplary Service Award was given to Sgt. Mike Godwin for his work solving a case where more than $25,000 in cash and jewelry was stolen. The victims, police noted, sent a four-page letter to the department commending Godwin for his tenacity.
The department’s Criminal Investigations Division received the Unit citation Award, primarily for the work in the triple murder and hotel shooting. “Faced with difficult odds, they have remained focused, dedicated and professional,” police officials noted.
The Citizen Commendation Award went to Benjamin Marshall, a security guard who spotted a robbery and then, ignoring the danger, gave chase. The incident happened Nov. 30, 2012 at Dollar Tree on Lakeshore Parkway.
Authorities said 21-year-old Christopher James Henderson dressed as a security guard and robbed the manager of the store at gunpoint. Marshall, the real security guard, chased Henderson toward the woods behind the business and told patrol officers where he was last seen.
A tracking dog was brought in, and Henderson was captured. Marshall was commended for his quick thinking and bravery.
Other awards given Tuesday night: Community Service Award, Chris Tant; Chamber Officer of the Year, Officer Eric Marquard; Patrol Officer of the Year, Officer Donna Loebler; Communication Specialist of the Year, Dispatcher Ashley Phipps; Correctional Specialist of the Year, Officer Sandra Scott; Sergeant of the Year, Sgt. Lori Scott; Support Staff of the Year, Pam Adkins; Tactical Officer of the Year, Kaitlyn Krawczyk and Special Operations Officer of the year, Officer John Self.

Source: AL.com

Corpus Christi Library Security Officer Finds Man Shooting Up in Bathroom www.privateofficer.com

CORPUS CHRISTI TX May 9 2013
An alert security guard at the Central Library caught a man who was allegedly trying to shoot up heroin on Wednesday.

According to officials, the guard caught Christopher Furr inside a bathroom. He allegedly used a metal beer top, a tiny ball of heroin and a needle to shoot up.

Officers said Furr is no stranger to the law.

“Basically, the security guard, got to give them the credit, was going on his rounds. He went into the bathroom and saw the gentleman’s arm fall to the ground, and heard him moan. It’s just a common characteristic of someone shooting up,” said Officer Richard Olden of the Corpus Christi Police Department. “There’s nothing we can do to keep them out of here. It’s a public place. It’s just something we have to stay on top of. So it’s still happening. It’s a problem in the downtown area.”

Furr was checked out by medics and was cleared to be booked into the Nueces County Jail.

Source- Kiii News

Bellevue’s fire and police chaplain saves man’s life www.privateofficer.com

 

Bellevue WA May 4 2013 Mike Ryan was sitting down for lunch at Bellevue’s the King and I, a Thai restaurant off Main Street on Thursday, April 25, when a man seated behind him suddenly collapsed to the ground.

“You don’t really think about what to do, you just act,” said Ryan, a chaplain for Bellevue’s police and fire departments, who has been a loyal volunteer for nearly seven years.

Noticing that the man was having difficulty breathing, and that his pulse had stopped, he quickly applied CPR, asked restaurant staff to call 9-1-1 and waited by the man’s side until aid arrived minutes later.

“There is no question that the patient’s outcome is a direct result of Mike’s quick action,” said Lt. Troy Donlin of the Bellevue Fire Department.

Before Bellevue, Ryan had served as chaplain in San Francisco for 18 years. He’d watched many a first responder resuscitate individuals, but had never provided medical care himself. As chaplain, his responsibility lay in comforting victims and families.

“We had a divine appointment,” said Ryan of that fateful afternoon.

The two met at the hospital the next day, an opportunity Ryan said he is grateful for.

“It was a privilege to be honest. It was a chance to talk about his world and mine,” said Ryan. “I met his dad and mom, sister and two daughters…When you have the training and the opportunity presents itself, you don’t think about what you should or shouldn’t do. You just act.”

CPR classes are offered through the Bellevue Fire Department by calling 425-452-6885 for individual lessons and 425-452-7673 for group training. Visit the city’s website for more information.

Source- BellevueReporter.com

K-9 team member enhances hospital’s security force www.privateofficer.com

St. George Utah May 3 2013

Written by

Kristy Ann Pike

Live Well

If you’re visiting one of Dixie Regional’s campuses and come nose-to-nose with an 80-pound, pure-black German shepherd, don’t be alarmed. Unless you’re a bad guy.
Zeus is a K-9 member of Dixie Regional Medical Center’s safety and security department. Along with his handler, Jason Oliekan, Zeus patrols the hospital’s hallways, lobbies and grounds.
“Zeus’ main job is to protect our patients, staff and visitors,” said Kevin Greenhalgh, safety and security manager. “His presence acts as a deterrent to crime and can also help calm combative patients.”
Zeus is known for his especially keen tracking abilities, a gift that can help when searching for people or sniffing out trouble.
“Zeus has a natural ability at tracking,” Greenhalgh said. “Jason can give any type of scent to Zeus and then hide that item. Zeus is able to stay on track and locate the item quickly.”
When the thing being tracked is a suspect, Zeus is trained to corner the person and bark.
“Once he has them cornered, he won’t bite as long as the suspect is cooperative with security and doesn’t make any sudden movements,” Greenhalgh said.
Zeus has honed his natural abilities at Canine Training Academy in Canyon City, Colo., and is certified in search and rescue.
Security and police dogs are generally paired with a single handler.
“Zeus lives with Jason,” said Greenhalgh. “When Jason is out sick, Zeus is too.”
Police dogs require extensive training and have a working life of five to eight years. The Dixie State University Police Department has partnered with the hospital to sponsor Zeus, allowing him to be certified to the Utah State Police Academy Standards. In turn, Zeus is on-call should the university need his assistance.
Certified K-9 teams are somewhat rare.
“Zeus and Jason are one of only four teams in the Intermountain system, and the only Intermountain team located south of the Wasatch Front,” said Greenhalgh.
Zeus and Oliekan continue to train regularly with multiple local law enforcement agencies.
“Zeus provides a shared community resource,” said Greenhalgh, noting that Zeus’ predecessors at the hospital were used by other agencies to help secure public areas and aid in a bomb search.
Zeus wears an identifying vest when working.
“He’s naturally pretty sociable, which makes him a good fit in the hospital,” said Greenhalgh. “But like other service animals, it’s a good idea to ask the handler before approaching or petting Zeus when he’s at work.”
According to Greenhalgh, the hospital hopes to add additional dogs to the K-9 program in the future.
In an increasingly unpredictable world, “our goal is to help our patients, visitors and employees be and feel safe,” said Greenhalgh. “If you are at the hospital and see anything suspicious, require help securing your valuables or would like an escort to your vehicle, please contact hospital security.”

Mall mobile Security Cameras Catch Car Thief www.privateofficer.com

 

Sacramento CA May 3 2013
It’s modern technology at its finest, a suspect in a stolen vehicle goes from  hanging out at Arden Fair Mall to getting handcuffed all because he simply drove  through the mall’s parking lot.

“Basically, our vehicles each have cameras based at 45 degree angles on each  vehicle,” said Head of Mall Security Steve Reed. Security cars with cameras drive up and down the mall’s parking lot, scanning  vehicles for stolen plates.

“We will call it in confirm the plate is stolen and then we retrace our  [closed-circuit television] footage,” said Reed. And if the driver is nowhere to be found there are nearly 200 cameras at the  mall watching your every move. “Everyone who comes here when they get out of their car they  leave a  visual footprint and all we do when we get a stolen car we follow the  footprint,” said Reed.

As our latest suspect strolled through the mall, police waited at the  bottom of the escalator before arresting him. We also caught up with the victim of the stolen vehicle who later watched it  all unfold on camera.

“I’m shocked he is even driving it. He is not even supposed to be driving.  The tags are expired,” the man said. The new $35,000 cameras and software has led to 3 arrests in the past 2  months at Arden Fair Mall.

The cameras uses infared technology and they are HD.

Mall Cameras Catch Car Thief

http://fox40.com/2013/05/02/mall…

It’s modern technology at its finest, a suspect in a stolen vehicle goes from hanging out at Arden Fair Mall to getting handcuffed all because he simply drove through the mall’s parking lot

source- fox40.com/

Security officer nabs Botsford Safety Award www.privateofficer.com

 

Farmington Hills MI May 3 2013 Botsford Hospital has named Security Officer Frank Lapasinskas as a recipient of its Safety Award.
Hospital security officers perform preventive functions everyday throughout the year. They help prevent fires, accidents, disorder, and theft, for example. They’re essentially in the prevention business.
While making his normal security check through the hospital’s many parking lots on a windy day, Lapasinskas saw a light pole in the visitor lot that seemed to be swaying more than it normally would, even on a windy day. On closer inspection, the 37-year veteran employee discovered that an anchor bolt was broken on the pole’s base. Lapasinskas placed an emergency call to Botsford’s Plant Management Department, and the pole was immediately secured.
Then, it was discovered that a second bolt was on the verge of pulling through the same pole’s base. Lapasinskas’ actions prevented potential loss of life or serious injury to pedestrians and considerable vehicular damage.
Botsford’s Safety Award recognizes employees’ contributions to the hospital’s safety initiatives. Safety is a pillar on which Botsford has built its clinical care.

Source: Observer & Eccentric

 

 

Two Wirral security officers recognized for rescue of man www.privateofficer.com

 

Liverpool England May 1 2013 Two Wirral security guards who helped rescue a man from the River Mersey have been praised for their bravery.
John Royden from Higher Bebington, James Stewart from Bebington and Chris Kewley from West Derby raced to the man’s rescue on October 28.
The trio, who work for Liverpool-based Stone Security, were presented with awards by the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society during Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s Long Service and Good Conduct award ceremony at Aintree Racecourse.
Recalling the incident James Stewart, 30, said: “We were initially contacted by Merseyside Police control room with a concern for welfare and given minimal information as to a description of this man.
“I dispatched the two officers to conduct a waterfront check as we would do in these instances.
“Upon shouting out into the Mersey, the two officers were answered with shouts of ‘help me’.
“I then joined them on the waterfront to assist. We never expected to receive any nomination or award for what we did on that night.
“I am just happy to know this man was saved as a result of our actions.”
A Stone Security Services officer in their control room also liaised via radio with the three and the emergency services over the phone to keep them updated on the situation and emergency services response.
John Royden, 27, said: “We started our search at the waterfront, we shouted out into the darkness and were met with shouts of ‘help me’.
“We got life rings to him in the Mersey and did what we could to keep him as safe as possible until the emergency services arrived.
“We couldn’t have done what we did individually. We worked well as a team that night.
“To be recognised for this is special but it’s not about the recognition, it’s about knowing that we saved his life that night.”
Firefighters from City Centre fire station attended and pulled the man out of the water from the bottom of the steps.
By this time he was succumbing to a combination of hypothermia, exhaustion and swallowing water. Paramedics treated the man and he survived.
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Group Manager Paul Murphy said: “Undoubtedly, this man would have been washed away in the strong tidal current and drowned without the assistance of the three security guards who made good decisions under pressure.
“These three members of security staff have no specialist experience of swift water rescue, unlike members of Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service who have training for river rescues as well as from lakes and canals, but they kept calm and carried out a successful plan of action.”

TSA Agent Saves Woman’s Life at Newark Airport www.privateofficer.com

Newark NJ April 29 2013 A Transportation Security Administration agent is being called a hero after he saved the life of a passenger at a New Jersey airport.
Robert Kennish went to work thinking it would be like any other day of routine security inspections for the TSA. However he would leave work that day as a hero.
Kennish, 36, was walking down the jet bridge inside Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday night when he stumbled upon a chaotic scene where a passenger had collapsed and stopped breathing after her Virgin American flight had just arrived from San Francisco, NJ.com reports.
Kennish, of Metuchen, ran to the woman and performed an initial assessment. He quickly found that she had no pulse and she wasn’t breathing. As a former federal marshal and EMT, Kennish knew how to handle the situation. He began performing CPR to try to resuscitate the woman.
Fortunately, there were other professional passengers at the scene as well. An opthalmologist and another passenger who was a nurse, jumped in to help Kennish as a flight attendant brought an automated external defibrillator.
After a few moments of performing CPR, Kennish felt the woman regain her pulse.
“Afterwards I couldn’t believe it,” Kennish, an 11-year veteran of the TSA, said in an interview according to NJ.com. “She had a strong pulse – I couldn’t believe it.”
The woman was with her husband at the time. Neither have been identified.
According to a TSA spokeswoman, the woman was taken to a nearby hospital by paramedics for continuous treatment.
Kennish doesn’t take all the credit for the rescue. He says it was a group effort that led to the woman’s revival, but his superiors acknowledged his role in saving the woman’s life.
“Kennish demonstrated amazing personal courage and skill in emergency response,” said Don Drummer, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “In all likelihood, Rob’s decisive actions saved this passenger’s life.”

Fort Rucker security officers reach beyond the fence to help community children www.privateofficer.com

Dothan AL April 2013 Security guards are often seen as the first line of defense for Fort Rucker, but behind their stoic looks and authoritative presence, many support the local community in their off-duty hours.

Several Fort Rucker Department of the Army security guards volunteered their time to read to children at the Enterprise Head Start program April 16 as a means to give back to the community during their time off, according to Marvin Brandon, Fort Rucker DA Security Guard Branch chief.
Brandon said he has friends that work for Enterprise Head Start, and when they told him about some of the children’s situations, it prompted him to take action.
“This project is just something that we thought would be good to do for the children,” he said. “We want to be able to give back to the community, and when we heard some of the stories about how unfortunate some of these children are, it just made us want to do something about it.”
The project started about three years ago around Christmas when Brandon got together with other post security guards for a social get together. It was decided that each person coming to the event should bring a small gift for either a boy or a girl.
“We took those gifts down to the Enterprise Head Start Center,” he said. “We gave the gifts to the teachers at the center and told them to hand them out to any children that they thought might need them.”
During their visit, they were approached by one of the teachers who asked if they were interested in volunteering to read to the children during their off time.
“Of course we said yes, and it’s something we’ve done each year since,” said Brandon.
Sgt. Elaina Provost, Fort Rucker security guard, was one of the volunteers to read to the children and said it gives her a lot of joy to see the children’s faces when she reads to them.
“The [children] are really curious and they get really excited when we come out there,” she said. “I think its good for us to come out there and see them because it shows them that they can do something better for themselves.
“A lot of them tell us that they want to be police officers or firemen, and things like that,” she continued. “It’s nice to see them get excited about us caring enough about them to come out and spend time with them.”
Provost said it didn’t take much to influence her to give back to the community, and she wanted to set a good example for the children.
“My children have been fortunate and I was fortunate growing up, and we see a lot of children that don’t have things we’d like them to have,” she said. “It’s about being able to be a good role model or being able to talk to them to make the biggest difference.”
The books that the volunteers read are chosen by the children from their in-house library, and Brandon said no matter the selection, it’s always enjoyable for them to read.
“Last year we went through a lot of Dr. Suess books,” he said. “Those same books that I read growing up, I now had the chance to read to these kids, and it just made me feel good.”
Although the main goal of the project is to give back to those in the community that are less fortunate, another aspect of the project is to show that law enforcement, including security guards and police officers, are there to help.
“A lot of children are scared of police officers and security guards,” said Provost. “We want to show them that we’re the good guys and that we’re there to help, and that’s a big deal to me.”
Brandon agreed.
“A child’s first reaction when they see the badge is to be scared, and I think it’s very important to [change the perception],” he said.

Source- Dothan Eagle

Tampa Police Reserve Officer rescues 3 people from burning home www.privateofficer.com

Tampa, Florida April 20 2013 — A Tampa Police officer is hailed as a hero for saving three people from a burning house.
TPD says Reserve Officer Mike Simpson was patrolling the Beach Park neighborhood Wednesday night when he smelled smoke and found the front of a house on Shore Crest Drive up in flames.
He rushed inside through a side entrance, where he found an elderly couple, one of whom was in a wheelchair. A nurse who cares for the husband was also with them.
Officer Simpson was able to get all three of them — and himself — out safely.
Damage to the house is estimated at about $90,000. Investigators believe the fire was caused by an electrical problem on the front porch.

Source-wtsp

Lone Tree police-mall security thwart robbery at mall www.privateofficer.com

 

Lone Tree CO April 11 2013 Lone Tree police said they teamed up with mall security officials March 30 to thwart an attempted robbery at Park Meadows shopping center. A woman was arrested, and two male suspects, one of whom apparently had been carrying a stolen handgun, still are being sought.

Bernadette Irene Vargas, 51, of Edgewater, was arrested on six charges and booked into the Douglas County jail.
While shoplifting is common at malls nationwide, robberies — especially those involving a weapon — are unusual. “We don’t have a problem with robberies at the mall,” Lone Tree Police Chief Jeff Streeter said.

“(This is) the one report since January 2012 in which a weapon was used. It’s very rare.” The incident started about 6:40 p.m. at the JC Penney store, when a store loss-prevention officer confronted the trio for allegedly taking about $300 of cologne. One of the men reportedly lifted his shirt to reveal a handgun, and threatened the security officer. Vargas reportedly then threw a bag of stolen merchandise at the security officer and the three suspects ran out of the mall.

The security officer and Lone Tree police officer Dennis Boos, who is stationed at the department’s Park Meadows substation, caught up to two of the three fleeing suspects in the parking lot.

Boos pulled his gun and ordered them to stop. The man complied, but though Vargas stopped, she reportedly started cursing, yelling ‘Shoot me,’ and walking around the man before running off into the parking lot.

The security officer caught up to her and wrestled Vargas to the ground. She allegedly cursed and attempted to kick Boos when he handcuffed her. Police later found a loaded handgun under a nearby car in the mall parking lot. The gun had been reported stolen to Thornton police. Authorities who searched Vargas at the jail reportedly found she was wearing underwear with Victoria’s Secret tags still attached to them.

Vargas was charged with aggravated robbery, menacing with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, attempted second-degree assault, theft and disorderly conduct. Though the incident started as a shoplifting, the suspects’ use of threats, force or intimidation elevates it to a robbery, Streeter said. Streeter praised Boos’ calm response during the tense, at-times chaotic series of events. “They relied on their training,” he said. “

The officer assessed it properly and we were able to take someone into custody, with no injuries to anybody.” Malls and large shopping centers are frequent targets for shoplifters, many of whom are professionals and some of whom are part of national, organized shoplifting rings.
source- our lone tree news

Stockton security officer-civiliaans capture wanted parolee www.privateofficer.com

STOCKTON CA April 8 2013 – A security guard and bystanders helped detain a parolee at large who was arrested Friday after stealing a car and hitting a bicyclist, authorities said.
Sok Chea, 32, stole a 1988 Honda Civic from the 300 block of South Tuxedo Avenue at 11:57 a.m., police said. A witness chased Chea as he fled. Chea crashed the stolen car at West Walnut and North Center streets, but he continued to flee. He ran a stop sign, hit a bicyclist and a parked car and then attempted to flee on foot, but he was detained by civilians and the security guard, authorities said.
Chea was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and driving under the influence, police said.

Source- record.net

Kenmure private community security officer retires after 32 years on the job www.privateofficer.com

FLAT ROCK NC April 6 2012 — After more than three decades of keeping Kenmure residents safe, Denis Romeo is hanging up his whistle and turning in his badge.

At 3 p.m. today, Romeo will give up his hefty set of keys and clock out from his final shift as a security guard, closing the book on 32 years of service to the community his father, Vincent, developed in the 1970s.

“My father started Kenmure,” Romeo said. “I started out helping him with maintenance and then he said, ‘Hey, we’re going to open the gatehouse. I want you to do security.’ It was privately run when I started. I think I’ve worked for four or five (security) contractors since then.”

Through the years, he’s helped residents find their lost pets, checked out possible break-ins, ferried stranded homeowners through the snow, performed CPR on a fallen victim and a wide variety of other tasks that weren’t included in his job description.

“Anything you can think about from A-Z, we’ve done it,” Romeo said. “We’ve been called concierges, because 85 percent of our job is public relations. We have some residents call in for wake-up calls. And we do it, because we’re here to serve.”

Long after Romeo, 58, moves to Cary to join his father and older sister in retirement, residents of the 1,400-acre gated community say they’ll remember his faithful service, his cheerful personality and his willingness to go the extra mile.

“I’ve never seen anyone who was loved so much,” said Kenmure resident Jacqueline Polley. “He’s so humble and upbeat. He knows everybody and everybody knows him. I personally feel he can’t be replaced.”

On Wednesday night, about 400 people streamed into the Kenmure clubhouse to toast Romeo’s retirement. More than a few slipped him an envelope as they hugged him goodbye, a parting gift for someone who touched their lives in ways big and small.

“I heard one man say to him, ‘You’ve made my retirement the best time of my life,’” Polley said.

Romeo’s legacy extends beyond the guardhouse he frequented for three decades. About 14 years ago, he started collecting money to benefit the Henderson County Hunger Coalition. With the help of generous residents, he has raised $347,000 in that time.

“When I started, they’d pledge a certain amount for every mile I walked,” Romeo said. “I always walked 10 miles, which is the most you can do. Then they just started donating each September and every year, we would raise more and more, even when the economy got bad.”

Romeo said his approach to working security is simple: treat everybody with respect, whether they’re construction workers trying to get to a homesite or the subdivision’s most affluent homeowner.

“It’s great when I leave here and go into Walmart or a store somewhere and construction guys call me by name,” he said. “That’s why I try to make a good impression on everybody.”

Romeo said the most rewarding part of his tenure at Kenmure has been watching the community’s children grow up and become parents of their own, all before his watchful eyes.

“This place is like family to me,” he said. “Kenmure took care of me.”

Source: blueridgenow.com

Danbury Fair mall security nab car burglars www.privateofficer.com

DANBURY CT April 2 2013– Two Danbury men were arrested after security officers caught them breaking into a car at the Danbury Fair mall Friday, police said.

Christian Williams, 24, was charged with third-degree burglary, conspiracy and attempted burglary as a result of the 9:50 p.m. incident.

Jazzie Zanferdano, 21, was charged with conspiracy and attempted burglary, police said. Mall security found Williams inside a parked Jeep in the parking garage and Zanferdano about to get into the vehicle, police said.

The pair jumped out, told security the car belonged to them, and tried to flee before being caught in a stairwell. An investigation found that neither man owned the vehicle, police said.
source-www.newstimes.com

Trumbull Memorial Hospital security officers nab puse snatcher www.privateofficer.com

Trumbull County OH March 31 2013 A Warren man is in the Trumbull County Jail after police say he stole a woman’s purse and was caught by Trumbull Memorial Hospital security guards.
Matthew Bohyer, 34, is facing theft and robbery charges after police said he grabbed a 62-year-old woman, threw her to the ground and stole her purse in the hospital’s parking lot.
Pursuing security guards caught up with Bohyer and held him until police arrived.

Bohyer is in the county jail facing a court hearing.

School security officer, coach rescue TX man after car plunged into canal www.privateofficer.com

Harlingen, Texas  March 21 2013 A security guard, a coach and an assistant principal are being credited with saving a man whose car plunged into a canal during a Wednesday morning accident.

It happened at a canal next to Mercedes High School just before 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Mercedes Police Chief Olga Maldonado spoke to Action 4 News about the accident.

Chief Maldonado said the driver suffered from medical problems and accidently drove his car into the canal. Maldonado said a security guard and a junior high coach rushed in to get the man out of the car and get him to safety.

No charges are expected to be filed in the accident. Source-ValleyCentral.com

Volusia County Sheriff’s deputy rescues baby from house fire www.privateofficer.com

DELTONA, Fla. March 14 2013—A Volusia County Sheriff’s deputy rescued a 1-year-old child from a burning home in Deltona Tuesday morning.

Rescuers from Deltona Fire Rescue and the Volusia County Fire Department were called to the 2900 block of Bath Street where they found fire on the porch of the home and inside in the front of the home.

Brian Holley was at work when he learned his house was on fire. His wife Samantha, his 2- and 4-year-old daughters and infant niece were home alone.

“She was actually getting ready to give one of the girls a bath and walked back in the room for something and there it was all up in flames,” said Holley.

Neighbor Sherri Jensen called 911 after first smelling smoke and then seeing the blaze spreading fast.

“The whole house is on fire,” said Jensen. “The windows are busting out.”

Two adults got out safely, but Deputy Bryon Poteralski went in after the girl who was in a back bedroom.

Poteralski first tried to enter the home through the kitchen, but the smoke was too thick. He then broke a window and climbed into the bedroom.

The toddler child was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Poteralski was treated for a minor cut on his hand and light-headedness.

The accidental electrical fire started in a front bedroom. The home is unlivable because of fire and smoke damage. source-www.wesh.com

Hilton Head deputy, security officer honored for quick action www.privateofficer.com

Hilton Head SC March 11 2013 Cpl. Michael Malonis was patrolling Hilton Head Island in January when he spotted a black pickup truck matching the description of an armed robber’s getaway vehicle. He pulled up alongside the vehicle to check out the driver.

The driver resembled a robber who, just days earlier at South Forest Beach, had held a pistol to a man’s head while stealing his wallet.

When Malonis stopped the truck, the driver jumped out and ran. Malonis was close behind and, after a short chase, arrested the suspect, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. It was the second armed robber Malonis helped apprehend in less than six months.

The other was in August, when he caught a suspect accused of holding up a gas station near Bluffton. For those quick actions, Malonis was honored by the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island as its Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Since joining the Sheriff’s Office less than two years ago, the U.S. Marine Corps veteran has worked patrol and also served as a field-training officer and dive-team member. The club gives awards each year to security and law enforcement officers in southern Beaufort County.

Bonnie Smalls Dupree, who has provided security at the Westin Hilton Head Resort & Spa for more than 20 years, also was recognized this year. According to Westin director of security William Cox Jr., Dupree frequently goes “beyond the line of duty.”

In one instance that Cox recalled, Dupree jumped in front of a car driven by an elderly man who was backing out of a parking space dangerously close to his wife. Dupree also apprehended a Westin employee for stealing after noticing the employee dealing with items that were not part of the job description, Cox said. Both officers were given their awards at a luncheon Feb. 29 at Sea Pines Country Club
.Source: IslandPacket.com