OF SECURITY AND WEAPONS:

A couple of weeks ago there was a big broo ha ha about another guy who went to work armed and killed some people before killing himself.
On a radio talk show a couple of nights later a caller was trying to say that these businesses needed to allow all the employees to be armed on the job, that would be a deterrent to these people coming in and killing others.
There was quite the debate about it. And the point was made that if the business did that they could be held legally responsible if another shooting did occur. And the host also pointed out that these people often kill themselves in these cases. So the thought of dieing is not as much a “deterrent” as they might be. The man intended to die. What does it matter to him then if someone else pulls the trigger instead?

So then the discussion went to “maybe the businesses ought to all get security guards.”

But then you have the point that the guy is wearing a uniform that just means he will be the first one killed. He is a target. Most security officers are not armed and they are mostly a stop gap measure with orders to call the police or fire department if anything happens. Well any fool can pick up a phone and dial 911 that still doesn’t do anything.
Which led to the idea that the host had which was ALL security officers ought to be armed.

OHHHH KKAAAAAYYYYY. Let’s think about this now. I am a security officer, As such I would agree that I ought to be armed. I know how to handle myself and I know how to handle a gun. I am a firm believer in gun rights and I think that My carrying a weapon would improve my efficiency in the work place and allow me a feeling of security that come what may I can deal with any issue that comes up.
Likewise I think that it is a good thing to have all security officers trained in CPR and First aid… BUT I have also been a leader of security forces in various situations and I have worked in areas where the local law enforcement were pinheads and with that in mind I would be VERY hesitant to say that security officers should be armed.

For example, I once worked with one kid who actually managed to be literally scared of his own shadow. (one weekend he was on duty by himself, the end result made for funny reading but scary thinking.) I would unequivocally state that he should not have a gun PERIOD. Another time There was a disturbance near the place I worked, as I was investigating my perimeter some overzealous cops pulled down on me (drew their guns on me). And I had to explain to them who I was and what I was doing. I believe if I had been armed in that moment they would have shot me outright.

Security officers are generally not given much respect, they are called “rent a cops” or “cop wanabees”. this means that there are people working in this field who are not always the best of the best. You get a certain percentage of riff raff.

Because there is a negative onus and a great need for security, you get people hired who have no business providing security for anyone.

But there you go.
I think in order to get a better breed of security officer as well as many other “service” positions (Janitors, School bus drivers, Teachers, police officers, soldiers, politicians, etc) you first have to give them the respect they are due. That is to say give them respect for what they stand for. That officer (security or police) is an authority, respect that authority, they are prepared to stand between you and danger respect them for that, they will keep you safe, respect them for that.
That teacher or bus driver is trying to help your child to be all s/he can be, respect them for it… and so on. I have served in many positions like that and I have noticed an appalling lack of respect for those kinds of jobs. That means you get worse people in those jobs that means that you, your child, your safety are at risk. All for the lack of respect.
Once you do that you can start arming guards because they will finally have a reason to be good people who will stand there and defend you all the way.

Until then I say we need to be very careful about who is armed in our security forces. It will all need to be done on a case by case basis.