Weak Links in the Armed Security Guard Profession

Weak Links in the Armed Security Guard Profession

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Dec 10, 2014

I’m always on the lookout for good news stories that relate to the security industry – the ones that grab me, that really sparks something inside of me, and I think I found one. Maybe I’m still too “new to the industry” to realize this, but there are no national standards for armed security guards nor is there a national database of how many shoot or misuse their guns. This struck me as a little odd to say the least.

CNN teamed up with The Center for Investigative Reporting for a yearlong investigation, examining training standards for armed guards in all 50 states. The results were a bit alarming. 

Take this comparison: A manicurist in California is required to complete 400 hours of training to receive a license, but an armed security guard only needs 54 total hours with only 14 of them dedicated to firearms training. That’s just in California; in 15 states, no firearms training is needed at all. The result of this lack of training can be seen here:

In the state of Nevada, a guard felt the need to fire his gun into the air outside a rowdy teen dance. The result? The bullet came down, struck and killed a teenage bystander.

The investigation also discovered that the backgrounds of armed security guards varied from those with criminal records for domestic violence, drug and alcohol offenses to former law enforcement officers with serious disciplinary problems. In addition, 27 states don’t even check if an armed guard is banned by federal law from carrying a firearm and 9 states don’t even conduct criminal background checks at all.

Some are calling for stricter standards, like Steve Amitay, lobbyist and general counsel for National Association of Security Companies. He is lobbying for FBI criminal background checks for anyone who desires to be an armed security guard.

What do you think? What should the requirements be for armed security guards? Should they be held to nationally-recognized standards? What about possessing a firearm? Should armed guards be required a certain number of training hours each year? And, background checks? Should these be required for each potential armed guard?

Looking forward to discussing this with you!

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    Perimeter Security Standards for Multi-Site Businesses

    When you run or own a business that has multiple locations, it is important to set clear perimeter security standards. By doing this, it allows you to assess and mitigate any potential threats or risks at each site or location efficiently and effectively. Read Now

  • New Research Shows a Continuing Increase in Ransomware Victims

    GuidePoint Security recently announced the release of GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team’s (GRIT) Q1 2024 Ransomware Report. In addition to revealing a nearly 20% year-over-year increase in the number of ransomware victims, the GRIT Q1 2024 Ransomware Report observes major shifts in the behavioral patterns of ransomware groups following law enforcement activity – including the continued targeting of previously “off-limits” organizations and industries, such as emergency hospitals. Read Now

  • OpenAI's GPT-4 Is Capable of Autonomously Exploiting Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

    According to a new study from four computer scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, OpenAI’s paid chatbot, GPT-4, is capable of autonomously exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities without any human assistance. Read Now

  • Getting in Someone’s Face

    There was a time, not so long ago, when the tradeshow industry must have thought COVID-19 might wipe out face-to-face meetings. It sure seemed that way about three years ago. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation. 3

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises. 3

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge. 3