i think i got lost in the sauce in this thread, but... not disagreeing w/ the above, but, any feedback from any retired police officers doing bona fide security work?

sorry, i have to put my two cents in now. i have been a security officer for 4 years, a military police officer for 4 years and i am now serving a private detective. now, let me start with a security officer. a security officer is not a police officer, hoewever, there are so's out there who are putting their lives on line, just as police officers. I worked in armed security and everytime i strapped on my sidearm i was prepared to use it. everytime you carry a weapon you are putting you life on the line, and anyone how puts their life on line deserves RESPECT. i dont care if the jobs are the same or not!!!!!!!!
now, i am not going to talk about my military career, but a private detective is not a police officer. do they deserve the same respect as police officers? are their jobs the same as police officers? i say yes!!!! i believe ODIN said on the first page that po's differ from so's because so's dont go on drug raids or mishandle a crime scene. well you know what ODIN. i may not be a police officer, but i have been a SO, an MP and a PI and yes i have busted down doors, yes i have gone on raids, and yes i have even been shot at. so my question to you is do i deserve the same respect as a police officer, is my job close enough to a police officer to be on the same playing field as you, because by all mean, i do NOT want to disrespect you. after all you are a police officer and you put your life on the line. i will only show you the respect that i would expect from anyone else.

I am currently a security officer right now and I wear a badge but I do not think that I'm special or have any privelages that anybody might not have. I'm the site supervisor at my site and I like to think that if something happened then I would be there I feel that LEO's and SO's are here to do the same principal, we just don't have to authority to carry out the law and we need to watch the fine line that some SO's cross because of a big head. I tell all my officers that if there's an incident the first that you do if possible is call for the police then try to detain if necessary until an LEO show's up. But yeah I would put my life on the line to save another person and I have! I feel that security is an important detail you must be just as prepared as anybody else, hope for the best but train for the worst. Were here to protect and that's we can do the rest is up to LEO's.

In 1980 I left my department to return to Ca for a better paying Department. While waiting for all the BS I needed money so applied for and accepted as a security guard for a business that manufactured some very expensive medical equipment in a large complex. Trust me, it was the most boring and stupid job I think I have ever done and the other guards were definitely in the lower IQ range. Some were sloppy including the head guy and his fat sloppy 'honey' who also worked there. They of course hated me because I knew what I was doing and they were afraid I would take their jobs. Hell no! I wanted out of there as soon as I could and when the call came to go to work at a PD I was delighted to tell them goodbye and what a bunch of losers they had working for them. Thanks God they were not armed!

I was having trouble hearing you i was distracted by the arm waving, could you try that again.SO to prove me wrong step up and shout look at me.

Security Officer positions seem to have a lot of responsibility for the little pay they get. Since I retired from Federal Law Enforcement, I get somewhat of a check, so the little pay doesn't hurt. I am starting work for a security company at our local mall. It is amusing to see their web site and to see how they only get and want dependable and quality officers. How do you get these types of people when you only pay $8.50.

CENSORD said:

ii have never seen a news report that stated that a murder suspect walked off free because the security guard didnt prosses the scene correctly , or security guard makes a kilo bust while serving a high risk warrant. the jobs are not the same. or my be that is the way it is where you are from. what job does it depend on? are their security guards that knock down doors, and on duty police officers that just watch parking lots where you from.

CENSORD said:

why do private security guards come to police links and not security guards and security guard wannabes.com ?

I is A RENT A COP. A WANNA BE COP! (mis spelled, and grammar deliberately messed with)

I know what my position is as a licensed security guard:
I Observe.
I Report.
I Deter in my black uniform
I Pretend my less that incredible training online from a less than wonderful large security firm taught me usefull information.
I sometimes Detain. Usually for id verification and badging.

Hotel Security and night club security actually taught me more. I want to work someday as a real cop not well paid, not well respected. But someone has to do it! And hopefully I can put my heart and my knowledge to good use.