It only took 22 days
By Martha Entwistle
Updated Sun November 18, 2007
On Oct. 25, I wondered about the wisdom of advocating for armed private guards as the appropriate first responders to burglar alarms.
Lone Star Security Regional Manager Bruce Boyer asked: Why have high-trained, highly-skilled police officers responding to burglary alarms when their time could be put to much better use?
Then offered this nugget:
The gun stays in the holster and only comes out when an officer faces deadly force. And that deadly force must have the ability to deliver it against an officer or customer, said Boyer.
"If the deadly force is across the street holding a knife, the gun stays in the holster," he said. "Our job is to investigate alarm calls. If there's criminal activity, we call the cops. We are not Rambo."
I was pithy at the time and said, "Well, not only are you not Rambo, you are also not a police officer. Let's hope deadly force is never used, but it's hard to rely on hope in that potential situation. ... What happens to a community when a private security company shoots a kid reaching for a cell phone? If a police officer does that, it's one thing. In this case he was placed on leave. I think it's a very different situation if it's a private security officer, where the city doesn't have recourse and the company is not accountable to the citizens."
Well, look at the response to this police shooting today. Would you want this photo to have your yard sign in the background? I'm thinking not.
Comments