Working Around, Under, or Over Institutional Inertia/Inbreeding

Joe _K

Established
I am currently gainfully employed as an armed security officer working for a large private company that has a longstanding contract with a large 3 letter .Gov entity. The company I work for provides all the armed and unarmed CONUS physical security, building and perimeter patrols, access control, first response in the event of an Active Killer threat and more for the .Gov entity.

The vast majority of the armed officers are equipped and outfitted like Barney Fife. 100% poly Dress/Parade type uniforms, antiquated equipment, horrendously bad “training” and no incentives to seek out training at the individual, small group/shift, or facility level. Ideas, suggestions, and input is shunned, ignored, or mocked by Supervisors, Management, and Corporate leadership. On the contract there are at least 4 separate uniform types issued and worn by the differing types of officers, and different types of jobs performed as well as based off of location.

There are repercussions for discussing in detail or revealing, uniforms, equipment, training standards, and anything to do with security posture or operations, which is why Im not posting pictures of gear, equipment, uniforms, or naming the Company or .Gov client.

The client pays through the nose for my employers services, turnover rate among employees is exceptionally high for the wages paid individual entry level officers. A continual complaint from officers leaving, and those that have been here for over a decade is “the stuff they give us sucks”.

What I, and every other officer I’ve met and spoken too would like to see happen:

- Practical yet Professional looking general purpose uniforms issued to all Officers.

- Safer footwear issued, or allowed to be individually purchased and worn. (12 hours in Coraframs on asphalt is not conducive to long term podiatry health, nor do the current issued footwear allow for ease of mobility/running/walking, plus no safety toe working in industrial and sometimes areas under construction or remodel.)

- A current duty grade duty belt and Level II holster.

- An actual functioning flashlight issued.

- Ball Caps or no hats at all for interior posts.

- 1 inclement weather jacket/coat issued instead of the 3 we are issued.

- Medical first aid kit issued.

- A more realistic firearms qualification course of fire. (You could pass the current Qual half asleep and shooting one handed)

- Training beyond qualifying once a year with our issued gear and firearms.

- At a minimum semi-annual training not including annual qualifications on our gear/equipment and firearms.

My question is how could I best approach this problem in an attempt to get things changed for the better for my fellow officers, and the client?

I can’t walk away from this job right now, this is how I support my family.

I can’t see much use in reiterating the same concerns that the Head Shed guys have heard and ignored for the umpteenth time will help.

And it drives me nuts that such a large group of folks are not receiving good training and equipment to allow them to more effectively and safely do there job, especially when good info and gear is so readily available.
 

AtlasTinMan

Newbie
I know a guy at another three letter agency who is dealing with the same thing guards. Though I am not sure if it is just training people with what they are stuck with or he has any say in bugging people for new equipment. I can put you in touch with him and see if he can help you out at all.
 

Joe _K

Established
I know a guy at another three letter agency who is dealing with the same thing guards. Though I am not sure if it is just training people with what they are stuck with or he has any say in bugging people for new equipment. I can put you in touch with him and see if he can help you out at all.

I’m all ears. Shoot me a PM if you can.


“Don’t go slow, be careful” - Jedi
 

Joe _K

Established
I’ve had officers consider writing an anonymous letter to Trump, the Secretary in Charge of the Client, the President if the company, guys talked about going to the media, the IG, people are fed up with getting handed shit and told to sing for it, plus not being able to use any privately owned stuff.


“Don’t go slow, be careful” - Jedi
 

Based Dude

Newbie
File an IG complaint with .Gov agency or DOD for fraud waste and abuse of gov funds that should be going to equipping and training y’all. That will put your employer in hot water and not put you on the spot
 

Joe _K

Established
File an IG complaint with .Gov agency or DOD for fraud waste and abuse of gov funds that should be going to equipping and training y’all

Would I need proof that they are willfully misusing funds? Or just an accusation of such would lead to an investigation that could spike change?


“Don’t go slow, be careful” - Jedi
 

Based Dude

Newbie
Would I need proof that they are willfully misusing funds? Or just an accusation of such would lead to an investigation that could spike change?


“Don’t go slow, be careful” - Jedi

No, you just want to get the ball rolling. Evidence helps, any documentation you have of inefficiency, abuse of gov funds by your bosses (wasting money on admin things instead of training) etc
 

Gilevi

Amateur
could it be a contract issue? i know theres a security company in my state that handles all the fed buildings and they are restricted to the firearms and equipment they use based on what is stated in the contract
 

shoobe01

Established
could it be a contract issue? i know theres a security company in my state that handles all the fed buildings and they are restricted to the firearms and equipment they use based on what is stated in the contract
This was my thought. First see if you can find the contract (they are public, it's just a pain to dig through them) and read it in detail.

It may not be your employer per se, but they are just willing to meet the letter of the contract and don't want to rock the boat by trying to get it revised to be better, since: money. You'd be surprised what gets in contracts, because if they don't specify it's worse! E.g. three pieces of outerwear may actively be in there in a desire to keep you warm, dry, and safe, but it was written in the 1960s and never updated to new needs or materials.
 

Joe _K

Established
I am trying to get a copy of the contract, at least the section that discusses training, gear/equipment, and firearms.

As a real world example of how our equipment has failed us, a site I worked we had a power outage that affected our part of town for over two hours. The emergency power failed in the building that we were in as soon as the power went out. Myself along with other officers are responsible for escorting members of the public, fellow contractors, and government employees out of the building. Some government officials refused to leave the facility and continue doing “work” even though we had no power, so at this point myself and others had to negotiate our way around a cavernous and completely dark building to include ascending and descending half a dozen flights of stairs with flashlights that either did not work, or provided such little output that a cell phone light would have been preferable.

When it was mentioned to supervisors and leadership that were actually present during this event of the issues that we had encountered they blamed us for the faulty equipment.

Also turns out that dress shoes on slick surfaces in the dark do you not a good combination make.

Attached are the 14 Lumen lights we must carry. #almostnoneofthelumens.

As well as the footwear worn on almost all posts, rain or shine, interior, or exterior.

The now out of production G&G Leather holster with “Astro Double Retention!”
AKA the impossible to safely draw from gun pocket.

Our “medical” equipment consists of one crumbling pair of nitrile gloves and one flexible mask for CPR.
 

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I have done lots of armed security here in PA. Was a regional shift manager and some other random gigs for a while. Currently the company with the local contract is trying to recruit me because my buddy told them to.

That being said our local federal contract guys are all union. Their minimum training standards and equipment are all governed by the contract and the union agreement. They have a very low turn over other than when some guys take their retirement when the contracts switch companies.

I generally don't condone unionization but it seems to be a working model here in Pittsburgh. Job security for when contracts change to a new company and the guys get top notch gear and training quarterly based on their union contract.

I hope that helps. DM me if you would like me to have my buddy reach out to you in some way.
 

Joe _K

Established
We are Union. Never seen anyone from the union, only heard of them getting involved when someone is getting canned for unsatisfactory performance.


“Don’t go slow, be careful” - Jedi
 

Fatboy

Established
So after finally getting the chance to read this, my suggestion would be to fight the fight from a lawsuit prevention perspective. As in a Monell lawsuit for failure to train/ equip. The company is responsible for providing a standard of gear (and training) that is reasonable and it looks like your gear is way less than that.

Make sure to put all of it in writing to keep a log of events and also to prevent any arguments over what was actually said vs what the outcome is.

Good luck.
 

Ryan St.Jean

Regular Member
could it be a contract issue? i know theres a security company in my state that handles all the fed buildings and they are restricted to the firearms and equipment they use based on what is stated in the contract

The company is not going to put an additional dime into training unless their next contract specifically requires it.
 
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