As a National Security Analyst, this is my brief reflection of the Security Industry, and my personal experience, within the security industry, here in Queensland, Australia, thus far.
Tomorrow, I have decided to not do any crowd control Security duties for Cap Security, on NY Eve. In years gone by, I would have leapt at the opportunity to work in crowd control, and to prepare for the inevitable physical removal of Malcontent Patrons, for the evening. Firstly, I am not angry enough, nor eager enough for yet another tense NYE night. I've done a few very sobering, and tense, New Years Eve gigs over the years.
On the home front, my biological daughter thinks that I'm an ATM. As much as I would love to please my daughter, as of right at this moment, I'm more in a mood to burn bridges rather than build them.
As for my 2021 New Years resolution.
The general view of Security Officers' social status, and the perception of Security Officers, by the National Security, and law enforcement community, in general.
Like many things in this world, prejudice and character stereotypes, is prevalent in society and is generally reflected in the entertainment, and sporting culture, which is also reflected in the security industry culture. The different types of crowds for different types of events reflects the diversity of interests and types of people that would attend entertainment venues and sporting events in which the sober minded security staff are made aware of whenever these events occur. It becomes a unique sociological microcosmic experience of community behaviour which is akin to the entertainment industry. How people react, and behave, particularly whilst under the influence of substance abuse, intoxicating influences, and unusual situations, will often affect the way people interact and behave. Often, some people will misbehave which will draw the attention of the security personnel and law enforcement authorities.
The bigger picture in the social engineering process may be gleaned in an intellectual didactic lesson on social engineering, in ensuring that good, proper, and civil behaviour is observed, and that the conduit, in ensuring that this harmonious relationship is maintained by the Security Staff. A Security officer is not only aware of the true ramification of being at the tip of the sword, and is at the front line in enforcing the social mores, and sanctions which is their primary role. This role more often is not fully appreciated by the general community, at large.
At the tip of the sword level, if a Security Guard were in a military uniform, they would be more respected as Soldiers serving their country and would be given medals, citations and even a promotion in rank. But, in a security uniform, the tip of the sword security guard or Security Officer, is less regarded and certainly the Security staff, in general are subjected to social ridicule, as the lowest level of the law enforcement structure in any society. And yet, it is the Security Officer, more often than not, who will be the first responder, and are the frontline, in all major incidents.
It appears that although the Security Officers are, indeed, the first responders to all major incidents in all major events, they are the least socially respected especially by the media. The Victorian Covid hotel quarantine lockdown, is a case in point. The Media blamed the Security Guards for the ineptitude of the decision makers up the chain for their lack of clear and demonstrable instructions and protocols for the Security Companies to relay down the chain to their officers. And yet, the media decided that all Private Security providers were inept and unprofessional in their conduct. Perhaps this is in part due to the ad hoc fluidity of the emergency which was ignored by the media looking for scapegoats.
Understandably, there is a high attrition rate, and transiency culture in the security industry. This, in part, may be due, to the social standing of Security Officers, as being no more than Bouncers in the entertainment industry. Most Security Officers are stereotyped as lowly educated in comparison to Policemen and Soldiers. It is presumed that most Security Officers are in the Security Industry because they could not pass the aptitude tests for both the police force and the Military. The general derision by other levels of the law enforcement and military wings would render the Security Officer as the lowest status personnel in the law enforcement industry.
Understandably, then, there is a higher level of workplace attrition in the Security industry. The least enviable functions and responsibilities of the law enforcement duties are performed by the Security Officer. This would include, the long hours of static duties, as a Sentinel, intermittent violent incidents, and the mandatory incident reports, and at worse, court procedures, which would deter many very suitable security personnel from the industry. Overall, the social stigma associated with Security Officers as Police recruit and Military aptitude failures is the most glaring stigma associated with Security Officers.
However, on the battlefront in the war against social unrest and crowd control responses, particularly in venues, asset protection, and major sporting and entertainment events, it is the Security Officers, in general, who are the first responders to almost all incidents. They are the first to address First Aid if a victim is injured, they are the first to physically confront any malcontents and to physically detain, apprehend and remove the assailants from an incident. The Police, on the other hand, are the "Garbage Collectors", the police arrive to do the handcuffing, the bench charge processing, and the removal of the troublemakers in panel vans, for lockup processing, bail applications and release or an overnight accommodation at the local watchhouse. Security Guards and Officers, are the frontline of the law enforcement process, which is relatively ignored by the community at large. Most would focus on the Police arresting trouble makers when in actual fact, the first responders are always the Security Officers.
Again as the first responders in incidents, the Security Officers are most likely to be charged for serious assault, rather than police officers, who more often than not, would arrive after an incident has happened, and would simply remove the detained and immobilised Perpetrator or Suspect.
My Personal perspective:
Recent years within the Security Industry, I've endeavoured to experience all levels of the Security industry, so as to experience a thorough grass roots and the tip of the sword field work perspective of the security industry.
Over the years, since 1990, I have gathered a lot of experience of the rough and tumble, in the Security industry in Wellington, New Zealand.
After gaining hopping from one security company to the next, I have gathered a fair idea of the security industry culture, and I can glean a fair amount of knowledge of the calibre, and quality, of the security staff, and their particular culture, from my personal interactions with Security Staff at various levels.
I have spent countless times dealing with incidents to the point that I am bored silly with the regular routine.
Therefore, I've decided to focus less on field work of applied security duties, in which, crowd control, is essentially the main role of most security officers, as the MUSCLE, and less brain, so to speak, and were disparagingly referred to as BOUNCERS.
This was my primary function, working in security in New Zealand, in the 1990s. I was the Bouncer, and I had worked in Alfies, the Carpark, and The Stock Exchange, in Wellington.
As a 22 year old, these were exciting times full of activities, some of my Facebook friends worked in the industry in Wellington with me as well and will attest to the same experiences as I have had. There were many incidents which would be too many to document, then there were mostly long hours of standing at the door, and utter boredom. Again, as I look forward to yet another year of primarily crowd control security duties at Major sporting and concert events for 2021, I may find myself less suitable as I age.
Working for Cap Security, as a Field of Play Security Officer, I am certain that I am the oldest Runner in the Security Industry history, I am approaching my mid-50s, and I still run after field invaders, like in the recent third State of Origin, at the Suncorp Stadium, there were three field invasions, and I had run onto the field in all three incidents. I felt young again chasing young mindless drunks running onto the field of play.
In 2021, If I am not employed by any Investigation Agency within South East Queensland, I will venture onto my own private investigation agency.
I will be concentrating more on analysing and writing more blogs and delve into investigative journalism in 2021.
I am considering investigating Government officials, and, especially looking into discriminatory Government institutions, from education, government services, and sporting institutions, and general Government Officials, and I may conduct my own version of investigative journalism as a Queensland and New South Wales Licensed Private Investigator.
I will be veering more into the armed security service provision in 2021, so as to augment my income streams.
In the investigative side of the security industry, I will be focusing more on a case by case investigative projects I may consider undertaking in 2021.
Still a very interesting life, even if unenviable for most people who obviously regard themselves as my superior, within the Security Industry, as Police Officers, Military personnel, lawyers, law enforcement, and Intelligence agents, within the National Security field.
I am continuing analysing the pitfalls and the rewards with working in the security industry and I guess I've seen the law enforcement and the National Security at the lowest level possible and can look both from a top down perspective and experience the bottom up point of view as well.
What I will still continue to do is write my National Security Blogs, which has always contributed to the social media world, pro bono.
Tim Tufuga
30th December 2020.
