Don`t feel so safe....

[gamo2hammerli]

Wow.....I`m on a roll....2nd link in 15 minutes. Just when you thought you were safe around security guards.

The guards were to only "Observe and Report".

http://www.breitbart.tv/caught-on-tape-seattle-security-guards-stand-by-as-teen-girl-brutally-attacked/

[North Pack]

Gamo, - I work in contract security, we really aren't supposed to "get physically involved" directly in situations, except in self-defense. Having said that, in the situation shown here, they should have broken things up, while at the same time calling/notifying the local police. You can carry this idea too far also. You do have to use some common sense. - The problem is with the legal system - law suits often follow this sort of thing, and that's what's behind this type of policy. Most contract security companies will fire anyone breaching that policy. Companies don't want huge lawsuits, ...

[RedFeather]

I'm sorry but, were I a bystander there, I certainly would have stepped in. I'm way over the hill in more ways than one, but you can't stand idly by and let things like that happen. They (the "guards") should thank their stars that girl wasn't seriously injured or killed. No, murdered. And I would bet these "professionals" are not that old or infirm. Overweight, yes, but still hale enough to intervene. They just didn't give a damn. Shame!

[snookman]

It clearly shows that unarmed, private ,so called "security guards" are totally worthless. Any hardened criminal knows that all they will do is stand back and watch, and call the police.  The only thing I think they are good for is keeping honest people honest. The armed citizen is the best solution for street crime. If the punks know that they are going to meet armed resistance to their actions they will think twice. snookman

[North Pack]

Gamo, - I work in contract security, we really aren't supposed to "get physically involved" directly in situations, except in self-defense. Having said that, in the situation shown here, they should have broken things up, while at the same time calling/notifying the local police. You can carry this idea too far also. You do have to use some common sense. - The problem is with the legal system - law suits often follow this sort of thing, and that's what's behind this type of policy. Most contract security companies will fire anyone breaching that policy. Companies don't want huge lawsuits, .

[RedFeather]

Guess that would include checking to see if she's dead?

[Shaky]

I understand the lawsuit angle and the fear of getting fired but there are some things rational people just shouldn't stand for. They should have intervened! I bet if it was one of their loved ones they would have. Honor and standing up for what's right is giving away to apathy and cowardice!

Just my two cents

[North Pack]

As I posted, - in this case they definitely should have stepped in. It's the correct thing to do, common sense has to over-ride company poilicy.  In reality, they have no more "power" than anyone posting on this board, or ANY private citizen, which is was private security is. If you personally bang someone around, you could, and will be sued, and maybe even arrested, - same for any security officer. - They cannot make arrests, or physically detain people any more than you can - honest. - When "interviewing" someone in a theft at a private company, and I've done several, - the person being interviewed/questioned HAS to be next to a door - so they don't "feel trapped" or intimated. They can walk out and give you the f****r any time they want to. - Personally I'd like to see them give tad more authority while working on "company property" - short of arrest, but the power to detain for up to 30-45 minutes. - If they bang someone around, they can be sued personally, the company they work for can - and the company that engaged them can - it's the way things are. - This tape is an "extreme example" unfortunately - and is not an everyday occurrence - thankfully. - We're also trained in First Aid, AED & CPR - but if the person is conscious, you have to ask their permission to help them - or leave them alone. No giving anyone a bandage, an aspirin or anything. You can hand them one if they'll take it - but that's all. -  Fear of lawsuits is behind all the bs.
.
Yes, RF, - I suppose you could check, out of curiosity, but not to make a determination, only a real MD can do that.

[geewhiz380]

honestly i would have gotten involved cause once the group sees that u know self defense the others will stop and more people would get involve it could of been any of our children on this news and we would have been *_*_*_*_*_*ed off if the job wants to fire me for protecting someone then ill take it to a higher sorce until i get justice but they will be other who would be willing to hire u and your skills ,im not happy this happened but im glad she is alive cause it would of been worst as a ex marine i couldnt stand there unless im getting involed ..thats why its good to teach or send our children to self defense classes at a young age ....God bless us aLL..JORGE LOPEZ

[RedFeather]

I understand that you are speaking in general terms. In the case of personal exposure to litigation should the security personnel have intervened, I think that most judges and juries would take the surveillance recordings into consideration. As to giving emergency medical assistance (which would include checking the girl's condition), there are "Good Samaritan" laws in effect in most, if not all, states.

What made this particular situation worse is that the guards called for help but did anyone see them getting into any of the attackers' faces, heatedly warning that cops were on the way and the whole thing was on camera? A slight, but plausible deterrent which likely put them at minimum risk of anything. By milling around like someone waiting for the store to open, they might have sent a signal to other bystanders that it wasn't serious enough to step in. .

[North Pack]

Good Samaritan laws vary by state - unfortunately. You're far more likely to not have a problem if you're nothing more than a by-stander. If you're paid for your services, like a guard, and step in unasked, - it's a whole different ball of wax. While I agree they should have stopped this, without question, - they did what they were trained/supposed to do, - observe & call. - There's a law-suit that has just been filed last week against an "unarmed security officer" for not preventing a shooting. I believe it was in either a court or city hall meeting, - when a PO'd citizen came in with a gun and shot several people. The guard notified the cop on duty, in the same building, who responded, - and ended being shot & killed. - Now they suing the unarmed guard for not preventing the shootings, - nuts, he'd have been killed too. - It's not as "cut & dried" as most folk think, - yeah, again, one more time - that girl should have been helped. Everyone at that location had the same EXACT authority as those guards.

[Big_Bill]

I hate to tell you all this, but the courts have ruled that even the police have NO individual obligation to any individual citizen, but to the citizens as a whole !

This ruling was made after two sisters were being raped and beaten repeatedly, when one sister pretended to be unconscious, and wile being left alone called the police on her cell phone, twice ! Both calls wereresponded toby the police, but when they didn't hear any indication of a problem, they didn't even get out of their cruiser. :0

Things being the way they are in the courts, who today, would risk their life for a stranger ? You would most likely end up being sued, injured or dead. To even help an injured person will most likely end up in a lawsuit. :0 A very sorry society we live in today, if you wish forsafety, you better be capable of performing it yourself !!!!!!!

Bill

[JimH]

I can't believe any of you guys would stand there and watch that. I've only been part of this group for a short while but already I can tell this is a decent bunch of guys. I don't think being sued would even enter my mind...maybe getting shot, yeah. But instinct would have had me in there restraining the attacker. I once jumped into a near frozen canal to pull a bridge jumper suicide victim out of the water as the state police tried to stop me because they said the cold water would stop my heart. They were waiting for a boat to come up meanwhile the lady was face down and floating within 10 feet from shore. Please - you don't even have time to think about what "could" happen. Then again I'm not a trained security gaurd conditioned to "observe" - and yeah, it was painfully cold. At least the police were nice enough to hold my wallet. LOL...

[gamo2hammerli]

That's the problem.....anybody can sue anybody nowadays.  As North Pack have told us about the "Security company rules" since he have personal experience in it.  And what Big_Bill said about the police.  They're not going to lose their jobs to intervene and get sued....or even lose their lives.  It's Everyone for Himself or Herself out there now.  If you're lucky maybe some bystander might help you out.  Sad state of affairs.