From: John Graves
I have to add that most policeman are great people and doing things that
at times are scary as hell. They are well trained and will give you the
shirt off their backs if the circumstances call for it. Mall cops are
not policemen, although they could be wannabes. The really scary thing
is that they are licensed to carry a firearm. They have little of the
training, very little of the experience and at Holiday time are probably
overworked as well. That is not to excuse the paranoia that a lot of
people have or the exaggerated sense of their rights. Pushing back in
either case is not going to win anything. A coupla deep breaths and a
calm explanation probably gets you more, regardless of who is doing the
stopping.
My two and a half cents.
Based on my experience when we were in the airports after 9/11, most
private security guards are either wannabe police, who can't meet the
requirements
OR
... former police officers who for one reason or another can no longer
be employed as sworn officers.
The latter scares me more.
Another unfortunate trend is a move toward "private police" forces in
shopping malls or other commercial properties. That is, that mall cops
who can't meet the requirements to become a REAL cop, are yet granted
all the POWER of a real police, but are not answerable to the citizenry
through any government.
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