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CLIENT COMPANY SUPPORT OF SECURITY OFFICERS
Once the job description has been finalized and an all-inclusive security manual has been prepared for the officers, it is imperative that the client back up the officers' proper actions and insure that a consistent policy of enforcement and control exists.
It's bad for the morale of officers to find that the reporting of irregularities is being ignored by management. But it's worse to be instructed by the clients' management that regular rules and orders should be ignored in the cases of certain privileged individuals.
Specifically, should it be the officers' function to check all packages, there should be no exclusions for top management personnel. Once exclusions begin, the implication is that management believes only hourly personnel have the aptitude to steal. Labor problems and in-house morale problems develop and persons apprehended carrying out items can successfully claim they were singled out or discriminated against. In these situations officers lose all enthusiasm for their jobs and often ignore other problems they should report, feeling they are only expected to put in time at the site, not provide any real security.
It should also be noted that most large scale thefts at companies are perpetrated by persons who are in positions of authority and who have greater opportunity than the hourly workers. In one case a plant which had otherwise tight security had one privileged individual who was exempt from the all control. A sting operation placed an order for a truckload of stolen merchandise and this executive drove a company truck loaded with the stolen merchandise out the main gate without even being logged out. It was ultimately found this executive had been responsible for thefts exceeding $1 million. In another case all exiting personal vehicle trunks were checked, except one grouchy manager's. This manager, of course, was removing stolen goods on a daily basis.
It is always interesting to note that executives and top management seldom complain about security control and prove very cooperative . Typically the ones who cause the problems are less competent folks from the middle management ranks, often those who spend their time on the job engrossed in office politics rather than working on productive endeavors.
In one case, the local branch of a national company replaced it's ineffective minimum wage watchman outfit with a professionally run contract security service. Just two weeks into the new contract a vice president from the corporation arrived and attempted to enter the premises as he had always done before, but was stopped by the security officer on duty and asked to follow the newly-created procedure of signing in and producing identification. This vice president became irate and ranted and raved, but the officer had clear instructions, and followed them while remaining as polite and calm as possible under the circumstances. Finally, after five minutes of protests complaints and threats, this vice president produced identification, signed in and was allowed to enter the building, still grumbling. When the plant manager met him, the vice president was grinning and said, "Damn, it's about time you got some real security around here. Now do me a favor and call that guy on the gate and tell him I wish I had a professional like him out in front every one our plants, he's great!"
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