New to the forum; concerned industry issues for decades

Hello all! I am new here, I am not sure how to introduce myself
but my name is Lisa and I am hoping to meet like-minded folks here on the forum.
I have been in the industry for twelve years and still counting!
It all first started when I joined a cadet program and graduated through a law enforcement academy and decided to make a turn to the security industry.
Over the past decade while working in the industry, I have noticed a lot of problems and issues that seem to be uncontrollable by different security companies. 1. major problem is that security guards do not make anything worthwhile to stay in the industry and then you have a lot of fall backs.
2. There are companies out there that just hire people to fill in the holes,
they don't take the time to look for the right people.
3. Armored transportation people fall through the system and things go haywire. I used to work for Brinks in Oakland Ca and I had a driver as a convicted felon and didn't even know it!
There are just lots of issues like these that has bothered me and I want to be able to change it more positive so that security is a positive place to work.
I only know that I can't change the world of security just the company I work for.

unknownlite119 in bay area, California said: Hello all! I am new here, I am not sure how to introduce myself
but my name is Lisa and I am hoping to meet like-minded folks here on the forum.
I have been in the industry for twelve years and still counting!
It all first started when I joined a cadet program and graduated through a law enforcement academy and decided to make a turn to the security industry.
Over the past decade while working in the industry, I have noticed a lot of problems and issues that seem to be uncontrollable by different security companies. 1. major problem is that security guards do not make anything worthwhile to stay in the industry and then you have a lot of fall backs.
2. There are companies out there that just hire people to fill in the holes,
they don't take the time to look for the right people.
3. Armored transportation people fall through the system and things go haywire. I used to work for Brinks in Oakland Ca and I had a driver as a convicted felon and didn't even know it!
There are just lots of issues like these that has bothered me and I want to be able to change it more positive so that security is a positive place to work.
I only know that I can't change the world of security just the company I work for.

One fo the problems in the security industry is the nature of the bidding process...with so many potential suppliers, it drives down prices to a point where we sometimes can't pay the officers enough. If a client is paying us $16 an hour for a guard, we can't pay them $17 an hour can we? It is always a fine line between maintaining a slim profit margin and compensating quality officers enough to retain them.

www.legionsecurityservice.com/

I completely agree with you, that this bidding process is the key to why a lot of us do not make
that much in the field. Unfortunately it depends
on how much the client is willing to pay that is based on our salaries etc. That's how it has always been for decades and I will be shocked if it ever changes.

unknownlite119 in bay area, California said: Hello all! I am new here, I am not sure how to introduce myself
but my name is Lisa and I am hoping to meet like-minded folks here on the forum.
I have been in the industry for twelve years and still counting!
It all first started when I joined a cadet program and graduated through a law enforcement academy and decided to make a turn to the security industry.
Over the past decade while working in the industry, I have noticed a lot of problems and issues that seem to be uncontrollable by different security companies. 1. major problem is that security guards do not make anything worthwhile to stay in the industry and then you have a lot of fall backs.
2. There are companies out there that just hire people to fill in the holes,
they don't take the time to look for the right people.
3. Armored transportation people fall through the system and things go haywire. I used to work for Brinks in Oakland Ca and I had a driver as a convicted felon and didn't even know it!
There are just lots of issues like these that has bothered me and I want to be able to change it more positive so that security is a positive place to work.
I only know that I can't change the world of security just the company I work for.[/QUOTEYOUR

BTI Security (www.btisecurity.com) often has job openings in the following types of security:

1. Unarmed Security
2. Armed Security
3. Loss Prevention
4. Retail Security
5. Government Security
a. United States Government Security with Security Cleared Guards
b. State Government Security
c. Local Government Security
6. Diplomatic Security
a. Security for Foreign Embassies operating in the United States
b. Security for Diplomatic Personnel, on and off embassy grounds
7. Private Security (Body Guards)
a. Diplomatic personnel
b. Corporate executives
c. Private individuals
8. Office Security (Office Building Security)
a. Corporate headquarters
b. Branch and regional offices
c. Bank security
d. Financial establishment security
e. Law firm security
9. Hotel Security
10. Manufacturing Security
11. Residential Security
a. Apartment complex security
b. Private community security
c. Condo security
12. Hospital Security

Security professionals are welcome to apply online at www.btisecurity.com

papichaito@yahoo.com in Tampa, Florida said:

I could not agree with you more in many ways. As the HR Manager for BTI Security (www.btisecurity.com), I focus on strick hiring standards in order to ensure we have the right personnel in place. Additionally, we utilize extensive processes and procedures to ensure that our security officers stay properly trained and informed.

The biggest issue facing security today, in my opinion, is the lack of strategic focus. I believe that this can be met through companies in the security industry focusing on listening to their clients, listening to their employees, and becoming a proactive player in what is happening around them.

Trent Miller in Hunlock Creek, Pennsylvania said: One fo the problems in the security industry is the nature of the bidding process...with so many potential suppliers, it drives down prices to a point where we sometimes can't pay the officers enough. If a client is paying us $16 an hour for a guard, we can't pay them $17 an hour can we? It is always a fine line between maintaining a slim profit margin and compensating quality officers enough to retain them.

www.legionsecurityservice.com/

The problem is then the security company taking any contract instead of being selective in the bidding process. Security companies especially the(warm body companies) are all about quantity not quality, I understand the competitive nature of the business, but it seems like anyone can fill a vacancy if you just don't care about actual 'Security'. Alot of these companies just care about getting as many contracts as possible in order to maximize profit(they usually don't last long) because the bigger companies like Wackenhut and Secuitas will eventually muscle them out. Companies like Wackenhut and Securitas are worldwide companies HQ'd overseas they have shareholders and a massive amount of overhead. So to keep the competitive edge they will bid as low as the smaller companies and pay the guards about the same. What needs to happen is either a pioneering company to change things up and offer better trained guards with a high rate of pay which will ultimately benefit the company as well as the client,however that in and of itself presents another problem, Convincing the client to pay more for a better quality of service. Most clients are completely ignorant when it comes to knowing exactly what they are getting for the billable rate they agree to. Any one who has worked in the industry know what I'm talking about.Unlike police agencies which are alotted an annual budget, privately owned security companies are all about profit which translates to maximizing profits.