B.C. wheelchair takedown under investigation

[oneh2obabe]

B.C.'s justice minister has ordered an investigation into the violent handling of a man in a wheelchair by security guards at a downtown Vancouver shopping mall, as seen in cellphone video broadcast by CBC News.

Shirley Bond said she has also ordered an investigation into another incident in which guards at Metrotown in Burnaby roughed up a teenager who had photographed them taking down a man in the mall.

In the Vancouver incident, a one-legged man in a motorized wheelchair was pulled aside on Oct. 6 by three undercover security guards at Pacific Centre who suspected him of shoplifting.

On the video, one of the guards is seen lashing out with a string of profanities, and then appears to hit the man, pull him out of the wheelchair onto the ground, order him to roll over onto his chest.

The incident was caught on cellphone video by one of dozens of witnesses.

“Of course I’m troubled,” Bond said Thursday. “We’re going to do a thorough investigation. That’s exactly what people would expect us to do.”

The guards at Pacific Centre are employed by Genesis Security, under contract to the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association.

On Wednesday, Genesis vice-president Ashley Meehan said the man in the wheelchair was known from a number of previous incidents and had aggressively resisted the guards and possibly assaulted them before the video was recorded.

But on Thursday, the company said that one of the guards has been fired and the two others have been suspended pending further investigation.

“The actions of the employees are contrary to our company’s policies and not consistent with the community-oriented company that I have built over the past 15 years,” Genesis Security Group president and CEO Camil Dubuc said in a release.

Toronto-based security consultant David Hyde, who once worked with Pacific Centre, said the security industry is facing serious problems finding good people.

“Unfortunately, the standard has really — excuse the expression — been dumbed down,” Hyde said. “It’s such a low-paid industry that you can’t really attract good-quality candidates to work in front-line security positions.”

In B.C., security guard certification requires 40 hours of basic training, plus an extra three days to learn how to use restraints.

The code of conduct in the province's Security Services Act states that guards "must not use profane, abusive or insulting language or actions,” and "must not use unnecessary force."

Bond said that her ministry might have to review training standards.

“One of the things that investigation might contemplate is whether or not that training is adequate enough,” the minister said.

Vancouver police were called to the Pacific Centre incident when a witness called 911. No charges have been laid against the alleged shoplifter or any of the guards involved.

Police have said they would like to speak again to the man in the wheelchair, but have not been able to locate him.

Video
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -bond.html

[GordonH]

I watched the video, absolutely no need for any of the actions taken by security guards.

[Nom_de_Plume]

The whole video really upset me, but the one part that stuck out to me was when they pulled him from his wheelchair onto his back and then called him stupid because he wasn't on his front.
jeeeezzzzuzz!

[diggerdick]

It seems almost as if, society is going through some sort of fanatical law enforcement tough guy hero phase. Where people who would wash out as being a police officers still can live out their dreams and fantasies Of being a tough guy.

But they are not emotionally mature enough to be put in that position.but yet a large proportion of society will cheer and find any excuse to justify their actions.

Poorly trained private security, mall cops seem to act extremely tough when dealing with the weak and disabled.

[grammafreddy]

Its the bully mentality - people who were bullies all through school are getting older, out of school and becoming security guards and police - and their bully tendencies are being acted out on society on the whole. These occupations feed their egos and add to their power trip attitudes.

The agencies and companies who accept these bullies for training and future jobs should be doing more and better mental health assessments to determine which ones have these bully attitudes and weed them out.

Society needs an attitude adjustment, too. We talk the talk but so many sure don't walk the walk.

[Charlie01]

I think you're pretty close to the truth GF.

[WhatThe]

Is it just me, or do we not see "takedowns" of guys 6'2" 220 + pounds? All the videos I see seem to be of people that can't really resist anyway.

[oneh2obabe]

Is it just me, or do we not see "takedowns" of guys 6'2" 220 + pounds? All the videos I see seem to be of people that can't really resist anyway.

Wild guess ... the guards don't want their arses kicked from here to kingdom come?

[CorkSoaker]

One of the issues that really stuck out to me besides the ones already mentioned is: "It’s such a low-paid industry that you can’t really attract good-quality candidates to work in front-line security positions."

Having worked in the private security industry I can personally attest to this. Add the minimal amount of training and its only a matter of time before this kind of stuff happens.

[Ken7]

I think the problem with Security guards has been around since the implementation of them. What has come to light recently is due to the advancements of technology and the availability of recording devices as everyone has one!

Most of the guards are want to-be-cops. Why are they not cops, they are not acceptable candidates for one. The other is some would not have the ability to pass the written or the physical qualifications to be accepted.

Currently in BC basic security guard training is 40 hours. If you have $306.00 you too can become a Security Officer.

http://www.jibc.ca/programs-courses/sch ... y-training

If you look at the course description, and further have any knowledge of the content it is obvious why the problems exist.

There is not enough time to instil in some of the candidate’s minds the importance of many of the topics. As a result you end up with certified Security Officers who are really not able to make the rational decisions and at times over step their legal bounries as the two most recent reported incidents clearly show.

[Captain Awesome]

What's the point of having undercover security guards? Wouldn't three uniformed security guards be more of a deterrent to shoplifters than 3 guys dressed like you average downtown *bleep*?

[WhatThe]

What's the point of having undercover security guards? Wouldn't three uniformed security guards be more of a deterrent to shoplifters than 3 guys dressed like you average downtown *bleep*?

Ya, if they want a guaranteed *bleep* off from someone like me that's the way to do it. Not that I'm stealing stuff JSYK