The year 2016 was filled with challenging issues for Canadian men and women who make their living as security guards. In an effort to protect life and property, security guards often find themselves in dangerous situations that they must handle to the best of their abilities. Here are some incidents that provide a glimpse into the situations that security guards in Canada are often faced with:
Weapons Training in Quebec
In June, an article published by The Canadian Press revealed that public security officers in Quebec are being trained in the use of retractable steel batons. This makes the Beautiful Province unique in the sense that security specialists are allowed to carry weapons; however, it is important to note that these are not your typical security guards working at malls and Canadian Tire locations. Public security officers in the municipalities that make up Montreal serve as liaisons between the community and law enforcement agencies.
Calgary Guard Stands His Ground
In April, a video showing a security guard coming under a vicious assault by a belligerent skateboarder turned viral. The guard was making a round of the TransAlta Building in Calgary when he approached a group of skaters who were grinding on stair rails. In the video, the guard can be seen taking pictures before one of the skaters pushed him down. A woman filming the incident called the police as the guard got back up and confronted the skaters, who promptly left. In the end, the guard declined to press charges against the youths.
Video Surveillance Cannot Replace Security Guards
In October, the CBC reported complaints from residents of apartment complexes on Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street about homeless people camping out on shared spaces. It so happened that this incident happened not long after the property management firm decided to replace guards with a video surveillance system monitored from a remote location. The tenants explained that homeless people have taken advantage of the absence of guards to break into the building and spend the night in common areas. Apparently, the new video monitoring system is easy to circumvent.
Safety Increased at Halifax Schools
A labor dispute involving the local teachers union and the Halifax Regional School Board threatened to leave students unsupervised as they arrived for classes. A job action consisting of a work stoppage was undertaken by teachers under the direction of union leaders, but the School Board quickly hired security guards to guarantee that the students would be safe when they showed up for class in the morning. The students were supervised by the guards and no incidents were reported during the period of the work stoppage. For additional resources, visit Silvertrac Software.