TexasCHLforum.com

speedsix wrote:..that's the way it oughta be...a uniform without a gun is nothing but a target...unarmed security is not only dangerous, it's stupid...

Gotta agree, especially since Texas law basically allows nothing for noncommissioned officers. Might get away with carrying a baton, but even that is doubtful. OC requires certification, and a commission.

Pity. I've defused many situations merely by pulling the OC from my belt and extending my arm in a "ready to spray" pose. Funny how fast people will back down in the face of sure and certain pain to come. Ask anyone who has experienced both OC and a Taser which they'd rather be hit with again LOL!

...Wackenhut..in 96...taught us not to go shopping in uniform...to drive straight to work and home, if in uniform,and surely if armed in uniform...worried about the liability to the Corp. if something happened as much as the restrictions in the law...imagine the nightmare if you walked into the donut shoppe uniformed and armed while a robbery was going down...why, you might be accused of being a wannabe Batman...

I've learned that a lot of local companies have lines in their employee handbook like "irrespective of State law, company policy is that you will NOT be armed while travelling to and from work".

speedsix wrote:...Good...then I wouldn't put my men in danger by having one more unarmed uniform out there...the thugs shoot at the uniform before they notice if there's a gun or not...I would never be in uniform without one again...

I'm with ya on that. I won't pin on the tin without strapping on the iron.

I've instructed my officers to, until further notice, disarm if they are outside of their company vehicle unless on client property while in Fort Worth. Seems a little over-restrictive, but I won't risk having one them arrested for doing their job.

KRM45 wrote:
If I remember correctly, the part I underlined above was an update to the law from the 2009 legislative session. It could be a case of the officer not being aware of the change.

Something sound fishy about the whole thing though. Almost like some part of the story is missing... He never asked for ID, or called in to verify the security officer was actually on patrol?

The LEO asked my officer for ID, including his "pocket card" from the PSB showing his commissioned officer status. He then proceeded to berate my officer for carrying a weapon when not on a contracted client's site.

OK, here's an interesting one. Would be interested in hearing comments, especially from LEOs.

I'm a field supervisor with a small security firm in the DFW metroplex.

Last night, one of my commissioned officers, in uniform and on patrol, driving a marked patrol vehicle, stopped for gas. As he was filling his tank, he was approached by a Fort Worth police officer who threatened to arrest him for UCW (unlawful carrying of weapon) unless he removed his duty belt while he fueled the car. Not just the sidearm, but the entire duty belt, because my officer was also carrying an ASP baton and OC spray, both of which he is certified for and qualified to carry.

The LEO's rationale was "you are only allowed to carry a weapon if you are on a contracted client's site".

State Private Security Board rules state that a commissioned security officer may carry a weapon "in the performance of his duties", and while traveling to or from work, but this doesn't seem to be covered. My officer was enroute from one client site to another, and stopped to fuel his company, marked patrol vehicle with a company credit card.

Seems to me that fueling his company patrol vehicle would be "in the performance of his duties" but apparently the Fort Worth Police Department feels differently.