I never got how they offer patrols and in case of emergency they will be there in very short time when they are forbidden to have red/blue lights along with sirens. Are they allowed to disregard traffic laws if they have lights on or what?

Can somebody explain a bit more about those security companies with that features. Here's one: http://www.silbarsecurity.com/index.html

Notice that they have CVPI's and Chargers' with cage in it. How they can possibly arrest somebody?...

They've got orange lights on the roof, not blue-red lights, they aren't authorised to do actual policing, but only their security job.

Just like any other civilian they can perform a citizens arrest, their cars are decommissioned cop cars, and might come with the cage fitted.

It's a clear imitation on police, I doubt the local police is happy about them using such close imitations.

Ye above company has the same livery except logo and text of many police departments in the US.

Not totally related to this, however there are Security-Police bodies (Private and Local), that have full sworn police powers.

Not totally related to this, however there are Security-Police bodies (Private and Local), that have full sworn police powers.

So they are a private police force?, that doesn't sound right to me.

This is very much true, there are some security-police firms that have great powers, sometimes more than the local authorities. Most Security-Police firms deal with personal protection (dignitaries, etc...), exclusive private properties, foreign intelligence and so forth. Believe me, DPD had an issue on this matter years ago and we got our a$$es handed to us on a platter.

They are security...not police, they have to obey ALL traffic laws however...if it's a private complex it's up to the land owner (if its large enough) what he wants the security force to do. but out side the complex they are no more power less than your average citizen

I don't know if you're directing that comment towards me or the original poster... but yes, there are some powerful Security-Police forces. I can personally attest to that...

Anyhow: http://en.wikipedia....Security_police

Security police protect their agency's facilities, properties, personnel, users, visitors and operations from harm and may enforce certain laws and administrative regulations. Most security police have at least some arrest authority. The law enforcement powers of security police vary widely, in some cases limited to those of private persons yet in others amounting to full police powers equivalent to state, provincial, or local law enforcement.

Edited May 16, 201213 yr by Nutt

Mall Cop has taught me well. Security guard's mostly leathel weapon is calling the police.

Mall Cop has taught me well. Security guard's mostly leathel weapon is calling the police.

sooo..his cell phone? But if you have a nokia brick....you have a weapon more powerful than thors hammer!

Nutt: The wiki page on security police talking about true police forces (i.e., government agencies, like FBI Police, US Capitol Police, Federal Protective Service, and equivalent state agencies) that happen to fill a security role (as opposed to patrol or investigation). Some are private contractors, but they still work on behalf of a government agency. That said, there are privately-run police forces in the US (most notably, railroad police and campus police [i.e., police employed by a college or university]). You just won't find them on that specific wiki page.

To the OP: As long as they don't act like cops, they're in the clear. On private property, security guards can have a lot of authority, because they are considered agents of the property owner. However, if they try to act like cops on public streets, the real cops start to care. Security guards are often allowed to detain people (you can see this a lot in malls), and, in most states, anyone can put orange lights in their car (they mostly just mean "Caution, I'm stopped/moving slowly"; you see them a lot on tow trucks). They can't disregard laws when they have their lights on; the idea is that they patrol the neighborhood much more frequently, so they're closer to you than the real cops are (which is how they get there faster).

Edited May 16, 201213 yr by cp702

Nutt: The wiki page on security police talking about true police forces (i.e., government agencies, like FBI Police, US Capitol Police, Federal Protective Service, and equivalent state agencies) that happen to fill a security role (as opposed to patrol or investigation). Some are private contractors, but they still work on behalf of a government agency. That said, there are privately-run police forces in the US (most notably, railroad police and campus police [i.e., police employed by a college or university]). You just won't find them on that specific wiki page.

Dude what??? Located on that page is what I'm talking about... and what you stated can't be found.

Types of security police and similar organizations

Security police may include:

1. Campus police, who are often hired and sworn in as state law enforcement officers, such as the Los Angeles School Police Department or City University of New York Public Safety Department
   
2. Housing police, such as the New York City Housing Authority Police Department, who protect publicly owned housing or "housing projects"
   
3. Airport police such as the Los Angeles Airport Police
   
4. Hospital police such as the New York City Department of Health and Hospitals Police
   
5. Park police, with full state police officer powers such as the New York State Park Police, who primarily protect the often vast properties of their employing agency
   
6. Certain federal police agencies such as the U.S. Capitol Police, whose officers are sworn in as federal law enforcement officers with the duty to provide police and security services to federally owned buildings
   
7. Capitol police, who protect state properties such as legislative and executive buildings, which can also include executive protection functions
   
8. County police, such as the Los Angeles County Office of Public Safety, who provide full, limited or restricted services to local governments
   
9. Special police, in the protection of public properties, such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum which is protected by sworn Special Police Officers as authorized by D.C. Code, § 4-114 (1981)
   
10. Court officers, such as New York State Court Officers, who provide police and security services at court houses
    
11. Company police to provide security police services on company or private property by contract, where local law permits private organizations to contract for police powers; this for example includes railway police
    

Security police are very popular here in North Carolina, their used alot by businesses, malls, colleges, ect. They have full police powers, but their juristriction is limited to the property their business owns. Usually what they do is have a few sworn officers and a bunch of "normal" unsworn security. When ever theres trouble, the sworn officers will use security and give them temporary powers (i.e. agent of the officer) to help them carry out what ever is needed to be done (arrest most times). I believe it is in general statute 150 something

Nutt: Those are links to other similar pages. Where it actually describes stuff (scroll down), it talks about government agencies. Likewise, read the first sentence.

In Australia it take a lot of screwing around to become an armed security guard, and at the end of the day they dont really have any powers. A security guard in my state just got arrested for assault because he punched a guy because he was being aggressive. On patrol they usually use marked security cars with an Amber/white light bar and abide by traffic laws.

they're basicly civilians with glorified citizens arrest powers.

Just to clarify, security police and security companies/guards are not the same. Security police is state's/government's property not private and it's common sense that they have full police powers on area they secure.

However, I was asking about normal security guards and security companies. You can't rent/have a private police force aka security guards/officers that have police powers, can you? That would be so wrong then.

@snit - I believe if they are transporting money and they get attacked they can open fire if robbers are armed or very aggressive.

Edited May 17, 201213 yr by Eagle

It's likely to be dependant on the law in each jurisdiction but as far as I understand it's unheard of to give police powers to anyone who isn't a policing-by-government agency. I'd be really surprised if you can find any cases where private security firms have any powers beyond the ordinary citizen. I know in my state that people performing security roles have to be licensed and they do a training course as part of that but an ordinary citizen can do anything they can.

The arrest powers that security officer use are the same as an ordinary citizen, I have actioned them myself.

In most legislation, the police power to override certain traffic laws is either written in as an exemption to the traffic laws themselves or as part of law that covers police. There are no provisions made for non-police (including private security).

Edited May 17, 201213 yr by Ekalb

Nutt: Those are links to other similar pages. Where it actually describes stuff (scroll down), it talks about government agencies. Likewise, read the first sentence.

Once again, I was specifically talking about Security-Police... nowhere in any of my replies was I talking about a general Security Officer. Hence my first statement in this thread; "Not totally related to this".

There are "private US Secuirty-Police" firms with full police powers, both homeland and foreign, that serves both the government and private sectors. The whole wiki page describes different varitations/forms of Security-Police, not just the pick and choose parts you want to make your points with. The general public must understand, receiving "full police powers" isn't anything sacred or only reserved for passing police cadets. There are bigger entities (private companies) with greater means (money, influence, etc...) that do receive full police powers for their attended needs, be it in the government or private sector of Security-Policing. As I stated earlier; DPD has ran into this issue and it wasn't (still isn't) a pleasant experience. But yes, let me stop hijacking your topic Eagle. .

Edited May 17, 201213 yr by Nutt

If what you're saying is right Nutt, that private firms in the USA are given full police powers, that's fucked.

If what you're saying is right Nutt, that private firms in the USA are given full police powers, that's fucked.

Yes! However, I wasn't surprised...

FYI, I wish I can speak upon it, but that means my a$$.

Edited May 17, 201213 yr by Nutt