October 2020, there was rioting throughout Denver, Colorado. Channel 9 News was charged with covering the riots as they progressed throughout the day. Because this was a high-risk situation, the news station hired a security guard for protection. At one point, the crew was approached by a protester who attempted to pepper spray their security guard, who in turn responded by shooting the protester. This protester later died from his injuries. Per the reports, the security guard is now being charged with 1st degree murder. See video below to learn more.
When evaluating the situation, who is the culpable party, the security guard or the security company who hired him? Indeed, it’s both parties. There are important measures that should’ve been taken by the hiring security company and the security guard that could’ve helped to better manage this situation.
Regarding the security companies, we suggest:
Regarding the security guards, we suggest:
This case study teaches us the importance proper security training has on the security work that we do. Unfortunately, in the case of the 9 News at the Denver riots, the lack of preparation from all parties involved, resulted in the death of a protestor and a man charged with murder. Security companies must understand that security is a profession and if it is not treated seriously, these types of incidents can happen again. Through professional training, we can reduce unnecessary force and harm in the field through better decision making under pressure.
To learn more about the event, watch the video below. Please be warned, this may be a little disturbing.
To ensure your physical security, we provide specialty security officer services, unarmed and armed, across different industries and fields. Our security is tailor-made to your needs, with the main priority to protect your assets, business operations, employees, and events.