Screaming Bosses and Free Knives

Since 911, security guards have become an integral part of our society. Getting searched is now a normal part of public events. The security company I work for has bad hours, low pay, and treats people poorly. The work isn't all that great either, yet people are constantly applying for employment. There seems to be an endless supply of people who can’t get jobs anywhere else. The next time a security guard pats down your body and goes through your things, think about the person doing it. I paid $80 for an 8 hour class, a multiple choice test, and a fingerprint check. I am licensed to be an unarmed security guard in Arizona. I could be an armed security guard for $90 more, a gun, and some target practice.

My previous “Weird Archaeology” blog described events intertwining my job as a security guard and my archaeology hobby. Below are some incidents from my job as a security guard.

The ATM Incident
I was guarding a remote gate at a beer festival when I noticed a guy in jeans and a t-shirt spending too much time at a nearby portable ATM machine. He left, but soon returned with a homemade board on wheels. He put the ATM on the board and started rolling it toward the far gate. Security guards are not allowed to leave their posts, so I radioed my supervisor. The ensuing radio chatter was pretty funny as guards radioed the location of the ATM machine rolling across the grounds toward the main gate. The main gate people verified that the guy with the ATM actually worked for the ATM company.

The Bus Incident
My shift at an all day music festival was scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM. The company bus was supposed to leave at 8:45, but instead left sometime after 9. The driver took the bus to an unknown parking lot, turned off the engine, shut the door, and left. Summer in Phoenix and 35 people in an unventilated bus can get hot and stuffy. 9:30 was quickly approaching and I realized we weren't going to be on time. I called my company and reported the bus situation. They said not to worry. It was almost 10 by the time the bus arrived at the event. The sign in sheet had 10 as my start time, I mentioned that I was scheduled for 9:30 and had arrived at the bus on time. The supervisor started screaming at me and said I was scheduled for 10. Other guards at the event had also been given a start time of 9:30 with10 written on the signup sheet. Before the event was over, I was told to leave in an early departing company van.

At my performance evaluation, I learned that my file contained 1 commendation and 2 reprimands. Apparently, it is insubordination to ask a question or attempt a dialog with a supervisor. The insubordination means I also have a bad attitude. The reprimands were for the incident described in the Weird Archaeology blog and the bus incident above. The supervisor had tried to have me fired after the bus incident, but she couldn't because of the commendation for the ATM incident. This makes the ATM incident even funnier. Secret rules and reprimands seem a bit odd. Had they actually wanted me to quit attempting to talk with supervisors, they could have informed me of the rule or the first reprimand.

The human resources person said I would not receive the normal $.20/hour raise because of the reprimands. I have done things that deserved reprimands and commendations, but these weren’t them. I should have received a commendation when I discovered in advance that the schedulers had told all the guards to go to the wrong location for an event. The wrong location was almost 1 hour away from the correct one. At supervisor’s requests, I have stayed late on many occasions. I have also pulled a lot of weapons off people entering events. The quality of my work was not brought up at the evaluation--only that I had twice attempted to have 2-way communication with a supervisor.

Supervisors have absolute power over the people under them. It is common practice to play with employee hours. The pay is in 15 minute increments. Most supervisors round down--14 minutes rounds to 0 instead of 15. Others actually cut time after it is worked. Supervisors cancel or shorten shifts to give hours to their friends. They even cancel each other's friend's shifts. I’ve seen 3 people show up for the same position. Everything is done over the telephone and employees are not allowed to check for changes. There is no pay for showing up at a canceled position.

It is no surprise that the security company I work for has a high turnover rate. Why would anyone take all the abuse and risk for low pay and bad hours? I took a knife off someone entering an event and set it on the table while I completed the search. Another guard immediately pocketed the knife. It did not go into the contraband barrel. Another time, I had a badly swollen finger and needed a knife to let out the puss. The security guards around me pulled out an incredible assortment of lethal knives. Do people become security guards for the free knives?

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