Acknowledging security officers’ first responder role and the escalation of weapons by attackers, Cleveland is considering allowing private security to carry 9mm semiautomatic pistols.
The cleveland city council's public safety committee is considering a proposal to permit private security officers to upgrade their weapons from .38-caliber revolvers to 9 mm semiautomatic pistols. There are almost 1,000 officers in the area who carry weapons. A long-time contributor to Security Magazine, Tom Conley pointed out that “One inarguable fact is that traditional guards and firearms mix about as well as oil and water. But the proposal is not only highly appropriate, but is long overdue.” The Des Moines-based Conley Group has highly trained armed officers and a special response team. “While it is true that a security officer needing to fire his or her weapon for work-related incidents is rare, it is not rare for employers to be increasingly confronted with a firearm pointed at them by a disgruntled worker during the commission of a workplace violence situation. I would much rather fight a court battle then try to explain to an officer’s loved one why I placed that officer in a situation where they were unable to defend themselves and are now dead as a result.”
