Hiring a Security Firm or Seeking Employment: Things to Keep in Mind

One of the biggest questions I am asked is “Who should I work for? What are some of the good companies out there? Who should I hire?” I usually find myself in a diplomatic catch 22. On one hand if I recommend a provider I am bias to my other clients, on the other hand if I recommend a company and they do no foot the bill my credibility is affected negatively... and I display bias towards my other clients

Here are somethings you should look for when you are either out on the job market or looking to hire a security company to protect your assets.

1.   Learn about the market

You want to look at how many companies are in your area and what their specialty is. Generally private guard companies specialize in retail security while others lean more towards the corporate office market. There are other firms which specialize in various forms of investigation and some who’s primary focus is overseas security, either close protection, or Private Military Contracting (PMCs). Others are often seen at large events and venues and some cater to a specific niche such as government buildings, hospitals, residential or industrial areas.

2      2. Meet the people

I’m not referring to simply the management. A company owner or business development manager will always feed you the goodies and why they are the best or why you should select them. Speak to the people who work there, strike up a conversation, ask them about their company and their job. Do they like it or not? Why they like it or don’t like it? Do they receive training? What type of training and how frequently? How often do they work?  Get a feel for their personality and observe their work. Are they personable, approachable, do they project professionalism?  Is this someone you would want protecting your assets? Or is this someone you could work with? Most important, is this person trustworthy? Your best market research into an organization will always come from those who are doing the job.

3.      3. Pick Three

It’s great to have options however having too many can be bad. The Marine Corps Officer Candidate School teaches it’s officer candidates to come up with three options to a problem, too many and the candidate can become confused or disoriented too little could lead to indecision. Pick three companies in your area that you think that could foot the bill and judge them based on the information you received in your research.

4.      4. You Get What You Pay/Settle For.

Good service is not cheap and cheap service is never good. In the Halifax area, the average security worker makes between minimum wage (10.65/hr) and $12.50/hr with a select few companies here and there who offer more. The wage of the security worker is often determined by the billable hourly rate set by the company for the service. This can be anywhere from $13.00 to $18.00/hr depending on the contract and the level of service required, not including holidays. Some company’s pay their employees a salary wage where they are guaranteed a certain level of income and are required to perform work up to a predetermined number, usually 40 hours per week.  Some companies pay bottom dollar, overwork their employees, pay no overtime through legal loopholes and tax their employees for things like uniforms, training, or “miscellaneous” deductions.

One company here in the Halifax area withholds more than $33,000 per year from their employees for training many of whom never receive it, and those that do? Are paid for their training using the same funds to which they were deducted for.

5     5. Do Not Hire a Security Company in Place of a Temp Agency/ Know What the Job Entails

For the most part many security workers possess a variety of skills, some may be high school educated or have no high school education at all. Some have university or policing experience while others are using the work to supplement their income from another job unrelated to the security field. Hire a security company for one purpose, securing your assets or property. Security workers are not temporary labourers and in fact, a security worker will most likely do the absolute minimum they are required to do because “this isn’t what I signed up for” and could adversely affect your productivity. Many in the security field take on that role with a sense of pride and commitment, often times with a goal of advancing into another related field such as the military, law enforcement, corrections, or other form of civil service. If they are not doing security related work or feel their abilities and potential are being wasted, they will most likely quit. It costs more money and productivity to train 10 people for one job were 8 or 9 will quit in the first year, than to train one or two for the same job who will stay on for 2-3 years and up.

6.     

6. Be Wary of Dubious Claims and Potential False Marketing.

The biggest thing I see when it comes to the marketing done by some private security firms is either inaccurate information, omission, or flat out lying. During your market research you will often see that large security firms do not gloat or boast. They may highlight where their experience is drawn from, in either case, question it. Military experience and police experience are often showcased by many security providers. Question it. Many former military or police members usually have no issue speaking to their experiences face to face. An honest man usually tells a short simple story, a salesman can never shut up. Experiences can also vary. A person who spends 30 years in law enforcement working within a variety of areas such patrol, K9, general investigation, emergency response team, forensics, narcotics, etc. will have a variety of experience in a wide range of areas. You wouldn’t hire a 20 year SWAT veteran to forensically audit your books (unless S/he has higher education to perform that task, obviously). Military experience is the same way, a person who spends 30 years in the regular force infantry is far more credible and experienced than a 30 year infantry reservist who has never left the continent or fought in a theatre of war. (not to say that reservists cannot attain a high level of proficiency or experience. However, part-time soldiers, generally, do not experience the same operational tempo as their regular force or active service counter-parts). The same standard and scrutiny should also be applied when the terms “military or police trained”, “State/Provincially certified”, “highest quality training” are used. Find out what the province or state mandates. Is there standardized training? If not, what training does this company offer? Who provides the training? Do they have the education or background to be teaching the subject matter? Can they provide documentation showing their expertise? If you’re looking at potential employers, ask to see their instructor(s) teach. Sit in on a class if you can. The unfortunate reality is that the private security market is overloaded with "self-proclaimed" experts who do not pack the gear to be teaching the material they are passing on, or profit from old, outdated, and irrelevant material no longer being taught to the professional community but is being sold the unaware, and uninformed civilian market. 

7     7. Vet ALL of the Information.

I recently held meetings with a new potential client, I had met one of the individuals many years prior, it was simple chance that we happened to run into one another at a local store. Information I had been lead to believe many years earlier did not paint a very good picture for this person so I kept my interactions with them to a minimum. It was only after running into this person and later sitting down to dinner with a group of friends that I realized I had made a huge mistake many years earlier. It turns out the information was so far from the truth it was offensive to call it a lie. I was ashamed of myself for following the herd like so many others whom I had worked with.

It taught me a valuable lesson. Believe nothing you see and only half of what you hear.

Even after you have had your meetings with potential security providers or employers. Take the time to fact check.

8      8. READ THE FINE PRINT, use a lawyer.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I was first hired by a private security firm was to sign an “Employment Agreement” without taking the time to fully read and comprehend what was actually in the agreement and what it meant. A mistake made by a much younger and eager Cameron. (18 years old) Not only was I in a rush and too preoccupied with all the wonderful things this company claimed to be able to give me. I signed a document that was not only illegal, but borderline criminal on a moral scale. No Overtime pay or any compensation for it. Illegal. I had to pay for my own uniforms and equipment, even cold weather gear, I was deducted $10 per pay check to cover training which I could never participate in for many months because I was always scheduled to work the evenings when training was conducted. I was paying for a service and was not receiving it, illegal. I was often scheduled to work with little to no time for rest, Occupation Health and Safety, Transportation Safety, and Commercial Trucking Regulation violations. On one occasion, I was injured on the job during a range shoot, after a firearm owned by the company exploded in my hand leaving a permanent shard of shrapnel lodged in my upper left lip. No OH&S report, No Workers Compensation, No Investigation by any regulatory body that I was made aware of or asked to speak to.

If you are asked to sign a document, ask for time to read the document in full 24 hours is perfectly acceptable. Longer, if you are signed a contract for a security service. If you have a lawyer use them or ask a lawyer to review the documentation. If you are told “These documents cannot leave our office” There is a reason, walk away.

What Makes a Competent Instructor?

A while ago a friend of mine, we’ll call him Jim, came to me with an issue that was raised with his gun club. Over a weekend he and some friends got together for some fundamental pistol training; together going through various drills. Everyone was an experienced shooter, Jim being the only military shooter. Naturally civilians want to know how we in the military handle firearms and the techniques we use to employ them. Jim is a solid shooter, with a vast array of knowledge in tactical firearms training. His background includes various combat deployments around the world, training military and police officers in a variety of topics, including tactical employment of firearms. Video was taken for social media (as everyone does) and posted. About a week later he receives this email (a bulk email was sent) from the leadership of his Gun Club essentially demonizing what it was they were doing as "unsafe". In my experience, and I’m sure a lot of professionals will agree, there are three different types of shooters in this world.

photo by look-see-eat.blogspot.ca

Paper Punchers

These are your maybe not so accurate, not so quick hobby shooters, folks who simply enjoy shooting targets, be it paper cardboard or clays, your first timer rent-a-gun-for-fun types and hunters. Now I include hunters because their focus is getting that one good shot. They’re not worried about scoring points or dying.

Grand Master and Taurus Team Captain Jessie Harrison-Duff

Competition

These are the folks whose focus is accuracy, marksmanship and speed to score the highest amount of points. They’re looking for tactics that will allow them to hit the A zone accurately, as fast as possible, moving down and around the range as safely as possible, utilizing safety devices such as barrels and tables as they move through each weapon system; normally rifle, shotgun and pistol. They’re not often worried about the idea of cover though they may need to shoot from adverse positions depending on the course of fire. If there’s a safety issue the course of fire is stopped, the issue fixed and the reset button pressed. Competition style shooting gets you killed in the real world.




Gunfighters

Now for the purpose of this post I use this term very broadly. When we talk about gunfighting the first thing you think of is JTF2, SEAL Team types or even John Wayne and the wild west. In some Canadian ranges, it’s a term very frowned upon.  What is and isn't safe operation or use of a firearm is often determined by those with little or no qualification to say so. Its like saying gun in a room full of liberals, it makes people irrationally uncomfortable. Gunfighters include military personnel, police, armed guards or specialized security, and prepared citizens or those who wish to have the tactical ability to potentially protect their home. I say gunfighter because the term gunfight means a fight using guns between two or more people (Cambridge English Dictionary). These individuals are not looking to score points. They too need to be fast and accurate however the tactics and methods used are extremely different. They are training for the moment when they will need the firearm to protect their life or the life of their battle buddy, partner, or family. These individuals are training for the target that moves and shoots back.

Types of Instructors

Instructors can be found from all walks of life, in various topics. The majority of which have had many years experience in their respective fields. They bring a level of real world experience applying the skills in a non-training environment.  Two common types of instructors that can be found are:

Self Taught

These instructors are individuals who have taken a particular interest in a subject and expanded upon their knowledge base through individual training, reading, practical training applications and skill development. This is the most common type of instructor you will find today. They dedicate themselves to not only perfecting their knowledge base but take a genuine interest in passing on the knowledge to others. They have taken an interest in a particular subject and have been mentored to an extent by trained professionals.

Experienced Based

These are the instructors who have spent many years working in a particular field, teaching based on their experience and skill sets. They have undergone a careers worth of training and working experience to support the training programs they deliver.

Clark Impastato is a retired Navy SEAL with a wealth of knowledge combing from years of experience and training with Special Operations and as an Arizona law enforcement officer, applying that training throughout the world and at home. I spoke with him about this topic and he explains “Any instructor I’ve ever had, I look at where they got their information from and if they applied their knowledge in the real world or just a classroom environment."
Clark emphasises “ There is a difference between an Online Degree and a Degree from Harvard. On top of that, have they worked in the profession they are teaching? I want to learn from someone who has actual experience in the topics they are covering”.




A common trait you will find among good quality instructors is the desire to improve. Any instructor  worth their salt, whom I’ve had, has at one point or time, made a statement to the effect of “I am here to learn as much as you”. In every training session I conduct I often have individuals from various walks of life, including military and law enforcement even my own peers. Knowing these different backgrounds and skills sets are present, I always throw out to them “I am here to provide you with tools to place into your tool box, it is up to you to decide which tools go into the top rack” an concept I took from a previous mentor. This sets the mood and the tempo very quickly and creates a comfortable training environment. Second I tell the students “I’m here to learn as much from you as you are from me”. Your best critics are and will always be your students. Senior or more experienced instructors can provide you with tweaks and points to work on but ultimately your best critics are the people you are training. They are the ones learning the material, they are the ones following your example, they are the ones whom you have to convince that the material you are teaching, not only works, but can be learned and perfected.

Using a Variety of Professional Development and Coaching Styles

A satisfactory instructor will use one or two methods of teaching, a good instructor will use a variety of methods to teach. In Training at the Speed of Life by Kenneth R. Murray, he covers a variety of teaching styles which can be found today in many military and law enforcement instructors.

Self Education

This usually takes the form of reading books or material, listening to audio books or watching videos.  Validity of the information provided is purely subjective

Self Training

Someone who has mastered a skill understands and appreciates the time and practice required to attain such mastery. Self training on the part of the student is paramount if they are to master the skills they are taught. In the Use of Force world particularly for private security workers they are usually only given a few hours per year with an instructor. They must be able to self train the techniques taught and therefore it is on the instructor to provide training which can be easily learned to permit that self training.

Coaching

The interaction of two or more people where one imparts information to the others, or during a practical component, observes and guides the other to assist in developing proper form and function of the skill being practiced.

Theoretical Coaching
The transfer of information through the use of someone knowledgeable about a subject. Classroom lectures, and audio visual media can fall into this category and the only possible dangers are an incompetent coach, incorrect or irrelevant information, or a boring coach. Sitting in a classroom environt can be a challenge for students especially when the instructor cannot hold their attention and maintain interest.               

Practical Coaching
The application of information through the use of someone knowledgeable about a particular skill, or set of skills. These are often broken down into  two categories, static and dynamic. Static coaching is the slow progression to understanding the fundamentals of a particular skill. Usually this is the beginning stage where a skill is broken down in to it's individual components and focus is placed on technique, accuracy, and repetition. Dynamic is very similar  to static, but with an added stimulus to influence a cognitive or emotional response necessitating the need for the skill.

Testing
Finally we come into the realm of testing which includes theoretical through written examination to test the retention of academic knowledge as well as static, dynamic and reality based training scenarios where the physical skills are tested in an “as real as possible” environment. The true test is whether or not a skill can be applied under stress and without the need for cues or prompts.


Experience Can Be Subjective - Your Mileage May Vary

A piece of paper doesn’t make an instructor, anymore than working a job for many years makes you an expert or proficient enough to teach it. In many organizations you will find "instructors" who rely entirely on regurgitating what is on a slide presentation, and do not quite explain the material effectively. If you don't understand human behaviour, how adults learn and how to adapt your teaching methods on the fly. You will loose your audience and your "buy in". Now some will say otherwise and dispute that statement, however the Gracie Family are a perfect example of this.

Gracie Academy out of Torrance, California has been providing defensive tactics training to military and law enforcement professionals for over 25 years. Their program, Gracie Survival Tactics, has been adopted by agencies around the world. Rener Gracie travels far and wide delivering this program. He has never spent a day in uniform as a law enforcement officer or member of the military, but, what he and his family have done, is taken what they know, consulted the law enforcement community and adapted Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for their environment which is far different than that of traditional Jiu jistu that we often see in IBJJF or MMA. GST is unique with three focal principles.

Never go to the ground

Retain your weapons and tools

Achieve the position of advantage

Based on testimony from thousands of GST students there is no defensive tactics program out there that is able to achieve the results that the GST program has been able to achieve. In an online video up loaded to YouTube UFC Fighter Brain "T-City" Ortega goes up against two GST Students. Brian a BJJ Black Belt, and many years experience as a trained fighter was subdued and handcuffed by these two officers. To be able to take two officers, with limited knowledge in the area of ground fighting, through a five day program and then have them take on a trained and experienced ground fighter was something that blew me away. Personally I was more interested in how their style of teaching was able to achieve these results verses the techniques used to teach the students.

Conclusion

It is important we provide a training area where all types of shooters can come and train for whatever their reasons are. Judge a person's ability to teach not by the pieces of paper on their wall, but by their experience as well. Ask questions about their material and ask for references. Learning is not just obtaining knowledge but also questioning what is being taught. Creating an environment of open discussion shouldn’t be feared neither should the idea of "something new". Sharing knowledge is the only way we have ever advanced as a society.

Just because you haven't seen it or done it, does not make it wrong, incorrect, or unsafe.

References

Training at the Speed of Life Vol 1 –Kenneth R. Murray

Clark Impastato – Black Tree Ranch LLC Instagram: @frogman2155

Gracie Survival Tactics –Gracieacademy.com

The Five Fingers of Tactical Proficiency

The following is an article written by Whiskey Delta Gulf which I believe is very relevant to shooters at all levels. At the range I have been asked "How can I become a better shooter? What are some things I should focus on? It really comes down to the basics; learning to crawl before you walk, before you run.

Adam Painchaud, Vice President of the Sig Sauer Academy, during an interview, broke it down even further "When is comes to fundamentals really all there is is trigger control and muzzle management, getting your sights on target, keep the muzzle from doing a lot of movement and then squeezing the trigger without disturbing the muzzle." He goes on to demonstrate this concept firing a single round from his pistol into a 1" target, holding his pistol upside down, one handed, standing on one leg from 10 yards. "Now obviously this isn't an ideal shooting position but as you can see you can achieve accuracy focusing on those two things; trigger control and muzzle management.

For the tactical employment of firearms WDG breaks down the five things a shooter needs to focus on in order of precedence to properly and effectively employ firearms in an operational environment.


Five Fingers of Tactical Proficiency

I use the human hand as an aide-mémoire to remember the principles of tactical training to which I adhere. There are a few reasons I do this: you use your hands to manipulate weapons and other tactical equipment and you will always have your training mnemonic with you!

Thumb –Safety

Opposable digits and the ability to reason separate humans from animals. Both of those attributes play a huge part in training safety. Safety is designated by the thumb as it is impossible to operate a weapon without a thumb. You should not operate a weapon or participate in tactical training without safety being first and foremost in your mind.

Treat your weapon as if it were loaded. Don't treat it likes it’s radioactive. Treat it like it’s a firearm and you will be safe.

Do not intentionally or deliberately point your muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy, without an adequate reason for doing so. This is a practical training class, in a training environment. For the square range make a conscious decision to NOT point your weapon at other people. In the real world, you do occasionally have to point your firearm at other people.

Know what is between you and your target, and to either side of your target. We’re not going to be operating on the square range in the real world. You will have good guys and innocents down-range of you in addition to the suspect. Pay attention to your surroundings. Consider the reality that you might miss. The reality that someone may step in the way of your shot, and the reality that your round may punch all the way through someone and keep going. Most of all, consider the reality that you might miss.

Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. If you fail in all three of the preceding rules, there is a fourth one for good measure. If you point your weapon at someone while it’s loaded, but don’t pull the trigger, the worst thing that will happen is you will get beat up. Unless you are actively engaging a target, with a solid sight picture, there is no reason, whatsoever, for your finger to be on the trigger.

Use your mechanical safety. Once you have successfully engaged a target, snap your firearm’s safety on if it has one. This is for the safety of everyone around you. It goes the same for the real world as well.

There is a zero tolerance policy for safety. If you violate safety rules, you are gone.

Weapon Manipulation-Trigger Finger

Building fluid and natural weapon manipulation skills is a cornerstone of tactical firearms proficiency. There are four levels of skill competency.

1.        Unconsciously Incompetent

2.        Consciously incompetent

3.        Consciously competent

4.        Unconsciously incompetent

These skills can only be developed to their full potential with regular dry training. The good thing about this training is that it is inexpensive. The only required investment is a handful of dummy rounds. You just need a place and to make the time. A few minutes a day can have long lasting effect on your learning potentiation.

The place and conduct warrants some discussion.  It must be a quiet place; free of distraction. You must decide on which skills you are going to practice before you start. All firearms must be cleared prior to starting any dry training. Absolutely no live ammunition should be in the vicinity of your dry training area ever! Practice perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Speed comes with familiarity and fluidity.

Practice admin loads, unloads, immediate actions and remedial actions. Practice presentations, dry firing, adopting different fire positions, and post engagement drills. Run these drills slick, with belt kit and with full order. Train the way you will fight.

Dry training needs to be constant. One spring a couple years ago, I was invited to audit Phase Line Green Tactical One Day Pistol Course as a participant. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I got into dry firing and weapon manipulations drills extra hard the week before the course. It really showed on the course who was familiar with their firearm. Part of it was experience but, part of it was the constant refresher. As an aside, the course, for me, was a rock solid review of fundamentals. Well worth the time.

Accuracy-Middle Finger

"Speed is fine but accuracy is final." Larry Vickers

The primary objective of tactical firearm training is to survive tactical encounters. Solid hits on your adversary or adversaries are the most effective way to survive. I am talking about combat effective accuracy. However, to achieve combat accurate hits under a body alarm response will require you to practice accurate shooting drills regularly. The effect of your natural physiological reaction to life threaten situations will deteriorate your skill. Additionally, these skills will fade without regular practice.

Start this by getting a solid zero for your chosen firearm at a realistic distance for your environment. Shoot groups in the five conventional positions from that range. Once you are confident at that range, expand to longer ranges and shorter ranges. Learn the hold offs for your sights at those ranges. Practice shooting around, over and under cover. Shoot supported and unsupported; learn how that affects your accuracy. Learn and apply unconventional shooting positions; the hold offs for your sight will be different. Shoot slick and full kit; learn how your gear can affects your accuracy and ability to adopt fire positions.

Speed-Ring Finger

"Smooth is fast, but slow is just frickin' slow" Kyle Lamb

This is gunfighting. Shooting as fast as you can maintain combat effective groups is a life skill. However, speed without causing terminal effect on your target is futile. This is more than timing and cadence than rushing for the sake of going fast. Time and distance affects the requirement for speed. The shorter the distance to the threat the shorter the reactionary gap.The greater the distance to the threat the longer the reactionary gap.

Set realistic goals. Work engagement drills to increase speed: controlled pairs, hammers, zipper, Two and One and non-standard response. Use a shot timer or shot timer app to set limits and increase stress.  Do all drills at combat speed. This includes immediate action, remedial actions, reloads and post engagement drills to complete the cycle of training. Push your limits but once your groups are not combat effective or making errors then dial it back a notch.

Tactics-Little Finger

"You should not be figuring out SOPs as your SUV is being remodeled by a PKM in Tikrit" a US PMC

Tactics are the final building block of tactical proficiency. They must suit the environment, mission, threat and your own level of skill. They must be executed with safety, accuracy and speed to be effective.

Work on individual tactics, pairs and team tactics. Consider different environments and threats. Build slowly at the speed of the slowest member of the team. Remember, what works in the sandbox might not work in the arctic!

"What worked yesterday would be fine, if it was yesterday." CTOMS Website

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Mindset

"It is not about shooting. It is about fighting with a gun" Pat Rogers

You may have noticed that I did not include mindset in my principles of training. Think of mindset as the glove. Some people wear gloves in tactical environments, others do not. Though everybody should. It is a personal thing. Mindset cannot be taught. It is product of experience and personal growth. It is part of the overall training experience.   If you are reading this blog post, then you are on the path of personal growth towards the correct mindset.

A good tactical mindset can be guided and hindered by well-intentioned bystanders and trainers. Good instructors provide experience and expanded the 'toolbox' of their students. A tactical mindset is a highly personal thing. Developing your mindset affects your lifestyle and it is up to you how far you down this path you are willing to go.

In closing, these are the principles to which I conduct my personal training, range activities and the courses that I teach. This is, by no means, an exhaustive article on The Five Fingers of Tactical Proficiency. It is, merely, an introduction to the concept.

Credit: Whiskey Delta Gulf