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“I just wanted to pass on my sincere appreciation for the manner in which U.S. Security Associates personnel performed during the severe weather we just encountered from Hurricane Ivan.”
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Currently Featured Officers |
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Slippery Suspect!
Los Angeles, CA - On 9/8/09 a suspect entered the Macarthur Park, CA Ross store. The suspect was being pursued by LAPD for allegedly approaching a female about a block away from the store stating he was from the 18th Street Gang and carrying a gun. The suspect approached the front door Security podium where Security Officer Michael Pina was positioned then walked back towards the sales floor.
Recognizing the risk, Officer Pina left the Security podium to notify the store manager and the undercover agents that LAPD was looking for a male suspect with a gun. Officer Pina gave a description of the suspect and remained in the office as the undercover agents and store manager returned to the sales floor to locate the suspect and notify the police about the suspect inside the store.
The LAPD asked the Store Management to evacuate the store to protect its employees and customers and help locate the suspect. After all associates were accounted for, the USA staff relocated them to a shopping center located across the store for their safety and security.
Approximately 12 officers and K-9 units entered the store and the LAPD and SWAT fanned out to cover the stores outer perimeter. The LAPD conducted a thorough search of the store however realized that they had been given the wrong description of the suspect. A review of the CCTV tapes found that the suspect exited the store during the evacuation.
Though the suspect was not captured in this situation, Officer Pina put his personal safety at great risk as the suspect saw him and likely knows he was the one that provided the physical description and initiated the search process. His bravery and concern for the greater good is commendable!
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Pictured: Field Supervisor, Mike Frampton (left ) and Officer Coty Fisher (right) Not pictured, Peter Moran, George Russell, and Jack Crawford.
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Unlimited Withdrawals? Denied.
Seattle, WA - On July 20th, our Washington/Oregon branch, received a call for emergency round the clock coverage at Chase Bank in Medford OR. The branch sprang into action and dispatched 5 Officers which were packed and on the road by within an hour and a half of receiving the call.
The length of this assignment was unknown and was very sensitive due to the compromise of the bank vault. The team worked with the local police, FBI and news media keeping the site secure. At night, the officers were locked down in the bank, unable to leave for the entirety of their 12 to 13 hour shift. All officers were given a Certificate of Appreciation for their quick response and professionalism.
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Golfing with Celebrities!
USA Client The Dye Club hosts the Pro-Am Golf Tournament every year. The Pro-Am Tournament draws about 20,000 guests, celebrity golfers and amateur golfers. Our officers performed their tasks and represented USA with professional distinction during the busy week of April 13-18, 2009.
The officers that were on site for the event of Day after the Masters Pro-Am Golf Tournament were Leo Burgess, Operations Manager, Major Tanya Hanna, Patrol Supervisor, Captain Donald Ligon, Patrol Supervisor and Security Officers Bonnie Henson and Lieutenant Thomas Gillard.
Pictured left, singer Darius Rutcker of Hootie and the Blowfish. Pictured right, actor Samuel L. Jackson with U.S. Marines
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Pictured: Officer Denise Carreker and Assistant Branch Manager Tom Firmingham
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Access Denied!
4/19 - An intruder attempted to get past Officer Carreker at the Main Gate of client Vista Maria (a home for troubled girls). Though the intruder tried to strike Officer Carreker with a glass bottle, she was able to delay his entrance long enough for the police to be called and notify property management.
As it turns out, this intruder was on Michigan’s Most Wanted List for Rape. Apparently he had just raped a young girl and was being chased by a civilian group. The intruder was arrested by the Police just minutes later.
Officer Carreker performed her duties to the letter of the post orders and was very instrumental in the apprehension of the intruder. Great job, Officer Carreker!
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Never Light a Fire on a Windy Day
4/22/09 – What started as a small backyard fire quickly escalated into an intimidating and devastating force of nature. The fires burned for over six days. Over 30 square miles were burned, which is comparable to the size of over 1200 average sized (2500 square feet) homes. Over 2500 residents were evacuated.
Almost 100 homes were damaged and 79 were completely destroyed. The Myrtle Beach branch officers assisted the local police in evacuating homes and in some cases, entire communities. The officers also helped direct traffic and supported the police and fire departments as needed.
Because of the time, attention, dedication and performance by USA branch and field staff, several property management companies and gated communities requested our security services on a more permanent basis.
Bill Whitmire, Branch Manager of the Myrtle Beach office contacted client Brightwater Retirement Center and offered immediate assistance. The offer was gladly accepted. The Myrtle Beach team had officers on site within 30 minutes including three marked patrols and five additional personnel to assist with evacuation procedures and traffic control.
“U.S. Security Associates continues to make a very favorable impact on our client points of contact, as well as the displaced homeowners, residents, guests and tourists in the Grand Strand area.“
- Branch Manager Bill Whitmire
Back Row, from Left: Calvin Watson, Clifton Holton, Timothy Graham, Roy Goss, Robert Cleary
Front Row, from Left: Edith Billings, Christopher Caston, Catherine Auclaire, Jerry Bartlett, Tanya Hanna (middle)
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The Red River Floods - Again!
3/29/09 –During recent years, The Red River [of the North] has reached flood levels annually. Because it flows northward, it follows the spring pattern of spring thaw, or warming from south to north. This results in warmer water flowing north to meet with colder or still frozen water. Though other factors, such as temperature and the gradient of the riverbed play a part, adding additional water to an area already inundated can have disastrous effects.
The floodwater crested at 42.5 feet in Fargo. Nearby towns didn’t quite reach that level, though they got close. The water was so high, the city of Fargo evacuated the hospital, nursing homes, and several residential area’s. Most residents cannot remember a time that the hospital was ever evacuated.
As the water level started to drop, local residents were left to clean up not only flood damage, but temporary dikes and more than 20 million sandbags.
The department of motor vehicles started removing the dikes from the roads a little early, causing additional roads to become washed out and now in need of repair.
Local sugar beet farmers were hoping to get their crops planted by May 15th, but most of the area is still too wet to farm. If the farms don’t get their beets planted by May 15th the season isn’t long enough to produce enough to meet the demand. Through all this hardship, the residents of Fargo and nearby towns banded together in an unprecedented effort. Our USA staff went above and beyond providing not only security service, but voluntary flood preparation and clean up services as well.
Below is the Letter of Appreciation from Branch Manager Virgil Anderson to the entire Fargo/Moorhead staff:
“During the Fargo-Moorhead Flood...our clients did not see any change in security. You responded to your job sites without fail….[d]espite the rain, snow, freezing temperatures and the rising waters of the Red River… Furthermore sites that needed to expand their security requirements found you ready and willing to meet the challenge, voluntarily stepping forward to…support your fellow officers. Your dedicated performance during this period is indicative of a professional Security Officer. It is gratifying to work with men and woman of your caliber. Please accept my sincere appreciation for a job well done.”
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Resident Care Taken to New Heights
12/18/08 – During patrols at resident community Portofino Towers, officer Jason Beltran noticed a unit door ajar. Concerned something was wrong, he knocked on the door and called out to the resident .He received no response. He radioed his supervisor, and then radioed the front gate to call the unit. On the second call from the front gate, the resident answered the phone. Almost 5 minutes later, the resident stumbled to the door, identified herself and stated she needed assistance. She had bruises on her face, slurred speech and she required assistance from the officers to help her to the couch.
Officer Beltran and Supervisor Anthony Rivera contacted the front gate once more advising them to call 911 and alert Fire Rescue. The resident began to complain of chest pains so they retrieved an AED from eight floors up. While waiting for medical assistance, the resident became increasingly disoriented and her speech more slurred. The paramedics asked her what day it was and was and she responded Wednesday when it was actually Monday.
Following a blood trail from the kitchen to the bedroom, Officers Beltran and [name] discovered the resident may have had her medical emergency in the kitchen and attempted to make it to the bathroom inside her bedroom. She was transported to the hospital for further treatment.
“Had S/O Beltran not acted in the fashion in which he did, this resident would not have received the…medical attention that she needed. …His actions may [have] in fact saved this residents life“
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 Pictured: USA Branch Manager Brian Lumby, Matt Prindle, and Tommy Caldwell |
The Unstoppable Forces of Fate and Intuition
12/16/08 - U. S. Security Associates Armed Officer Matt Prindle decided to wear his bullet-proof vest to work that day. It is not a required part of his uniform, nor provided by the company or Client JP Morgan Chase in Dallas, TX.
Upon hearing news the bank was being robbed, Officer Prindle immediately performed a search in and around the bank, finding two individuals lying on the floor in the teller line, but no other activity. The JP Morgan employees that had run outside advised Officer Prindle that the robber was still inside the bank. Without hesitation, Officer Prindle re-entered the bank and found the robber stuffing money into a bag at a teller station.
Officer Prindle pulled his weapon stating “Security - don’t move, don’t move!” The robber, also armed, fired two rounds at Officer Prindle, striking him at least once and knocking him down. The suspect had jumped up onto the counter and Officer Prindle fired two shots at him. The suspect disappeared behind the counter and ran towards the break room door. Officer Prindle took the opportunity to dive under one of the bankers desks, hit the emergency hold up button and called 911.
He provided detailed descriptions of both the suspect and the customers still inside the bank. He evacuated one of the two customers and one employee still inside the bank. The last customer was unresponsive on the floor. Officer Prindle then backed out of the bank and briefed the SWAT team on the layout of the building, last known location of the suspect and the unresponsive customer on the floor. The SWAT team then stormed the building to find the robber dead. Officer Prindle had not only returned fire, but hit his mark.
Initial reports indicated Officer Prindle was hit once, It was later found that he was indeed hit twice - once in the chest and once in the abdomen. His offhand decision to wear his bullet proof vest on that day saved not only his life, but the lives of the bank employees and customers. Officer Prindle received a $1000 cash reward for his services.
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Pictured: Rick Ferguson SPO (right), with interpreter (left) |
Mentoring in the Mountains
11/10/2008 – Lieutenant Rick Ferguson, a member of U.S. Security Associates Protective Force at the Sandia National Laboratories is currently serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Rick is one of twelve men chosen from the Nevada National Guard to create an Embedded Training Team (ETT). The ETT is tasked with mentoring and advising the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). This responsibility was formerly performed by the U.S. Army Special Forces .
Rick is the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of his team of 4 Advisors and 8 Security Force soldiers. Rick and his advisors live with the ANSF. They are stationed close to Pakistan, in the eastern mountain region of Afghanistan.
Rick feels right at home because the topography in Afghanistan is similar to Tonopah, a desert like area surrounded by high snow covered mountains. Rick says, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. The base is small and austere, but we have decent accommodations.” Once a month, they drive three and a half hours to the nearest base to pick up mail and supplies.
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Flooding in Cedar Rapids
Posted 10/3/2008
June 9, 2008 – T he Cedar Rapids area was preparing for a potentially disastrous flood from the Cedar River. Cities upstream were already experiencing high flood waters. The last major flood experienced was in 1929 . Unfortunately, now water levels reached 12 feet higher than the previous record set in 1929. Ironically, the Quaker Foods plant flooded both times.
In the days preceding the flood, U.S. Security Associates Officers assisted the Quaker Foods Maintenance Staff hauling items to safety and moving cars away from the construction area. The team worked feverishly using dirt and rocks to help build the Cedar River dike up to a height of 26 feet.
The Cedar River crested on Thursday June 12th and flooded the entire Quaker Foods building. Wading through three feet of moving water, Sergeant Wallace and Officers Cole and McPoland vacated the building to safety. An inspection of the facility three days later revealed the river water had actually entered the second floor and destroyed the Security Office. The other portions of the twenty seven acres of building also suffered similar damage. USA’s
Officers worked round the clock out of their personal vehicles protecting the site.
U.S. Security Staff from nearby Rockwell Collins provided support as well. Working out of a temporary office, the officers worked closely with the Quaker personnel with various tasks such as directing traffic, controlling over 500 daily laborers, and even putting together emergency generators.
Quaker Foods is pleased with U.S. Security Associates contributions. This successful team was led by Sergeants Wallace and Jennings.
The facility expects to return to 100% operation by November. Though the reconstruction costs are significant, the plant has decided to remain open. The security team operates out of a temporary trailer located on site. They continue to provide support to the Quaker Staff, conduct all of their contractual duties, and man all entrances and exits. On any given day, the plant is managing 300-450 contractors working on the plants reconstruction.
Great Job by the U.S. Security Associates Staff at this site!
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Officer Josh Isham Honored
Posted 10/3/2008
May 17, 2008 – Family, friends, and members of the Elks Lodge #477 gathered for the Antlered Guard Regiment Annual Black and White Ball. USA Officer Joshua Isham, who served our country in Korea from 1950—1957, is a 50 year member of the Elks, serving in both Phoenix, AZ and in Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas, Isham became the first black food and catering manager at the Stardust Hotel and the first black Captain in a major showroom on the Las Vegas Strip.
During his tenure in the Elks and Antlered Guard, Isham was awarded the coveted Beverly Award (the highest award you can receive in Elkdom).
He has also been titled Past Grand Lodge Exalted Ruler, Grand Inspector (Emeritus) General. He is especially proud of the positions he’s held; Cadet LT in Police Dept. at Dunbar Elementary School, Cadet Major in ROTC at Carver High School. He states”My main objective in being with the Antlered Guard is working with the youth, training drill teams and teaching military courtesy.” After receiving the plaque presented by Elk
Commander Ward, Isham acknowledged those that have helped him on the way; particularly his son, daughters, and wife Blanche, of 57 years. Joshua Isham has been employed with Advance Security since Feb. 14, 2000. His duties include Access Control, CCTV Monitoring, Foot and Motorized Patrols. Joshua is the “Lead day shift” officer at the JP Morgan Chase Sky Harbor Operations Center (SHOC).
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One Energy Plaza "Upgrades"
Posted 10/3/2008
March 18, 2008 – Earlier this year, One Energy Plaza was searching for the best possible security company . U.S. Security Associates, which operates under the name “Advance Security,” was chosen for One Energy Plaza and other company buildings. Plaza Corporate Security considers it an upgrade. “There are no signs of any changes as far as our day-to-day operations,” said Michael Williams, Director of Corporate Security. While the Energy Plaza customers may not notice the change, the same smiling officers are greeting employees in different uniforms. Procedurally, the job responsibilities did not alter—just the provider name on their uniforms and on the patrol vehicle.
As Director of Corporate Security, Michael Williams believes the security change will benefit all employees, companywide. “The company has a very strong training program," he said. “They are also very good at overseeing more security drills and exercises for the officers.” Changing to Advance Security Associates affects not only One Energy Plaza, but Parnall, and other company generating plants. Bob Trowbridge, Quality Assurance and Compliance Program Manger, states the importance of keeping the current security officers on board, though the security provider changed. “We know our security officers are the best,” Trowbridge said. “It was not about the money. We went with the firm that had the better programs.” After the existing security contract, Corporate Security staff evaluated eight different security vendors in an effort to find the best program.
Starting over with a new firm can sometimes be loaded with snags. “A lot of these transitions come with cutbacks on employees’ salaries and minimizing health benefits,” he said. “We weren’t going to let that happen.”
Despite the security provider change, security officers remain dedicated. “To them, they are members of the utility’s security team and not just contractors,” he said.
One Energy Plaza values the Advance Security team, and the services we provide. Here’s to a long and prosperous relationship between Advance Security and One Energy Plaza! |
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Security Officer Jeff Johnson Aids Injured Man and Holds Suspects at Bay
Posted 5/1/2008
January 13, 2008 – Denver, CO – Security Officer Jeff Johnson prevented further injury and even possible death to an unidentified man. Johnson also prevented potential property damage at the KCNC TV – CBS Channel 14 facility.
While manning the front desk in the lobby of the KCNC facility Officer Johnson observed an unidentified Asian male run into the covered parking area.
Johnson immediately ran after the man to investigate. It was at that point he discovered the man sitting on the ground positioned between two station vehicles.
A closer look revealed that the man had sustained injuries to his face, forehead, arms and hands.
Once the man became aware of Johnson’s presence he asked him to hide him and stated that several men were trying to shoot him.
Officer Johnson asked the man to remain where he was and went to call 911.
While on the phone with the Denver Police Department, Johnson observed nine Asian males heading toward the covered parking area. He then exited the building and positioned himself between the men and the parking area to prevent them from proceeding into the lot. He then asked the men if he could assist them.
Initially the men did not respond to Officer Johnson, instead they continued looking around as if in search of someone. He also advised the group that they were on private property.
Johnson asked the men a second time if he could assist them and advised them again they were on private property.
After a brief hesitation the men left.
Officer Johnson remained with the man until paramedics arrived.
The man was treated and transported to the hospital for treatment.
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Security Officers Stop Cluck Cluck Capers
Posted 5/1/2008
December, 2 nd 2007 – Perry, GA – Officers Warren Sodan and Kathy Lee prevented several thousands of dollars of product from being stolen when they recovered 82 cases of “ready to sell” chicken at the Perdue Packaging Plant in Perry, Georgia.
While patrolling, Officer Sodan noticed a full pallet of “ready to sell” chicken cases sitting in the loading lot. Also nearby, in a poorly lit area, he noticed two vans parked in a non parking area of the lot.
Sodan was unable to radio for back up due to his radio malfunctioning, therefore he walked to the guard shack and informed shift supervisor, Kathy Lee, of what he observed.
The two officers then arrived back at the scene, where they discovered the pallet was missing. They then walked to the vans parked in the dimly lit area and discovered that several cases of chicken had been loaded into the vehicles. It seems as though the presence of the officers scared the thieves away in the middle of their act.
One of the officers called Site Manager, Jeff Connors. Connors advised the officers to call the Houston County Sheriff’s Department and told them that he was in route to the site.
Approximately half an hour later Deputy Zimmerman and Deputy Phillips arrived on the scene
Upon running the plates the deputies discovered the identity of the vehicles owners’. One of the vans, a green Chevrolet Venture is registered to a company that picks up and drops off plant employees. The other vehicle, a maroon Chevrolet Conversion Van, is registered to a Macon citizen and is driven daily by a plant employee.
Once Plant Safety Manager, Bill Flynn, arrived and spoke with Connors and both deputies, pictures were taken. At that time 13 cases were removed from the Venture and 38 cases were removed from the Conversion Van.
The officers discovered another pallet of 31 cases nearby. Pictures were taken of that pallet as well.
Neither of the vehicles’ drivers could be located but their names were noted. The names of other associates who may have been involved, directly or indirectly, were also noted.
U.S. Security Associates, plant management and local authorities worked closely to identify and track down the suspects.
The suspects were positively identified as plant employees. Police apprehended the suspects and turned them over to the District Attorney’s Office for pending charges. |
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Previously Featured Security
Officers
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Security Officer Reel Prevents Further Injury
Posted 12/28/2006
Dayton Ohio, September 22, 2006—Security Officer Shawn Reel prevented a woman from sustaining further injuries due to an ulcerated varicose vein.
The lady and her husband were getting on a parking garage elevator in Kettering tower when Officer Reel noticed she was bleeding.
When Officer Reel approached the lady she was unaware that she was bleeding
Although she stated that she was okay, Officer Reel asked the lady to sit down so they could discover the source of her bleeding.
Once he found that she was bleeding profusely from her leg, Officer Reel contacted his supervisor, Charles Melson, and retrieved the first aid kit from the reception desk.
Reel asked that 911 be called and preceded to elevate the lady’s leg and put pressure on wound to stop the bleeding.
Soon the medical technicians arrived and escorted the lady to the hospital.
Later it was discovered that the lady had a ruptured, ulcerated varicose vein.
Because of his quick response and actions, Officer Shawn was awarded a Meritorious Service award as well as a monetary award from the Dayton branch office. Congratulations Shawn!
--Tim Reed
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Security
Officer McDowell Aids in Capture of Suspect
Posted 11/29/2006
October 29, 2006 – Joplin MO, Officer Clay McDowell
aided in the capture of a suspect while on duty at the
client site, Construction Freight, Inc.
Officer McDowell was conducting his patrol and watching
the client property when he observed a man attempting
to enter the property through a gate.
The man’s attempts to enter the property were
fruitless; therefore he went across the street and entered
the adjacent Crossland Construction site, where he was
trespassing.
Meanwhile, Officer McDowell turned the video camera
to the suspect, followed him to the adjacent property
and watched as the man climbed into a crane.
McDowell called the Joplin Police Department and told
them about the suspect and where to find him.
When the police arrived they found the suspect in the
crane and apprehended him.
Because of his actions he received a Certificate of
Commendation from U.S. Security Associates, a placard
and a letter of appreciation from Construction Freight
Inc, as well as a gift certificate for Lowe’s
Home Improvement from Crossland Construction.
Congratulations Officer McDowell! |
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Trevor
Rasmussen - Dallas, TX
Posted 6/12/2006
Supervisor Trevor Rasmussen is the site supervisor
at the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control out
of Branch 310 in Dallas, Texas. He improves service
and quality by developing detailed site procedures for
officers and devotes many hours to working with his
officers and the customer to provide top notch service.
Administrative Assistant Chiquita Bolden said, “His
officers actually look forward and are eager to work
for and with Trevor…He takes the new officers
and turns them into professional leaders.”
Officer Rasmussen’s extra efforts in training,
customer relationship, and facility security have assisted
Lockheed Martin MFC Dallas in achieving a “Superior”
rating for the Department of Defense Auditors twice,
which is the highest possible rating. He took it upon
himself to become a certified HAZMAT trainer, and he
has been asked by Lockheed Martin to assist in other
USA job starts, such as the El Paso LM start.
Rasmussen’s leadership is proven from the accomplishments
of his officers. There has been a measurable reduction
in crime around the LM MFC site and the surrounding
community because he has three patrol vehicles on the
local streets at all times. Over twenty weapons have
been discovered and prevented from entering the site,
and there have been several access rejections due to
forged or stolen ID’s by people trying to enter
the site. There have been multiple successful medical
responses, one in which resulted in a life saving award.
General Manager Thomas Thompson said, “Trevor
exhibits an intense interest in his site and is always
willing to go that extra mile to achieve excellence.”
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El
Paso Security Officer Award
Posted 11/22/2005
Amanda Fuentes was awarded security officer of the
month for the El Paso, Texas branch. Amanda's dedication
to her job and her client won her this award. We appreciate
everything that she and our many dedicated security
officers do for our clients. |
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Robert Luna - San Antonio
Posted 06/12/2006
Supervisor Robert Luna from San Antonio, Texas Branch 316 is extremely committed to his site; one would have to be to consistently maintain daily supervision of over 3600 weekly hours for the past two years. His dedication to the details of the business and unselfish commitment to the client and other officers is the major factor in San Antonio’s success of maintaining monthly increases in revenue of 35% and annual profits of almost 8%.
Officer Luna works extremely hard to improve the service by taking daily requests from the client. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., even while at home and off duty, he redirects and repositions coverage for all the last minute client personnel needs.
Branch Manager Jim Austgen said, “[Officer Luna] has built a mountain of trust from our clients, and they trust his judgment and control of their needs.” He has maintained a tight control of scheduled overtime and payroll and has provided a balanced act to satisfy all aspects of the business. Through Luna’s team leadership, San Antonio has attained the Client Service Excellence Award four times in the past two years and continues to maintain revenue increase of 25% to 32% on a regular basis.
Austgen continued by saying, “Robert sets a personal example of dedication to his assignment for all of his personnel to follow…His skills of leadership and trustworthiness have sustained our clients confidence in that they chose the right security company to transfer the responsibility of maintaining security forces that are responsive and reliable in all phases of their daily security requirements.” |
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Larry Overby Receives National Recognition
Posted 06/10/2005
Wake Tech’s contracted security manager Larry Overby recently received national recognition as Supervisor of the Year from his company, U.S. Security Associates Inc. To attain this distinction, Overby competed against approximately 2,000 supervisors across the United States.
The on-site supervisor of U.S. Security Associates personnel at Wake Tech since October 2003, Larry works closely with Wake Tech Security Manager Steve Gregory and Assistant Security Manager Denis Winters, who recommended him for the award. Steve cited leadership, a sense of professional pride, dedication, integrity and expertise as important qualities that have led to improvements in the college’s security operations. “He has earned the respect of everyone at Wake Tech,” Steve says.
During the past three years, the crime statistics submitted by Wake Tech to the U.S. Department of Education were “zero” for violent reportable categories. U.S. Security Associates President Charles Schneider says that this is an amazing accomplishment for the college and for those who work to provide security.
Larry, a retired captain of the N.C. State Highway Patrol and a retired master sergeant from the N.C. National Guard, says Wake Tech is an excellent place to work, with a great atmosphere and great people. Overby says that a supervisor is only as good as the people he works with. He credits receiving this award to the officers and people working with him. (article used with permission, News and Views, April 21, 2005, Wake Technical Community College) |
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Dallas Team Receives The Highest Possible Rating
Posted 05/26/2005
During a week-long team review, DSS looked at every aspect of the security program at Dallas, including interviews with employees to ascertain their level of security awareness.
DSS Team Chief Bob Corlett was especially impressed with the degree of knowledge and awareness employees demonstrated. "Last year you were good," he said, noting the continuous improvements in the security program. "This year you are even better."
At the conclusion of their review of a contractor facility security program, DSS awards one of five possible ratings. The highest rating, Superior, is reserved for those programs that are clearly above and beyond others in facilities of like size and complexity.
The following employees were commended as being especially security conscious:
- Kenneth Havens –
security knowledge and understanding
- Jerry Hatcher –
security procedures within the Reproduction Center
- Toni Medina –
ensuring badge procedures are followed
- Richard Browning Jr. -
ensuring badge procedures are followed
- George McNutt –
excellence in ensuring compliance with export restrictions on the MEADS program.
The entire MFC Security team extends its thanks to all Dallas employees for helping achieve this noteworthy accomplishment. |
Martin Legger, SEBU VP Operations, US Security
Jeff Arko, Atlanta 190 Branch Manager, US Security; Felton Cox, Security Officer receiving award.; Velton Bowie, SunTrust Bank Project Manager, US Security; Lee Lantzy, Security Manager, VP SunTrust Bank; Rodney Howard. Chief Investigator, SunTrust Bank Security |
Atlanta Officer Catches Bank Robbery Suspect Posted 04/19/2005
After receiving the emergency notification from the SunTrust
Bank Operations Center located in Orlando, Florida that
a robbery was occurring at the main branch of SunTrust
Bank, located at 25 Park Place, Atlanta, GA, officer
Cox immediately proceeded to investigate. After identifying
a male suspect fitting the description as provided,
officer Cox took the appropriate actions as trained.
Officer Cox followed the suspect just outside the lobby
entrance, and when the dye pack which the suspect had
concealed on his person exploded, he summoned the assistance
of Corrections Officer K. Daniels. Together they placed
the suspect under arrest, and recovered the money taken
in the robbery. The suspect was turned over to the F.B.I.
for transport and initial appearance, before a Federal
Magistrate.
Officer Cox's actions and attention to detail led to the arrest of the suspect without placing himself or others in any imminent danger. The training and professionalism displayed were indicative of the high standards and resourcefulness officers assigned to the SunTrust account are routinely expected to perform. |
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Texas Security Officer Of The Month
Posted 03/21/2005
On March 15, 2005, the El Paso Branch awarded Security Officer of the Month honors for March to Maria Gardea for outstanding performance during the Month of February, 2005. Ms. Gardea is currently assigned to Western Refining in El Paso. The award was presented by Todd Warren the Branch Manager and Joe Batten site supervisor for Western Refining. Also in attendance was the Regional Sales Manager Paul Santana and the client representative Mr. Larry Whipple. Ms. Gardea was given a Certificate of Achievement and a check for $100. The award ceremony also included a three year service pin to security officer Jose Vela and an Outstanding Service Certificate awarded to SGT Kirk Smith. After the ceremony, Maria Gardea, Todd Warren and Joe Batten were treated to lunch by Mr. Paul Santana in recognition of her achievement.
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HEB-Texas Officers Of The Year
Posted 02/03/2005
The H E B Grocery Company (Howard E. Butt) is a family owned retail grocery company that was started in Kerrville, Texas. During 2005, HEB will be celebrating their 100th anniversary. As recognition of the security officer's service, HEB sponsored the Officer Of The Year award, giving special tribute to the distinguished efforts of officers that have clearly demonstrated their dedication to the assignment at HEB.
The First Annual Awards were provided to three (3) Officers for their Outstanding performances:
First Place and a $500.00 award, was given to Officer Phillip Cooper, from the Austin, Texas Branch for deterring an armed robbery, at an HEB Retail Store, that lead to the arrest of two suspects.
Second Place and a $300.00 award, was provided to Officer Raymond Williams of the San Antonio, Texas Branch for identifying an unauthorized person to a Visitors Center. Officer Williams action lead to the revamping of the Visitors Pass Processing program.
Third Place and a $200.00 prize, was awarded to Officer Clayton Castner of Waco, Texas for his distinguish leadership in providing security services to three HEB Retail facilities. Officer Castner has set the standard for an outstanding Client/Vendor Partnership in Security. |
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Officer Rescues Abandoned Newborn
Posted 12/27/2004
In the early morning hours of October 10, 2004, Security Officer James Maldonado displayed outstanding judgment and a high degree of courage when responding to a passer-by who said she heard a cat in labor. Although the woman appeared in an altered mental state, Officer Maldonado went off into the darkness to investigate and found a book bag containing a newborn human baby. Officer Maldonado picked up the bag and ran to the hospital's emergency room. Officer Maldonado's actions reflected great credit upon himself and the hospital and were in keeping with the highest traditions of U.S. Security Associates. |
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