Praise for the security guard and staff in Tesco.

CWCDiver

vyle wrote: »

My father in law has just got his security license, and there are very different levels of security. You've got general store security who are on sales assistant wage, can't touch anybody, and are used mainly for being the eyes on the ground when cops are looking for a thief (once they've stolen enough for it to be worth their while). You've then got the agency security, like what Tesco and most other supermarkets have started using. These are much like normal shop security, but some may have their license to be able to use 'reasonable force,' but I believe their job terms tell them not to, because the employer doesn't want the legal risk. Because there are so many security firms trying to undercut each other, when my FIL applied for a job as a tesco security guy, he was told the job was £6ph. This meant that the company would have made 6p an hour profit for every guard. That agency, though, despite advertising loads of jobs, didn't even get the contract. Their competitor did, and they WERE charging minimum wage and making less profit an hour. Then you've got the club/pub door men, who are usually allowed to exercise their discretion, probably will have to rough some people up, and do get paid a lot, because they are licensed to do nearly everything the police can do.

You are wrong, there is no licence to use reasonable force, the SIA have one licence for security guards, then a separate level for bouncers. Anyone can use reasonable force, it's enshrined in law. Also nobody is licensed to do what the police do, certainly not bouncers.

paddedjohn

A friend of mine is a manager at Tesco's and he tells me the security there are just for show, they have been told to look conspicuous but not attempt to stop anyone even if they are blatently thieving.

vyle

CWCDiver wrote: »

You are wrong, there is no licence to use reasonable force, the SIA have one licence for security guards, then a separate level for bouncers. Anyone can use reasonable force, it's enshrined in law. Also nobody is licensed to do what the police do, certainly not bouncers.

Ah I didn't know that. When my FIL was explaining his training about reasonable force etc, I took it to mean that in having the SIA he was allowed to do it where normal people couldn't.

By "do what the police do" I meant reasonable force though. Not doing car chases, wearing riot gear and those sort of things. I was typing in a hurry before catching the bus so didn't re-read to see if was I meant to say was reflected in what I wrote.

How recent has SIA been a requirement of all security guards, though? One of my friends used to do 'loss prevention' at HMV and certainly didn't have it. All he did was stand around and look at people, and he didn't do that very well.

MrsE_2

richardvc wrote: »

Normally security are feeble old men or young thick fat skinhead geezers who think they're Police (but on minimum wage) - well that's how it is in our local Tesco !!

The two large Tescos nearest to me have security guards.
I think Asda does too.

Not sure about Sainsburys.

Waitrose (fairly close to one Tesco) doesn't.

I never really noticed before about supermarkets having security guards, I know that may sound silly, but its quite sad isn't it (that they need it).