Panel denies more power for private security officers
The southern Utah private security officer was shot down by a number of police agencies who argued that private security companies should not have powers even remotely similar to those of sworn peace officers.
"Policing, law enforcement and taking people into custody should remain a government function and a government function only," Ed Phillips, the deputy director of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said Wednesday. They were discussing proposed legislation Wednesday before the Legislature's Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee.
Tallent and his employer, All American Security Corp., have joined other private security companies in asking the Legislature for more authority in special situations.
"In today's world, the police departments have fewer police officers and more crime than ever," Tallent told lawmakers. "Private security can help to alleviate some of the strain and allow the police officers to concentrate their efforts in more critical areas."
Right now, private security officers can detain people on citizen's arrest statutes. However, Tallent wanted authority to do things that he said street police grumble about having to respond to. He also asked for more clarity about the color of lights that private security officers can use.
"We give police unprecedented powers," said Kelly Atkinson of the Fraternal Order of Police. He accused the private security officers of mimicking police officers too much already. "Security officers refer to themselves with titles. Lieutenants, captains, officers. You see them wear uniforms and more and more you're seeing their cars look more and more like police officers."
Phillips said it is a slippery slope that lawmakers would be going down. Apparently, it was one that lawmakers didn't want to. They adjourned the committee meeting, effectively killing the proposed legislation.
After the meeting, Tallent said he was surprised by the heated reaction by law enforcement. He noted there has always been some friction between police and private security officers.
"They misunderstood where we were trying to go," he said. "We weren't really asking for anything radical."
E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com
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