Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002 | 11:06 a.m.
In Las Vegas a security guard could have years of training to rely on -- or he might just be a glorified bouncer.
The level of training depends on whom guards are working for and what they're guarding, state-licensed security guard trainer Dave Vining said.
"The big casinos do an excellent job with security, but they also have big budgets," Vining said. "You can also have a situation where Joe owns a tavern and hires his cousin Billy Bob as an armed officer."
An 11-hour training course and being 21 years old are the major requirements for a contract security guard license in Nevada. There are no set standards for private security at businesses, casinos and clubs. At those places, the minimum it takes to become an armed guard is a weapons permit and permission of the owner.
"These people are carrying a deadly, lethal machine, and personally I'm uncomfortable with the idea that only occasional, casual training is needed for this job," said D. Anthony Nichter, a Las Vegas security specialist, who teaches security courses at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Community College of Southern Nevada.
Training procedures for security guards in Las Vegas have come under scrutiny after two fatal shootings by guards over the weekend.
Metro Police are investigating the incidents, with the cases expected to be sent to the District Attorney's office to determine if criminal charges will be filed against the guards.
The first shooting involved a guard at Boulder Station killing Michael Williams, 30, who allegedly robbed a casino change booth and then began firing a gun inside the casino Friday night.
Station Casinos officials would not comment on the incident at Boulder Station but said they had "trained security officers."
The second shooting occurred early Sunday morning at the Glo@The Hop, a nightclub on East Tropicana. A parking lot argument between the driver of a car and security at the club ended with guards ordering the driver from the vehicle. The driver, Amar Brisco, a 24-year-old former UNLV football player, reportedly refused, and as Brisco attempted to drive away a security guard said he was struck by the car.
The guard, who ended up on the hood of the car, fired and fatally wounded Brisco, who later died at University Medical Center.
It was unclear what training the guard at the Glo had. The Glo referred questions to their attorney, who did not return phone calls.
Police were investigating the incidents and did not identify the guards involved or comment on either incident.
It's unclear if the guards were licensed and what training they had received.
Nichter said people who go through the basic guard licensing don't receive much training. With only 11 hours to train security guards, there isn't much time to teach communication skills along with the requisite laws and firearms training.
"I'm uncomfortable with the number of hours they train compared with the 10s of hundreds of hours that police officers train," Nichter said. "Not only to police officers train with weapons on the range, but they also train in shoot, don't shoot scenarios and legal and ethical questions.
"There's not a lot of time for that in an 11-hour class."
Metro Police officers go through an intensive 21-week, 840-hour academy, department spokesman Lt. Vincent Cannito said.
Metro's training focuses on value-based problem solving as opposed to specific task training, Cannito said.
"We do not place ourselves in harm's way, but there are always exceptions," Cannito said. "If I respond to a beer skip (theft) I'm not going to jump in front of the car, but if someone's kidnapping a baby I'm going to do everything I can to stop the car."
Security guards in Las Vegas can be broken down into two groups -- private security, such as the guards at casinos and clubs, and security contractors that provide trained guards.
Private security is hired by a business and is not regulated by the state beyond requirements to carry a weapon. Security contractors -- such as Wackenhut, a prominent security firm -- are regulated by the state, and some have their own added standards.
"We look for people with military or law enforcement experience first," a Wackenhut spokesman said. "Then we want people that have completed a law enforcement academy."
The majority of Las Vegas casinos employ their own security forces, which are not regulated by the state. Some are armed and others aren't, said Tim Donovan, president of the Las Vegas Security Chiefs Association, which represents more than 90 casino and resort properties.
"The association allows the security chiefs to meet and discuss new security methods, but the actual security guidelines are up to each property," Donovan said. "Some properties arm their personnel with batons or pepper spray and others use firearms.
"You're safer in a casino than anywhere else."
The association helped design training in "verbal judo," or defusing a situation through talking, and in report-writing techniques.
Officials from Station Casinos, corporate parent of Boulder Station, said they have trained security guards in their casinos but would not provide any further comment.
Some of the smaller properties use training provided by experts like Vining, while others, like the Monte Carlo, train in-house.
The state licensing course consists of firearms training as well as six hours in a classroom talking about laws and liability, Vining said.
"We rely on a simulator that is as close as you can get to these situations without being shot at," said Vining, who manages The Gun Store on East Tropicana. "It's a lot better to make a mistake in the simulator than on the street."
Some nightclubs, following the lead of casinos, rely on their own security forces. At the Beach, at Paradise Road and Convention Center Drive, a state of the art video surveillance system and multiple guards in high visibility areas watch over crowds.
"We try to have a hands-off approach and talk our way out of any situations," said Rick Tuttle, the club's general manager. "But no matter what you do, there are always going to be crazy people that want to try something."
Most private companies that are not casinos use security contractors for their needs because of increased liability costs associated with providing their own security, Cannito said.
Police enjoy a good relationship with many security agencies, but some are easier to work with than others, Cannito said.
"As a general rule there is a phenomenal group of 6,000 to 9,000 security professionals on the Strip that have been a pleasure, joy and asset to us," Cannito said. "There are other agencies that we've experienced challenges with, not because they are mean-spirited or gun crazy, but because they may lack training."
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