Jewelers and
armed security..
An opinion article written by
Daniel Ballard for the Jewelry trade and the self defense advocacy folks.
NRA/ILA, CRPA and the San Fernando Valley NRA Members Council.
Those of us in the Jewelry business
find we are a microcosm or the political world. We have our gun control advocates
(The Jewelers Security Alliance policy is no Jeweler should keep a
gun in the store for defense). We also have our defense rights advocates
like vours truly. If we set familiar, almost cliché arguments aside for a
moment, we see the practical "where do we go frorn here" sort of
thoughts. I've boiled the process down to some, of the key issues / questions.
These come in a set of 4 levels. Planning, Implementation, Use & Aftermath.
No matter what security systems you have, you go through the first two levels.
If you have a criminal incident, you go through the last two.
I. Planning- Consider store & home
layouts & travel routes. Examine Insurance implications for each facet
of your security. As a plus, insurance requires safes, alarms, etc. Consider
this, if the night alarm system is very good. then the determined criminal
might try a smash & grab or shoplifting type of thing. If the showcases
are hardened material, & the staff well trained, the next option for
the bad guy is a armed attack of some sort. I'm not saying to stop using
burglar alarms.' I just want you to understand that the directions the bad
guys take & why. Consider this when deciding about armed security guards
or keeping a gun for defense. Most areas prohibit the use of deadly force
to protect property on to protect life can lethal force be used. Of course,
the guard or the gun increases your liability due to the risk of a accident
or error. You, the owners are responsible for the actions of any one you
have on the job..
Implementation.-- You spend
money. You install the equipment Alarms, safe, special showcases & perhaps
special equipment like cameras. You contract with a security guard service.
Your staff must be trained to use the locks, alarm systems, & anti fraud/shoplift
procedures. They must practice these skills or they fade away. Then you hire
the guards (if any) & train them in your needs. If you have a gun! plan
on extensive training & regular practice. (unless you already have been
shooting a very long time) Ask any sport shooter bow long it took him/her
to get good at shooting.
3. Use- This depends on the
situation. Every day the staff disarms the alarm, opens the safe, puts out
the goods & at the end of the day reverses the process. Changing video
tapes, logging in & coordinating with the guard are all easy routine
tasks. When an incident occurs, using the resources properly is a necessity.
The guard is no good if he is away for lunch. Do not settle into patterns
with security measures. Let the bad guy get the surprises, if any. If the
bad guy is not satisfied with a theft, and starts shooting or beating people,
then your armed guard , or the police must be very good & very timely.
(What is the police response time in your area:') If you keep a gun, this
will be the time to use it. Remember, only in defense of life or limb!
Is the gun accessible fast enough?
Are you a good enough shot to hit only the bad guy? While you face the ultimate
pressure of a lethal threat? When we look at target scores in practice, then
at a contest, scores plummet. Why? Competitive pressure of course! This is
still no pressure at all when compared to a real shooting.
4. Aftermath- No matter what
crime occurs in your home or store law enforcement is going to be involved.
If any but the smallest items are stolen, you’ll be talking to a claims
rep from your insurer. If the incident is violent, then people will need
paramedics at least, a coroner at worst. If you or your guard uses any but
the smallest amount of force, you will need legal representation. Combat
trainers teach that your body reacts many ways to violence including memory
problems & physical shock symptoms. They insist that you need an attorney
during the investigation that the police will start and finish. There are
many documented cases of people not correctly stating the description of
a criminal, or even the number of shots fired at him !
One guy I know fired 14 shots
at an armed, shooting criminal and told the officers that he had fired only "a
few shots, maybe as many as five or six. He made a terrible tactical error.
He ran out of ammo &
did not realize it. Then the police counted his 14 empty brass casings around
the cash register. This guy never hit the crook. All the shots missed. Imagine
the police officers thoughts after being told of a few shots & finding
the 14 spent brass casings. No one was hurt in this shooting.
Lets review: Your insurance
requires steps that escalate the bad guy's confrontation with you. You spend
the resources, &
implement them accordingly.
Hopefully, you’ll never
need them. Someday a crime may take place in your home or store. Will you
be ready to do the right thing? I advocate that our right to self defense
not ever be infringed by laws or
"one size fits all" policies. These are promulgated by organizations
that don't face the reality of day in day out business. But, this calls for
a huge responsibility to fall on the defender. Take the time, study all your
options. then when you decide what all to do, act with intelligent.. practiced
ease. Every one (staff customers, family) depends on you acting correctly.
1996 Daniel Ballard Full Spectrum
Self Defense
