Olympic Security in the Westlake Tunnel

[TheTravellers]

Originally Posted by azoria

Of course there is no defense for the witnessing *security* guards who did not intervene in this incident.....

But this was no stranger mugging, and the two 15 year old girls involved in the fight knew each other well, "According to the mother of one of the men charged Wednesday, the two girls have a long history of fighting each other and both have been victimized by the other."

Not excusing anyone for bad behavior, but the public deserves to be notified that this was in NO WAY a case of random stranger violence.

(And how did you manage to connect this to the Olympics in Vancouver and terrorism? I'm flabbergasted at such a leap of ingenuity.)

It was a case of violence in a public place, regardless of the reasons for it, and should not have been so mildly tolerated.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by TheTravellers

It was a case of violence in a public place, regardless of the reasons for it, and should not have been so mildly tolerated.

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Metro chose to use unarmed Rent-A-Cops in the tunnel, with the directive that they were not to intervene in disputes. They saved money that way. Metro does employ a dedicated Transit police force of King County ( and Seattle police?), and they could have had a larger number of those...What's the expression: Penny wise and pound foolish?

[scirocco22]

I too, initially thought that "Olympic Security" was a reference to the Vancouver winter Olympics. But as Ira pointed out, they are rent-a-cops and the term doesn't have anything to do with the Olympic Games. It's the name of the contracted security company which Metro chose to hire for "security." They are not Metro/King County employees but work for a private security company called Olympic Security Services.

However, Metro sets the rules to be followed by these security personnel.

[specificnorthwest]

forget rules, contracts, etc
how can a grown adult just stand by as the attack was happening , literally, beneath their nose? just a little nudge to break things up?

unbelievable

[MaikeerinWA]

Looks like you did the connecting. The name "Olympic Security" has been prominent in all the news reports that I've seen about this incident, but I can see how out-of-town readers might be confused.

Originally Posted by azoria

(And how did you manage to connect this to the Olympics in Vancouver and terrorism? I'm flabbergasted at such a leap of ingenuity.)

[iskray917]

Interesting. While in the bus tunnel, I heard someone ask the 4 guards on the bus if there was anything wrong and they answered that it was for Olympic security in all the transit tunnels for this time. Now, logically I concluded from that statement that they were part of heightened security for Vancouver (of course i now don't understand why, if the were, they wouldn't be in Vancouver instead of Seattle), but it turns out they have nothing to do with the Olympic Games at all?

I can not believe what happened in that fight and it appears to me at least the extra *security* is worthless.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by specificnorthwest

forget rules, contracts, etc
how can a grown adult just stand by as the attack was happening , literally, beneath their nose? just a little nudge to break things up?

unbelievable

I'm thinking a "little nudge" probably wouldn't have had that much of an effect. If I were in their shoes, I may have reacted in the same manner even though I may have been tempted to do otherwise. Transit operators are under similar constraints. They aren't to physically get involved in an attack on the bus. They are to call for the proper law enforcement personnel.

These security guards were prohibited to get involved in any physical altercations. They are not law enforcement personnel. Their job description specifically stated that. They were to call for assistance in a situation that needs law enforcement personnel. They are to serve as "eyes" only and not as enforcers.

If they touched anybody, I would think that would be grounds for their termination. Not only that, but I'm thinking that they personally could be held liable for any injuries they may have caused by getting involved. Many, if not all, in those positions are not trained to physically break-up such an altercation. And even if they were physically capable to intervene, would they open themselves up for assault charges being filed against them?

I don't hold it against those individual rent-a-cops. And the premise of the opening post is that somehow, Olympic Security Service and/or their employees are at fault. Not only at fault, but negligent and dispicable in their actions or lack thereof. In my opinion, that's not true. It's Metro's policy that is in question. The rent-a-cops were acting within their job description and shouldn't be blamed.

It similar in principle to the thread posted awhile ago about a bank firing a teller for running after a bank robber when specifically stated in the employment contract that tellers are not to attempt to apprehend a robber. Yes, most think he was a hero for running after and capturing the robber but he specifically acted against the wishes and commands of his employer. I believe that the Olympic security guards could have also lost their jobs if they had jumped in and attempted to stop the attack. They would have been acting in violation of their employment contract. Sure, they possibly would have been lauded as heroes by the public but would have been out of a job ...just as the bank teller was considered a hero by the public but was out of a job.





edit: another thing that should be pointed out, this was not a random attack by some thugs. These were former friends "until they started dating each other's boyfriends, cheating, saying ugly things about each other on MySpace and stirring things up." "...the two girls have a long history of fighting each other and both have been victimized by the other."

Not that anything is justified by this circumstance but it isn't like this was an innocent 15-year old girl randomly getting robbed and beaten by a bunch of anonymous thugs.

.

[Ira500]

The thing is: Even though the Olympic security guards followed policy and were doing their jobs, I still wouldn't be too surprised to see some discipline come out of it. Oh, they probably won't get fired, maybe reassigned, to make it look like the responsible people are taking action.
But somebody at Metro/King County came up with both the decisions to not use real cops and to have the rent a cops just be a uniformed presence with no authority.
What's going to happen to the genius who developed that policy for Metro/king County?
Well, the policy is being reviewed. They might provide these guards with training on how to break up a fight, and they may end up with another 25 cents an hour in pay. The genius who developed the policy? He will probably be promoted and given a pay raise substantially larger than 25 cents an hour..

[BB_206]

UPDATE:

Metro now allows guards to intervene:

Local News | After tunnel beating, Metro wants guards to do more | Seattle Times Newspaper

[Sandpointian]

Originally Posted by specificnorthwest

forget rules, contracts, etc
how can a grown adult just stand by as the attack was happening , literally, beneath their nose? just a little nudge to break things up?

unbelievable

Amen...
Security Guards Watch Brutal Beating - Video - WGCL Atlanta

I am just having a hard time associating this kind of activity with Seattle.

S.