New Mexico Security Blog by Robb Hamic

Legit Security's lawsuit! Company is sued by many former employees...

CLICK HERE-> Download Legit_complaint to view the complaint against Legit, Gil Baca, Joe Stidham and others.  It appears that many former employees were owed wages, benefits and money but weren't paid.

I report all violations of law and regulation to the authorities and refer others to do the same.

I have learned about many violations of the law and licensing statutes while managing this blog.  I have been contacted by many people who are also aware of violations and supply me with photos, audio, video or documents.  I have received countless e-mails, comments, calls and documentation from people.  I forward any and all violations to RLD or state authorities.  Others make complaints and notify authorities as well.  

It is my belief that this blog would not exist if RLD or state authorities would've regulated the security industry.  Hundreds of others feel the same as I do.  When with the state finally enforce licensing regulations or violations of the law?

Legit Security has their own page! Take a look at a compilation of blog posts, etc.

This page contains all of the blog posts (40) in one place.  Also to be found- evidence, photos, video, audio, documents, police reports, internal documents and more!  CLICK HERE to check it out! 

The page is a work in progress and I am adding archived posts all the time!

Antoher security guard shot and killed.

NM Truthteller

News from Private Officer

GREENSBORO NC DEC 16 2008 – A security officer working for Brinks Security has died this morning after being shot during a robbery outside a Greensboro store.
The News & Record of Greensboro reports that the Brinks guard had picked up money in the Old Navy store at Friendly Center Monday morning when the suspect approached him. Shots were fired and several bags that the victim was carrying were reported missing.

Greensboro Police Chief Tim Bellamy said the suspect took off on foot after the shooting, then got into a vehicle near a bank. The suspect was at large as of Monday afternoon.

The unidentified security officer died at a local hospital.

No one in the store was hurt, and a second Brinks security officer inside the armored truck was not injured

Are staffing and employee leasing companies legal for the NM Security Industry?

Robb Hamic

I know of a large number of companies that use staffing or employee leasing companies for their employees.  This practice is becoming more common amongst security companies in New Mexico but is it legal?  The security company employee actually signs an employment agreement with the staffing/ leasing company not the security company.  The employee is paid by the staffing/ leasing company and receives a W-2 form from the same company NOT the security firm.

This is what the NM law says about security companies and their employees:

“private patrol company” means a legal business entity, the location of which may be within or outside of the state, including an independent or proprietary commercial organization that provides private patrol operator services that are performed in New Mexico and the activities of which include employment of licensed private patrol operators or security guards;

“private patrol employee” means an individual who is registered by the department to work under the direct control and supervision of a private patrol operator for a private patrol company;

NM RLD and the NM Private Investigator's board are aware of this practice in New Mexico.  I have asked the Board Administrator if the PI Board or RLD has a position on this practice and if they are doing anything to enforce the fact that staffing/ leasing companies don't have PPO licenses.  

The NM PI Board meets... Still no actions on complaints.

REGULAR BOARD MEETING - DECEMBER 10, 2008

 

VI. Board Administrator update on compliance activities and new compliance officer.

Board Administrator Steve Herrera explained to the board that there has been a backlog of complaints that were being focused on primarily since the last board meeting. He explained that there was some confusion between the Attorney Generals office and the Regulation and Licensing Department surrounding these complaints. The confusion has since been cleared and the cases were moving forward with the Attorney Generals office. Mr. Herrera went on to assert that a new compliance officer had been selected and was pending DFA approval before hiring. It was also stated that a contract investigator was coming on board within the next week or so to handle some of the higher profile cases that the board had.

Mr. Herrera also explained that he would continue to handle the compliance issues until the new compliance person was hired and assured the board that he would help with the case load transition and would still be actively involved with the compliance for the board.

Deliberation/Action on adjudications, complaints and licensing matters.

No motion was made by Chair Jochem to enter into Executive Session as there were no cases to discuss.

-NM Truthteller

Guard licensing can be confusing..

I received an e-mail form a guard asking about licensing and he mentioned that he was working in the industry for a number of years before the newer law passed.  He was trying to figure out if he was licensed and what amount of training was required for each level of license.  I sent him this e-mail in response.

Sir,

The licensing situation is confusing.  Basically- if you were licensed as a guard effective July 1, 2007- you got a "free pass" and grandfathered into a Level 1 guard status.  The different levels differentiate the level of training and weapons a guard can carry.  Level 2 certification requires a lot more sit down class room hours and individual training on any implements you wish to carry, handcuffs, OC spray, baton or Taser.  The level 2 card will have the implements that you are certified to carry.  Each weapon requires more hours (4-8 hrs. each).  Level 3 or Firearms requires more training still.  

If you were a firearms carrying guard and licensed as such (effective July 1, 2007)- you will be grandfathered into a L3 slot, which would be good.  Check out the state's site and check you license status history and the training requirements.

Guards can call the New Mexico Private Investigator's Board to check license status and ask questions.

http://www.rld.state.nm.us/PrivateInvestigations/index.html

Breaking News. Security officer shot and killed

Breaking news from Private Officer.com

Denver CO.  SECURITY OFFICER KILLED

 

The Adams County Sheriff's office is looking for three men suspected in the shooting death of a security guard outside the Grizzly Rose, a popular country-western nightclub, Friday night.

Sheriff spokeswoman Candi Baker says the three men and nightclub security guards got into an altercation in the parking lot of the bar and concert hall located in unincorporated Adams County.

One of the men began shooting at the security guards at about 10:50 p.m. Friday. Baker says 48-year-old Timothy Minnick, of Brighton, was wounded and later died at a hospital.

The men were described as wearing hooded sweat shirts and bandanas over their lower half of their faces. Baker says they drove away in a mid-90s white or silver SUV with tinted back windows. A heavy-set white or hispanic female was reportedly driving the vehicle.

People with information asked to contact Adams County Sheriff's office: 720-332-1313

 

A Mesa Detection guard with no license or background check...

By Security Ninja

I was told about this video that shows a Mesa Detection Guard working in uniform.  The "Security Ninja" said that he spoke to the man and he said that he wasn't licensed, which means that he wasn't state or FBI background checked. The camera man asked if the guard had been arrested or if he was permitted to work in security. At that point the man covered up hi license plate...  Apparently there will be a few parts to this video.  I am told the last part shows Mesa Security Guards pursuing the man who took the video in cars on city streets... It should be noted that the parking lot where this was filmed invited the public to its restaurants and this security guard was patrolling in plain view.

Don't miss out... Scroll down through all of the pages!

Don't miss out... SCROLL DOWN!

Marijuana smoking guards... sweet mugshots...

New lawsuits...

and... Documents...

Some people will NEVER get a security company license!

The license law is very clear.  Some criminal offenses will preclude licensure of those arrested or charged.  Simple as that.  (Bribery/intimidation of a witness, Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon, firearms enhancement, etc.)  I am not saying that people can't change and reform their lives after a conviction or that they are bad people.  I am saying that the law is the law.

It doesn't matter if you have been getting away with it for 5-6 years.... MANY of us believe that only licensed, legal and compliant companies and employees should be working in the New Mexico Security Industry.

Charles Adams Benns owns and operates Solid Steel Security, formerly Pit Bull Security in Albuquerque.  Mr. Benns seems to be doing really well in life, for himself and others but Solid Steel Security is STILL OPERATING ILLEGALLY in Albuquerque.  Mr. Benns also races Monster trucks and sells real estate.  

I was on a radio show and I got a call from a nice man who was denied social security because Solid Steel Security never paid his taxes.  This is the e-mail I got from him after the show:

I talked to you on KKOB a few minutes ago.
I worked for Solid Steel Security for the past few years and when I went to Social Security last fall to apply for SS and SS Disibility due to my back giving me major problems I was informed by them that I didnt qualify for disibility due to the fact that I hadnt paid in any SS in the past few years.
I showed them all my check stubs from Solid Steel for the years in question and was told that I had to produce my W2 froms from Solid Steel. 
I was told to contact IRS and see what they could do, in the meantime SS would start an investigation. That was last Fall and as of yet NOTHING has been done.
When I contacted IRS and explained the problem to them I was told the identical same thing, and that an investigation would be started by them also mainly because they had NO record of that company in their files anyplace.
Again nothing has been done !!!
I am not the only person this has happened (SS withheld but not paid in ) as I have been contacted by other employees and was told they also recieved a notice from SS that in the past few years nothing has been paid in to their accounts either !
I even contacted a lawyer and he tried contcting them and so far thay have ignored all attempts made by him.
Any help you can offer me would be highly appreciated.
I have already lost my house because of these people...
XXXXXXXXXXX
Former Senior Supervisor for Solid Steel Security

This is ridiculous!

and another...

Dear Mr Hamic,

 I recently listen to your intreview with Peter ST. Cyr. I have been working for solid steel security for nearly 4 years. I have to say that you are absolutely correct in everything you have said about this company. As a matter of fact a former supervisor of mine named XXXXX contacted you on the radio show and noted they had not paid into his social security for 8 years, i can say that this has continued on and to the best of my knowledge, that is the case for every emplyee at this company.

This is ridiculous.  Why is this company still operating today?  The NM PI Board sent Solid Steel's Clients letters stating that the firm was unlicensed and acting illegally but SURPRISE! they are still in business. Check out the TV newscast of Charles Benns... One and the same as the security company owner... I also re-posted the video of an interview with one of his guards a few months ago.

Check out the blog posts that have been done on his company... Click to view..

Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Post 4

Vital Protective Services. Click on the case number for details.

D-202-CV-200407419	VITAL PROTECTION SERVICES		DEFENDANT	2	JOHNSON A VS NENDELS ET AL	LINDA M VANZI	ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT	11/16/2004
D-202-CV-200407419	VITAL PROTECTION SERVICES		CROSS DEF	1	JOHNSON A VS NENDELS ET AL	LINDA M VANZI	ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT	11/16/2004
D-202-CV-200205794	VITAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES		DEFENDANT	1	CUMMINGS ET AL VS VITAL ET AL	ROBERT L THOMPSON	ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT	08/15/2002
D-202-CV-200504860	VITAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES		DEFENDANT	1	GIANNINI A VS VITAL ET AL	WILLIAM F LANG	ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT	06/24/2005
D-202-CV-200506868	VITAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES INC		DEFENDANT	4	OLSON J VS PAYNE J ET AL	RICHARD J KNOWLES	ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT	09/08/2005
D-202-CV-200802583	VITAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES INC		DEFENDANT	2	OLIVAS M VS HOLIDAY ET AL	CLAY P CAMPBELL	ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT	03/17/2008
D-101-CV-200800979	VITAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES INC		DEFENDANT	1	NM WORKERS COMP. VS VITAL	DANIEL A SANCHEZ	SANTA FE DISTRICT	04/11/2008
D-101-CV-200803217	VITAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES INC		DEFENDANT	1	SECRETARY VS VITAL PROTECTIVE	DANIEL A SANCHEZ	SANTA FE DISTRICT	11/14/2008

I just spoke to a security company owner who wants to bring his company into compliance.

I just spoke to a man who told me that he wanted to bring his company and its employees into full compliance.  He recognized that there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed and said that his company should be in full compliance within a few days.  He stated that all of his employees were told to get licensed within seven days and that he would only keep licensed staff in the future.  This is good news for New Mexico Security.

Who are the blog authors?

They don't work for my company.  The authors are generally security or investigation company owners. I understand that there are a few employees of security or private investigation companies who assist with the gathering of information or videos.

These are people who have come to me and offered to assist in exposing some of the problems they see. Some authors only write a post about their perspective.  I don't tell them what to write or what to do.  I needed help with the blog, its time commitment and other effected people were also outraged so I decided to open it up to many new authors.   

Retired cops, active law enforcement, Veterans, investigators, company owners, licensed employees, upstanding citizens who want a change in the New Mexico Security Industry are writing for the New Mexico Security Blog.

The NM Security Blog picked up two new blog authors and two business members for the new association.

We have decided to start the New Mexico Security Association, officially.  We will start with more than a dozen security/PI companies (maybe 2 dozen) and we are looking for any licensed security company who is legal and tired of the state of the security industry.  We can get together in January and talk about how we should proceed.

Next, we will open up membership individually to security guards and private investigator employees.  I think we can count on at least 300-500 initial members.

Then, associates such as trainers and others who are involved in the industry but aren't licensed as PPO's or PI's.

Then it will be time to get to work.  It is long past time to take our industry back.  We can combine voice to meet with government officials, law enforcement and news media.

E-mail me your interest: robb@callsummit.com