The Men in BLACK

Noon found me standing at semi attention in the shade of a mirrored pillar, hiding from intense sunlight as it tracked across the sky and beamed through plate glass hunting for me. To add to my torment, I was in a black suit made mostly of wool and with a silk tie tight around my neck. I was sweating more then a Dragonfly at a Bull Frog family reunion.My latest experiment (assignment) was that of a door security guard in a high end women's boutique. My latest venture had me smiling and "tea carting" would be larcenists back into the establishment to be checked by store associates. What a strange and unfamiliar set of rules for a person of my back ground and experience. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to do what I love most....watch people, study them and collate and categorize actions and expressions.

What a strange and diverse tapestry I had to examine. The boutique is in an upscale mall catering to customers both foreign and domestic. I saw samples of cultures from all over the world/country. Unique and varied but full of that one aspect of the security profession that holds my interest most of all, human nature. Studying people and anticipating what they might do and why.

My "Post Orders" if you want to call them that (although I hate that expression) were to politely challenge the costumer to return the recently (presumably) purchased merchandise for inspection. Considering my disarming smile, legitimate charm and smattering of basic languages from other countries ( mostly hello, good bye, please and thank you) I found I had no trouble convincing the embarrassed costumer to return to the service area. My pardner on this job was a Sensormatic rfid reader, always just a foot away 'irradiating' me. I could take my eyes from the door and watch shoppers knowing it would be vigilant.

Surly there is not much skill in this...is there?

Well, lets dissect the environment, the mission and the tasks involved more closely.

RULE#1

Know the shop-store-boutique's lay out or floor plan, find the blind spots and learn how to observe them without insulting or intruding on the costumer. Mirrors, plate glass or any other reflective surface can be used to keep shoppers under observation.

RULE#2

Get a good look at your shoppers and better still, let them get a good look at you. Any Loss Prevention agent will tell you, having the would be thief just inches from your face has an effect on the situation. Thieves don't want to be recognized and identified, so knowing you have had a good look at them can persuade the shoplifter to go find a softer target. I send a message with each hello, it says I know your face now. I also keep a small voice recorder in my pocket to make descriptive notes of any "runner" that will need reporting to the authorities.

RULE#3

Watch bags, booster bags can be made to look like almost anything. In an expensive upscale shop, any small item could cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars and booster bags can clean you out in no time. I study hands, fingers that are not "stressed" might be carrying a decoy bag. (stuffed with a balloon, gift paper or other bulky item to appear full) these bags are emptied of the decoy item and filled with stolen merchandise. More often then not, they are foil lined to blind the rfid reader at the door. Some better booster bags may seem boxy and very square at the bottom. That is because the bag is only a cover for a box hidden at the bottom. It has a removable "floor" that allows stolen merchandise to be slipped in and is of course also foil lined.

RULE#4

Clothes can hide many things, not just cellulite. Watch for blouses that hang open more then usual. This is to facilitate easy depositing of the stolen item AND to maybe show a bit of cleavage. This will cause the LP agent to divert his eyes politely. I am to much of a professional to let a cheap tactical diversion like that keep me from my duty.

RULE#5

Be polite at all times, holding the moral high ground and being respectful are your allies in security work. Say please and excuse any false activation (but don't educate people as to how the system is triggered) Be overly sweet to senior shoppers that might be startled by the incident.

RULE#6
Store employees are NOT your friends. You are there to perform a function not fraternize with attractive sales staff. Thieves take notice of the Don Juan types and love to make fools of them. While you flirt and posture for the ladies, thieves are working your store. Be a professional.

Not to mention some shrink is almost always internal. If you are tasked with LP for the entire shop and NOT just the retail door, then pay attention to employees as well as shoppers. If you are responsible for the retail door only then so be it. Make notes, dates, times, names but other wise unless asked keep your mouth shut.

I walked the mall and stopped in some of the bigger name stores. In each I saw them, the Men in Black. Standing in ones and twos at the doors, hands folded in front or behind, rocking in their loafers or doing a classic box step in their oxfords, watching, sweating. Like fraternity brothers we instinctively recognise each other and nod respectfully with a knowing glance. I secretly pity them, I know they are hungry or need to use the rest room and their feet are killing them.

The day is long when you occupy four square feet of floor space. Thankfully I have my diversions, I watch and study and learn. Today however, I couldn't help but wonder what the other Men in Black were thinking and if they were watching me.

Watch your six (put your back to the wall and watch your front)

RJ

SUPERVISOR'S ROLE AND EXPECTATIONS

Team building and support is paramount in the security industry. Trust and confidence in your fellow team mates is critical. Supervisors must be able to trust and support individuals within the team, conversely those individuals should trust and respect their supervisor. The team should feel their supervisor will support them and provide a fair and professional work environment. With well understood policy/procedure and a training program that brings the entire team together to play from the same sheet of music, a safer, more efficient and even pleasurable work experience is achieved. A well rounded and insightful supervisor can and should help promote these feelings of self worth, contribution and appreciation.

Some security managers will hover and micro manage staff to the point of exhaustion and annoyance. It is too much to shepherd the flock all the time and it sends a message to the troops that you do not trust them to do the right thing. It is also a real confidence killer if staff is never "off the leash".
It all starts with hiring the right people. Professionals know their job and will only need familiarization, an honest welcome and site specific training, neophytes will learn what is expected of them and with the right mind set (provided by the supervisor), they will willingly lap up training if a feeling of trust, contribution and appreciation are there as a constant reward. Being part of the team is the pay off, so it goes that positive promotion of the team's self worth is bolstered. This way members will feel this team is worth the effort of going above and beyond for. This is the caliber of security staff we strive to attain. Some employers are happy to settle with staff that "do their eight and skate". I am not. Team members should legitimately want to be part of this effort. They should respect and even envy those that work well within the group and wish to emulate them.

Eclectic team building is necessary to better deal with a diverse and unpredictable environment. Each member will have their particular groove and this must me recognised, nurtured and utilized by the supervisor. This is the time to let team members shine, those that rise to the occasion must be recognized by the supervisor. Any "pat on the back" moment should be exploited and shared with the team. A supervisor that steals thunder is not going to work well within the team. When your people look good, you look good, when your client/patron is happy with the staff and it's work performance, they are happy with you too. It is a synergistic relationship.

Being sincere and honest in your appreciation and pride of those you work with is important. The supervisor should be cognisant of those unique personalities and comfortable in his ability to incorporate them as needed to occupy specific postings, perform special duties or handle sensitive incidents. With each unique and diverse background reinforced by thorough training and practised team "role reversal" activity, the team learns what they are capable of. They know who is strong in some skills and weak in others. This is the time they really team up and nurture each other, building stronger skills and bonds.
A competent, socially aware and fair supervisor helps make that happen.

Supervisors often believe they need to be "the bad guy" at times to keep staff on course. This is wrong and in many ways counterproductive. Promoting the right mind set based on pride and a strong loyalty to the people you work with as well as the company you represent is it's own reward. Staff that let the team down, let themselves down as well. This attitude does not manifest itself over night, it does take some time. The stronger the team, the easier to recruit-train-incorporate new members with this strong work ethic, legitimate desire and skill. With proper direction and support, a supervisor can build a team that works on auto pilot. Constant contact without crowding-micro managing allows these professionals to do the job they have been trained to do. Mission NOT task is the order of the day.

It is important to be able to supervise as one of the team instead of as an outsider just steering a group. As one of the team (with modified responsibilities) you are still approachable. Being a front line supervisor shows the team that you understand the work and are able to relate and respond as well as lead. Your opinion has value and you are willing to listen and learn as well as make suggestions or provide guidance.

Every professional appreciates a leader that has "come up" from within the ranks. The best leaders are team players and good followers, the best supervisors always have the mission, his/her team and their duty in mind. They should be well versed in all of the aspects of the job and know how to stand in at any level within the construct of the team's mission as well as supervise.

Train, Lead, Support, Trust = Respect, Competence, Appreciation, Success.


Watch Your Six
RJ Mosca

Gone....But Not Forgotten

Au Revoir, Arrivederci, Ciao, Goodbye Osama.

After years of being sought by every asset the free word could commit, Osama Bin Laden is dead. Reports that a S.E.A.L. team operation ended with the killing of the worlds most wanted man in a compound just outside Abbottabad Pacistan are all over the world press.

I wont even try to address the number of theories concerning Why now? or if it was indeed him, If he was dead years ago and shadowy government types kept him on ice to perpetuate the war and thus occupy lands rich with oil, was his body buried at sea or dropped over some remote mountain range. I don't care. I don't need to see his death photo, birth certificate or body. I have been seeing too much of him over the last decade. On Television, in News Papers and of course all over the Internet. I myself once thought I spotted him staring longingly out of a window at a Comfort Inn near Niagara falls N.Y. The thing is, as of now, the world believes him to be dead. Who am I to doubt that? (Its a grassy knoll thing)

What does that mean to us as a nation and particularly as a industry?

As a nation, we sigh with a kind of relief that an evil man has met with Justice and can no longer hurt Innocent people. Al Kidea may still be active and state sponsored acts of terror may still happen, but we as a people feel we have struck a decisive blow against radical Islam.

Is that true? who really knows, only time will tell.

As an industry, terrorism has been very good to us. Corporations and businesses of all kinds have been made aware of the need for security professionals to work close by their side and be considered in day to day decisions. The Europeans have known this for decades and made use of security professionals in many aspects of their lives both publicly and privately.
Carlos the Jackel (llich Remirez Sanchez) once the worlds most sought after terrorist (and trained in Iraq) started a trend in 1975 with his attack on OPEC and subsequent attacks of western businesses. Security teams were used as never before. Most were recruited from the military upon discharge with a high number of personnel coming from the Air Force. Their back ground in keeping secrets and "area security" being a commodity. Special training schools such as ESI in Colorado or later Clearwater in Great Britain sold their unique knowledge and skills to "worthy" patrons. Even the under world began using professional security staff to over see their business. The Cartels of Mexico have some of the highest numbers of security teams.
Hmmmm, I wonder why?

So it goes that the realization of legitimate threat has spawned an industry that grows even today. On the domestic scene, incidents such as Oklahoma City, the Unibomer even Virgina Tech and the attempt on Congresswoman Giffords, have proved that there will surely be no shortage of People, Places and Things that need security protection and oversight.

Will the demise of Bin Laden slow our growth or reduce the need for security? I think not.

There is always the threat of reprisal and the need for the enemy (whomever that is) to prove they are still out there. Moreover, now that the top gun is gone, someone will surly feel the need to take his place. It wont be long before we are forced to learn the proper pronunciation of some new name or to recognize that new face. We've done this all before and I expect we are doomed to repeat it over and over again. As the new improved head of the snake rears up, we will need to counter it with whatever new deterrent we can learn and exploit.

He is gone but the lessons he taught us, like those of Carlos, Timothy Mcveigh, Ted Kaczynski or Jared Lee Loughner will live on in the hearts of security professionals around the world. Our time honored quote "Not On My Watch" still echos in our ears and is felt in our hearts.

Keep the faith

RJ Mosca

HISTORY AND THINGS TO COME

Historically speaking, the security industry has gone through many changes.

The "Guard" of years gone by were more often then not, a well intentioned individual trusted to do the right thing. He walked the business after hours in the "Night Watchman" mode. Stereotypical flashlight in hand with a ten pound clock over his shoulder and a ring full of keys any jailer would be proud of. These under paid often under respected men of the watch have walked post since the time of Cesar and Queen Anne. First defense against trespass and crime.

At times the lack of respect was justified, as some of these "Watchman" were more professional sleepers then security. Even the Bank Guard of years gone by was seen as an elderly, over weight poorly equipped, under paid figure, more of a facade then an actual deterrent.
You'll notice these characters are no longer with us.

Later the Guard was replaced by the Security "Officer" these men and some times women were better equipped and trained to enforce policy and had a procedural manual to help them better cope with an ever changing scope of responsibilities. Respect was still in short supply as they were often looked upon as wanna bes, a nasty slang for those that dreamed of being in law enforcement but lacked the skills to achieve the position. Although this was not always true, a few I have met did think they were Starsky and Hutch or Crocket and Tubbs. This did not play well with their employers, or me for that matter.

Most however, were eager to learn and took themselves as seriously as necessary to get the job done to their employers satisfaction without going into Bad Boys Bad Boys whatcha ganna do mode.

I worked as a Security Officer for most of my adult life. I believe I was smart enough to sponge up the real world aspects of the job and learn from my contemporaries as well as those professionals that I came in contact with, Law Enforcement and other Emergency Responders, Dog Handlers, Alarm Systems Installers, Locksmiths, CCTV Installers, Self Defense Trainers, Legal Eagles and a host of others that one might never think of in a security capacity yet were critical to the work.

Most men and women working in the industry over the last few years fall into this category. Better trained and equipped both mentally and materially to accomplish the security mission. Deter, Detect, Observe, Report and Respond.

These days and particularly after the attacks of 911, the nomenclature has changed to include Security Professional instead of Security Officer. Blazers or suit and tie replaced the polyester police type uniform of days gone by. This "soft" look enables the professional to ware more hats as I like to say. Tea carting (Polite business escort) Desk post (reception/direction work) usher-ticket taker (access control) all without the para military look that alarms some people. As if the Kevlar coated, H/K toting, knee and elbow pad waring, helmet clad storm troopers walking the streets of New York, L.A. and Chicago as well as many other U.S. cities do not alarm people.
I digress.

Unfortunately there exists a branch of security that all too often falls short of the mark set by an ever evolving and improving industry. The "Guard Service"provider. These puppy mills for security staff are popping up all over the place and for all the wrong reasons. Insurance and state regulations have mandated that some types of businesses have a security component in their charter or operations plan. To feed this need some "schools" or worse yet providers take on the task of seeing to it that prospective security personnel meet the minimum requirement set forth by state mandate and then go so far as to employ these minimally trained neophyte staff as "Guards". Don't get me wrong there are a hand full of security companies out there that have always set the bar of requirement and expectation very high indeed, but these few are just that....few! The puppy mill guard employer tends not to last very long, move or change names or get closed down by lack of work or litigation and in some cases due to low bidding and employing poor candidates that do not foster confidence. Most spend more time reviewing their LLC or brushing off their "sales suit" then their training program, if they even have one. These "providers" tend to be store front cookie cutter businesses that provide low cost/low quality service instead of the type of security professional we would like to employ or have staff emulate.

Guards in their employ know that should they have an issue or just not fit in, they can be reassigned to some other post within the spider web of contracts. Worse yet, some just are! Guards are bounced from one site to another like porta potties on a construction site. No loyalties, familiarization, intimate knowledge or staff recognition. These are the traites not only preferred by business but are paramount to security, yet very often absent.
Security staff that make a poor judgement call are let go rather then counseled. It is a disposable environment for most contract security guards. It is easier for the service provider to claim they have "handled the issue" by letting the guard go then invest time nurturing good team involvement and cross training that might have avoided the poor judgement call. These things take time and time is money. What this leads to is guards that fear making decisions, take no initiative, focuses on self instead of the team or serving others. In short not a security person at all, just what appears to be for the sake of state regulation, insurance mandates or union contract. This leads to very poor public relations for the company that hires the service and at times litigation, loss of assets and a damaged reputation. Businesses must remember that a person that has a bad experience with security will remember YOUR name not the name of the contact service you hired.

Of those that do walk the walk I can say, Good luck brothers and sisters. Yours is an up hill climb. The puppy mills are tainting your good names and when they can , stealing your thunder.

The days of the inept night watchman may be returning if we let them. Only through stead fast perseverance and a never ending quest to be the best at what we do, will we survive as a respected industry.

RJ Mosca

LARGE AREA OBSERVATION

I had the opportunity recently to sit as an observer / spectator in a local court. The theater was laid out like most venues that demand your attention, stages-churches-school rooms, all made to sit facing front and upright. So of course like an sly audience member trying to catch the magicians misdirection. I did what I usually do, I watched the other hand, I watched every one else. It was interesting to see how the parties involved "Players" put on their best VICTIM or INNOCENT face, each trying to tell their story before ever opening their mouths, each setting the stage/tone/mood to interested onlookers. A very different group from the ones that were just moments ago standing outside in the parking lot smoking and laughing with the support of their family and friends.
The cold, indifferent attitude of the court officers told the story. These veterans had seen the acts before and knew how to remain separated from the emotionally charged parade. I used it as a training exorcise, as usual watching the watchers and studied how they did their job.
Principles of area / group observation.

All The World's A Stage.
Start with the most advantageous viewing spots. These are not the high ground vantage points, looking down on the crowd. That might be alright for a prison exorcise yard, here you need to see faces and the sooner the better. Security needs to be intimate with the area and how it is used by the crowd/group using it or passing through it. In this way subjects stalling or loitering will stand out. People with an agenda are likely to scan the environment. This is an important qualifier, as is pacing, constantly searching of ones clothes/bags. These individuals don't fit in. Their bodies are in conflict with the norm some how and they may walk or move differently, or seem overly alert. These may be stall techniques to give the subject time to reconnoiter the area and time his approach, choose his line, locate cameras, security procedures or even you.
large area observation requires the security professional to be even more vigilant then if watching a single subject. The challenges are based more on speed and ability to scan and qualify quickly then long term scrutiny.

Like the group outside that court room, there is a "transition" thoroughfare, a point where the curtain opens and the act begins. To hold such an act and remain convincing is taxing, hard to do for any real length of time before a bit of ones true face cracks through the facade. This is why most interrogators work for hours upon hours to tire the subject until he "cracks", opens a bit of his true self that the interviewer can peel away to get to the truth. Detecting these players before they arrive at that thoroughfare is critical. Like a nervous teen on his first date checking his hair before his date answers the door, there is a moment where the "Tell" is detectable. A time when the subject goes from who he is to who he wants you to think he is. This is his Poker/Game face.

Structured crowds/groups such as those in line at an airport terminal or sports arena are concentrated or "herded" into a choke point so these groups may be a bit easier to scrutinize. Your best area to begin is the end of the line, the space between the door and the perceived end of the waiting area. Subjects of security concern will be most at ease here and will reveal much more of themselves. The act only intensifies the closer they get to the point of challenge be it a ticket window, check in or security cordon. Having a form of stimuli for the subject to react to is good here. It gives security an opportunity to watch subjects as they prepare for the show. An astute watcher will see the signs. I have heard them referred to as "Micro expressions" or "Body indicators" even "Stress signals", I call them "Tells".

Random crowds or groups such as those at malls, concerts or out door venues are harder to cover and will need multiple watchers. The Secret Service has mastered the science of watching from within the crowd. They blend in with subjects of interest and discretely indicate whom within the group is suspect. At that point a uniform will appear to remove or question the subject of interest. It can be difficult to cull through such a group and only time and practice will make you an effective crowd watcher.

Body language is key, as is eye contact. You should note that in this country at least, most people do not make eye contact with strangers unless they need to. It is my experience that the only people that you will catch and hold eye contact with will be subjects that are doing a reconnoiter like you. It could be another person in the security industry or a potential perpetrator. This is the primary reason most protection teams such as the US Secret Service ware sunglasses even on over cast days. It keeps them from making eye contact with others.

Actors often over act. You can see them shift the level of performance as they "present". Some are ultra cool and go over board to seem relaxed. It is a tell when anyone is so relaxed in a strange environment, they stick out. Conversely individuals that seem uptight are almost always worth a second look. Again watch how people scrutinize security staff or anybody in uniform for that matter. There is a difference between those that see and those that are watching.
Watch all the time, at work of course but watch as you mow the lawn, shop, wait at a red light etc.

learning to watch groups that cooperate and comply. What do they do that tells you they fit in and belong. Study the majority that belong and those that don't will be evident.

I once asked a bank president how many types of counterfeit bills he needed to see to learn what makes a good forgery. He summed it up nicely by pointing out that he only studied the real thing, nothing else mattered. The fakes will always stick out.

RJ MOSCA

OBSERVATONAL SKILLS

I was watching a kid's TV show with one of my children the other day. One of the characters in the story was being scrutinized by another child on the play ground. The first child yells out to the other "Why don't you take a picture, it will last longer". A childish phrase to be sure but for me an epiphany.

I have been watching people and events my whole life, watching was a form of participating when I was a child. Games the older kids played seemed fun even though I was to young for them. So I would just watch. When I grew older and started taking an interest in girls, I watched what the other teens did, how they spoke, stood, walked, joked with their girlfriends and how the girls responded.

This is not some strange fetish, we all did it, I was just aware that I was doing it. Why? Because I watched other kids doing the same thing. I watched the watchers.

I learned for myself and by watching others learn how to fit in. Back then, I learned to put my back against the wall so I could concentrate on the 180' view before me. It became the first step in my quest to watch everything. From peripheral view to peripheral view, my side view idea of horizon to horizon. I would take it all in and take a picture of it in my minds eye as well as real time, absorbing it. Movement, color, shadow. All mixed with sound to form a sort of play I was watching from my own front row seat.

A bit extreme? Yeah probably but no more then any of us do every day of our lives. The difference? I consciously know I'm doing it.

Have you ever seen the look on someones face when they have just mastered a new skill? The detectable and unmistakable look of someone that just "got it". I can spot it a mile away and so can you, if you know what to look for. Being present is a gift few of us understand how to use. People in the business of observing others don't need to "find the zone" they are living in it.

Being a professional observer means mastering many things. Having a working knowledge of things like body language, human nature, emotion, physics (action and reaction), culture, crowd dynamics, not to forget environment and situational awareness. Some times it is things we ourselves cannot detect, subtle yet tangible at some intimate level.

A seasoned hunter can tell when something is coming long before he sees it. The forest changes in ways hard for him to explain but detectable to him none the less. The birds may change their tune or fall silent, small animals like squirrels are suddenly missing or take to the trees, a warm scent may test the nose. Taken collectively they tell the story and he readies himself. I have heard it described as tossing a pebble in a pond. The rings reach out across the surface ever widening and effecting the entire pond. In some ways it is very impressive how such far reaching effects can be heralded by such a small thing.

Scene watching is taxing if you are not practised. Only time and practise can teach you to scan large areas efficiently. We can study large area scanning on another page later for now lets look at people. It is the safest place to start and is after all what your primary concern will be.

When I see a person for the first time, I start at the top of their head and work my way down their body to the foot. I put together a physical description and post it in my mental Rolodex.

As fast as you can, do the following exorcise using the first person you see, be it in person or even practise while you watch Television.

SEX male / female

COLOR, Black, Asian, Caucasian etc (we may not be able to discern an Italian from an Arab or Peruvian particularly at a distance, so we use completion NOT nationality to describe individuals).

AGE you really need to look well here, clothes can throw you off.

HAIR COLOR/TYPE

BUILD Body type/shape/height/weight

DRESS start with the color of the garment on the torso, for this example lets imagine it's WHITE

Followed by the garment on the legs if applicable. Let's say BLUE

If the subject is carrying a purse, bag or item that can be readily described it should be added to the description.

If the items on the feet are distinctive they are worth mentioning as well.

DIRECTION or LOCATION

ISSUE, why am I looking?

So lets look(and listen)to how a quick description-collection and radio call might look and sound like.

All units stand by for description and watch for the following individual:

Male,

Light Skin,

Heavy,

Mid/late Forties,

Balding,

Waring White over Blue,

Subject is acting strangely and is wanted for questioning.

Scan the area quickly eliminating or culling as many as possible until the only persons fitting that description is found. learn to collect this amount of information in two seconds, as you walk your favorite mall, or sit waiting in your Doctor's office, on the bus. With little practice and a new in site on how to describe people, you will remember details better then the casual observer. Do it all the time, a wise man once told me anything I do for thirty days straight, I'll do for the rest of my life. He was right. Practice Practice Practice.

Almost every trial attorney will tell you the weakest evidence is almost always eye witness testimony.

RJ MOSCA

Sensitivity, Political Correctness And Truth

We all have opinions. As stated before on this site, it is part of our job to categorize and collate personalities and behaviours, however at times our assessments might be asked to stay bottled up due to the ever present specter of political correctness.

It is a shame that we who are in a very intimate people "qualifying" occupation can at times be forced to turn off certain receptors that we have grown to trust. In a way it is a form of theft, the stealing of ones opinion. We circumvent or at times are made to ignore facts because they may seem bias or prejudicial. This is wrong.

The facts are the facts and the truth cannot be changed because of what others might think of us. When filing a report avoid the "Saccharin Philosophy" often spoken of by attorneys. This artificial sweetening of the facts may make them more palatable but the facts must be reported completely. Without fear of what others might think.


We do not judge, we supply information or intelligence for investigators to use and present to those who judge. I am not saying that we should be insensitive in our dealings with the public, far from it. A competent security professional is very chameleon like and should adjust the way he communicates to suit the situation.

On paper however, in the reporting, we must not fall into the PC trap. State facts pertinent to the case as you know them to be and as accurately as possible.
To refer to a Neo Nazi complete with swastika tattoo on his fore head as a "Skin Head" may not be PC but it's an accurate description and often how they refer to themselves. People are described based on how they present, look or choose to look (often a matter of style) this is how they should be described for the record. It is fair and accurate to refer to a man as disheveled and unkempt. These are your perceptions not a judgement.
All men are men first, equal yet individual. Their perceived ethnicity, mental state or attitude does not "define" them it only describes them. Your reports need that description.
Remember Police are predominately REACTIVE. They often have the luxury of a witness or sworn affidavit complete with descriptive information. All responding parties are reacting to that, its very often cut dried and hanging on the shed for all to use.
You are most likely not going to have such Intel, you will be observing activity first hand and hopefully before any incident has been initiated or crime committed.
It is your job to be PROACTIVE, you must report soft information completely without fear of reprisal or condemnation. A radio call describes two black men acting suspiciously near a sensitive area. That's okay to report, your staff needs to know that. As long as two white men are described as two white men (as they should be) not just two men you are passing on important information.
Middle eastern men are unfairly taking a hit by security professionals in certain parts of the country while in other parts of the country security staff has been made sensitive to the same ethnic group and in effort to show how understanding they can be, may slip into that saccharin philosophy and let something slip by. Wrong.

Fair, equal and truthful to the best of your ability. How else will others view your work if you skirt details critical to the report?

Your "read" or opinion counts of every situation you encounter. The new saying is KEEP IT REAL. This is what it means.


RJ Mosca