Joining Forces

On the 3rd of February a meeting took place between the heads of security companies based in Luderitz and the police. The meeting was primarily set up in order to familiarise the various organisations with one another and strengthen the communication between them. It was an excellent opportunity for everyone to come together and discuss the problems that arise whilst striving to keep Luderitz crime-free.
There was a consensus that both parties must protect the citizens of Luderitz. They both agreed that particular attention has to be paid to the tourists that visit our town, especially during the FIFA World Cup 2010. The Station Commander stated simply that, “The police need the security guards and the security guards need the police. We have a symbiotic relationship. Although one party is paid by the government and the other is paid privately, they must join hands in the prevention of crime”.
The security companies raised the point that in order to work together fluidly, they must gain an understanding of how the police work and how to approach a crime scene. There are no official training centres for security guards in Luderitz, so the police urged the companies to come to them if they have any queries. With regards to how to behave at the scene of a crime, the police had this advice to offer,” Do not tamper with the scene. Contact us, and the ambulance if necessary, at once. Keep civilians away and if a weapon is lodged in the victim, do not touch it. You might do more harm than good. Leave it to the professionals. When the authorities arrive, hand the case over to them and report any information you possess. If the crime scene is car theft or a house that has been broken into, it is important to note that fingerprints can only be taken from sunrise until sunset. If the crime takes place during the night, preserve the scene until morning”.
Another issue raised at the meeting was the need for good communication between the security companies themselves. They are working towards a common cause and should see each other not as competitors, but as neighbours. There have been too many incidences of employees vandalising one another’s work place in order to secure more lucrative employment for themselves, or incidences of employers instructing their employees not to aid another company if they see a crime take place. There have even been cases of an employer assuring an employee that if they get injured outside of their particular area of work, they will not be medically compensated.
One other issue raised was the importance of clothing your employees in recognisable uniforms and ensuring that those uniforms are warm enough to be worn through the night. The police have come across security guards sleeping inside of bins in order to escape from the cold wind. There have even been occasions where one security guard has threatened another with a firearm because they put an extra jumper on and so were unrecognisable as working for the same company.
The next meeting will take place on the 3rd of March, 2.00pm at the Police Station.