My Dangerous Encounter With a Supermarket Security Guard & His Gun

By Linda Milazzo, AlterNet. Posted December 31, 2008.

(Photo of Albertsons corner where I encountered the guard, showing the guard's visibility to the parking lot through the exit-way window. The Brink's truck was alongside the wall of the building).

Unlike Albertsons-Supervalu, Brink's, Inc. took this matter seriously from the beginning -- at least after I circumvented its delaying bureaucracy and went to the top. Within 40 minutes of the incident, I was on the phone with Richard Brager, Brink's Pacific Region vice president, who provided the following written response nearly a month after the incident happened. I've also had several conversations with the direct supervisor of the aggressive Brink's guard. To date, I don't know the identity of the guard, nor specific details about him. Getting that information will require intervention by the court. I'm debating this action.

I've stated previously in this article that the guard I encountered was in full combat-mode. Not surprisingly for the type of work it performs, Brink's is ranked No. 18 nationally in hiring former military. I support our former military and would like all returning vets to have good jobs. However, with the high number of vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), I question whether jobs requiring firearms are preferable without prior mental health evaluation. Below is a copy of the requirements for an entry-level job opening at the same San Fernando Valley Brink's office where this aggressor guard works. One can see from the ad that skill requirements are minimal, and no psychological testing is mandated. According to a representative from that San Fernando office, this advertised driver/guard position is the first step before becoming a guard. That same representative also told me several guards in that office are currently in the military reserves and are rehired between deployments. This is admirable of Brink's, however, I would again emphasize the need to comprehensively evaluate all returnees prior to assigning them jobs with guns. The guard I encountered was clearly over the top for the calm, low-crime environment he was in. The guard I encountered was, in my estimation, at war.

The Brink's Company was founded in 1859. In all likelihood, the majority of us have encountered Brink's guards routinely throughout our lives. I've seen Brink's as far back as I can remember and have never felt frightened -- although I've made a concerted effort to steer clear of their paths. But it wasn't until Nov. 6 that I ever witnessed a guard's gun drawn in the performance of his job. For purposes of this article, I asked well over 100 people if they'd ever encountered a Brink's guard with his/her gun drawn. Only one person I questioned said yes -- an LAPD officer stationed in the West Valley. In my calls to police divisions throughout Los Angeles -- some in the most dangerous parts of the city -- the police officers I spoke with, except for this one, all reported never having seen a Brink's guard with his gun drawn. It does appear that the guard I encountered, who operated in the idyllic suburbs as though in the throes of war, was an anomaly.

But as this nation moves further into financial decline, greater numbers of Americans will become more and more desperate. Crime is bound to increase. Armed guards, such as the one I encountered, will become even more edgy as real threat levels grow. In my suburban area of Los Angeles, where my gun encounter occurred, home foreclosures abound. Retail establishments are shutting down. Hard times are getting harder. 

Over the past several years, Blackwater-style private security has flourished. Blackwater was in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in New Orleans. With the incoming Obama administration, it is hoped that Blackwater will lose its stature, and its contracts will lessen and lapse. Still, the culture of the macho mercenary has grown. The Brink's guard I encountered exhibited that similar style bravado. We, as citizens, must work diligently to protect ourselves from abuse. I know I will. Run-ins with guns aren't that easy to forget. There's no place in our world for mercenary justice. 

Authors note: A special thanks to my friends and colleagues, best-selling author Vincent Bugliosi and Op-Ed News Managing Editor Cheryl Biren-Wright for their insight, support and collaboration on this article. If you have ever encountered a Brink's or other private security guard in a non-threatening environment with his or her gun drawn, please state so in the comments -- along with any details you are able to provide. I do suspect there are some who have witnessed this in more dangerous parts of the nation. If so, please indicate where.

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Linda Milazzo is a Los Angeles writer, educator and activist. Since 1974, she has divided her time between the entertainment industry, government organizations & community development projects and educational programs.

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