Thousands of Twin Cities security guards prepare to strike www.privateofficer.com

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MINNEAPOLIS MN Feb 25 2013 — Thousands of Twin Cities security  guards are preparing for a possible strike Sunday. Talks with the security officer’s SEIU Local 26 and contractors broke down on Friday afternoon.
At 1 p.m. Sunday, members of SEIU local 26 security officers will join forces with other labor unions, community members and church groups. They’ll be making plans to walk off the job as early as Monday if a contract deal isn’t reached by the end of the day.

The sticking points include salary and hours. Union officials aren’t happy with the contract proposals that include lower pay and a shift to more part time work. Union members want wage increases and more hours.

Security officers are employed  by third party contractors for some of the biggest corporations in the Twin Cities, including Target and Best Buy. This union is made up of some 2,000 members. Their contract expired on Dec. 31. Since then, they’ve been working without a contract and hoping for a resolution.
We reached out to the law firm representing the third party contractors and have not heard back.
Yesterday the janitors union came up with a tentative agreement as 4,000 janitors were set to go on strike this week. After 31 hours of negotiations, the deal includes more hours, higher pay and better health care benefits.
If a contract agreement can’t be reached and the security guards go on strike, union leaders say replacement guards could be brought in to fill the vacancies. Five years ago, the security officers went on a one-day strike and companies did rely on replacement workers.
However, that one day strike also led to a contract. They hope the same happens this time around.

Source:WCCO

Inmate dies during struggle at Spokane County jail www.privateofficer.com

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SPOKANE WA Feb 25 2013  -- A man died while being booked into the Spokane County jail early Sunday morning.
Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies said they had an uncooperative man in the booking area of the jail around 5:00 a.m. Deputies used a TASER and “force” to gain control of the inmate.
The inmate was placed in a restraint chair, but shortly after he lost consciousness. Deputies and emergency medical staff gave the inmate medical aid and CPR until ambulance staff arrived.
The inmate did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead.
The Spokane Investigative Regional Response team is investigating the inmate’s death.
The SIRR Team is comprised of members of the Washington State Patrol, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and the Spokane Police Department.

Source:KREM

False report of gunman at Massachusetts Institute of Technology www.privateofficer.com

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Cambridge MA Feb 25 2013

A report of a gunman on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Saturday was "unfounded" and the public was not in any danger, according to police.

Cambridge police said they received an electronic message at 7:30 a.m. Saturday warning of a man with a gun. They didn't clarify what kind of electronic message it was.At about 10:15 a.m., Cambridge police said the call was "unfounded" and there was "no threat to public safety."

“For certainty we did not have a person in the building with a gun. We have enough witnesses at this point to verify that so the incident that was reported did not take place,” Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas said.Officials are not yet calling it a hoax, only "an incident that didn't take place."It was a report, of a man with a gun seen at 77 Mass Ave., the main building at MIT, went viral in minutes. Police closed Massachusetts Avenue and an alert was issued to students essentially locking down the campus.The man with the gun was not found after a room-to-room search of the building, and police lifted the alert to the relief of some students.“It's really concerning. You have to take these things a little more seriously considering what's been happening over the past few weeks so no one really knew what to expect,” student Christian Reed said.Campus Police Chief John DiFava praised Cambridge for its "outstanding response" to the incident.Apart from identifying the culprit another unanswered question is why it took more than an hour for the campus to issue the alert to students. I have to look into it and find out the reason for the lag,” DiFava said.
DiFava said the right people were notified at MIT as soon as Cambridge police notified them.Haas said they have leads about where the message may have originated, adding something like this can "cause serious consequences."Haas said criminal charges will likely be filed against whoever is responsible. Police said the investigation was ongoing


source-www.wcvb.com

Man arrested with loaded gun at Cleveland airport www.privateofficer.com

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CLEVELAND OH Feb  25 2013 - A 56-year-old Chesterland man faces charges after being caught trying to pass through security at Hopkins airport with a loaded handgun.
Raymond Koren was arrested early Saturday morning.
According to Cleveland Police, Koren was going through checkpoint A when TSA observed a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun in Koren's luggage. Officers were notified and the weapon was removed from Koren's luggage.
Police have not released where Koren was headed.


source-www.newsnet5.com

New Orleans police officer shot during robbery www.privateofficer.com

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New Orleans LA Feb 25 2013 The shooting of NOPD officer John Passaro as he responded to an armed robbery report Saturday reminded the men and women of area law enforcement agencies of the dangers they face every day. Over the past year, at least seven local cops have been shot -- two fatally -- and one was run over by a car.
"It's all of our worst fears," said Capt. George Bonnett, a spokesman for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. "The thoughts and prayers of our entire agency go out to officer John Passaro, his family and all the men and women of the New Orleans Police Department."
In just seconds, everything can change for police. Just moments before he was shot Saturday, Passaro sounded "happy-go-lucky, jovial," on the police radio, according to Bryan Lagarde, a former NOPD officer and director of ProjectNOLA, who listened to the radio traffic. "It was a seemingly routine call, but all hell broke loose."
Two NOPD officers were critically wounded when they were shot early March 1, 2012, during a traffic stop near Delgado Community College. Police said Justin Sipp fired 14 times at officers Tony Mayfield and Michael Asevedo; both were struck in the torso. Sipp was killed by return gunfire.
On Aug. 16, 2012, a group of people associated with the "Sovereign Citizens," a group on a federal domestic terrorism watch list, shot four St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office deputies. Deputies Brandon Nielsen and Jeremy Triche were killed; Michael Boyington and Jason Triche were wounded.
In a separate incident, NOPD officer Karla Baker was hospitalized after a suspect ran her over during a traffic stop in eastern New Orleans on Dec. 9, 2012. The incident was the second time Baker had been run over on the job.
In the early hours of Jan. 27, NOPD Sgt. Sidney Jackson was shot in the thigh by a mentally ill suspect while responding to a disturbance at an eastern New Orleans convenience store. Police said 41-year-old Damon Jones managed to grab Jackson's holstered gun even though he was handcuffed at the time.
After incidents such as these, the law enforcement community often rallies around one another, appreciative of the ultimate sacrifice they each could encounter at the next call for service.
On his Facebook page, Passaro wrote many posts showcasing such appreciation.
Following Hurricane Isaac, Passaro, who lives in Slidell, wrote: "I would like to thank the Slidell PD, Slidell fire dept. and EMS, while I was away protecting and serving other peoples families and friends, you were protecting mine ... thanks guys."
On Sept. 11, he posted a photograph of New York firefighters hoisting an American flag at Ground Zero and wrote: "Honor them ... Never forget!!!"
On May 28, Passaro wrote next to a photograph of an Army memorial: "For your service and sacrifice ... I thank you."

Following the St. John shootings, Passaro posted a poem on Aug. 22 that read, in part: "'In the line of duty,' I hear them say/ My family now the price to pay."
"Thank you for your service," Passaro wrote. "Rest in peace, we got it from here."

Source:NOLA

SC Teens caught having sex in school hallway www.privateofficer.com

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ROCK HILL, SC Feb 24 2013  
Police in Rock Hill were called out to a York County school after officers say two teenagers were caught having sex in the school hallway.
According to a Rock Hill police report, officers were called to York Preparatory Academy last Wednesday around 12:30 p.m.
When officers arrived at the school, they spoke to Dr. Carlos Grant, the school's Academic Director. 
Grant told officers that a 15-year-old girl was caught performing oral sex on a 15-year-old boy in the school's hallway before the start of school.  The incident reportedly happened around 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.
School officials say the teen girl was not forced or coerced into performing oral sex by the teen boy. 
Both students were disciplined according to the school's policy, the police report states.
Officers took statements from the teens involved, as well as other students who were in the area at the time.
Source-wbtv

Arrest made in Flint Michigan security officer's murder www.privateofficer.com

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FLINT, MI Feb 24 2013 -- Sandie Mick received a call on Friday she was not expecting.
It was from a Flint police detective telling her that two-and-a-half years after her husband John "Andy" Mick's shooting death, two men were being charged in connection with the crime.
Andy Mick was just getting done with his shift around 4 a.m. Aug. 14, 2010, at Riverview Village apartments where he was a security guard when two men approached him and tried to steal his gun. A struggle ensued and Mick was shot to death, police and prosecutors say.

"It's been a long, hard, winding road," Sandie Mick said. "It took me by surprise. It was quite a blow. It was a good relief knowing something happened in this case."

Floyd Gene Perkins, 19, and Kenya Ali Hyatt, 21, are charged with felony murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, according to the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office.

The big break in the case came after the two were arrested in connection with another crime in Mt. Morris Township, said Flint police Sgt. David Bigelow. Police were able to obtain information that the two may have been involved the fatal shooting and sought charges, he said.
Sandie Mick, who was married to her husband for 32 years, said the arrests give some closure to her family.
"They took it upon themselves to play God," she said. "It was a senseless, stupid thing that they did."
Mick was retired from General Motors before he became a security guard. Those who worked with him said he was friendly and well-liked.
His wife called him a "people person."
"No matter where he was at, he just enjoyed helping people," she said.
Bigelow said police believe the two intended to rob Mick and the incident "got out of hand."
"It was sad," Bigelow said. "He was a nice guy just doing his job."
Perkins and Hyatt were arraigned on charges on Friday. Their next court date is on Feb. 26.