Province Article: Did Security Guard do the Right Thing?

[Robbie]

This was the front page article of The Province today. Do you think the security guard acted appropriately and do you think he should have been fired by his security firm for his actions?

If I someone were breaking into my vehicle or house, I would be most grateful if a witness intervened. But I guess HOW one should intervene is very subjective and open to debate. And in this case, vigilante action was unacceptable according to his security firm and instead, he should have notified the police. But that should also depend on the severity of the situation. If someone were attacking me on the street, I would be most appreciative if he came to my aid instead of just notifying the police, by which time it might be too late for me. But I suppose attacking a car is not the same as attacking a person.

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Should guard have crossed the road?
Employee left his post to make arrest

Matthew Ramsey and Ian Austin, The Province
Published: Friday, March 10, 2006

[img]http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d ... 041006.jpg[/img]

Security guard Shawn Fortin is out of work after being fired for leaving his post to chase and catch a man who had broken into a car in downtown Vancouver.

Shawn Fortin thought he was doing the right thing.

The security guard tackled a thief who had just broken into a car in the 300-block Richards Street in downtown Vancouver, across the road from Harbour Centre, the property Fortin was hired to guard.

Two days later, his employer, Fusion Security Inc., fired the 25-year-old.

"Every employee must conduct themselves in a safe manner," explained Fusion vice-president Harry Stausgaard. By leaving Harbour Centre property and not notifying police of the crime in progress, he violated the company's policies, he said.

"There are public resources on the street to take care of these situations," he said.

The letter security manager Guy La Foy sent to Fortin said it all:

"Not only did you contravene our policies and procedures, and that of the clients, but your actions put both yourself and your co-workers at risk. As such, I have no choice but to terminate your employment," wrote La Foy.

Fortin was flabbergasted. "I expected to get a well-deserved pat on the back from my superiors. Instead, they fired me."

The man Fortin collared last Saturday, Andrew Vandal, 32, is in custody facing charges of theft, mischief and possession of break-and-enter instruments.

"I had the [surveillance] cameras watch him because he just seemed out of place," said Fortin.

The video of the event clearly shows a man alleged to be Vandal with a miniature pry bar trying repeatedly to smash the window of a silver car. The man eventually succeeds and leans into the car.

Fortin grabs the man and a struggle ensues.

"He said, 'I'll stab you, I'll stab you.' I feared for my life," Fortin recalled.

Fortin backs away and the man runs off with Fortin following. Fortin kicks out his legs and the man falls to the ground.

A second guard charges on to the scene, an ambulance arrives a few seconds later, a police car a minute after that. Fortin doesn't get off the prone suspect until a police officer handcuffs him.

Vancouver police Const. Howard Chow said a passing VPD wagon witnessed the incident and called for assistance.

Chow said the public should phone 911 rather than risk harm.

"In every instance like that, we prefer that people phone 911 and watch these people so not to alert them, and give us play by play so we can get into the area and arrest these guys," said Chow.

"It's important that the public realize that if you go out and challenge and try to take matters into your own hands, you may be putting yourself in danger."

[CB123]

Absolutely he did the right thing! If I owned a security company, I would hire him right away.

[Don Miller]

Policy is one thing, but common sense and reacting to a criminal act that happens in front is another. I applaud this security guard. He put himself at risk with the car thief having a knife, his training saved him when he was able to take the legs out and hold the criminal down until the police arrived. If the guard does not go after the guy, it is just another theft that goes away. I don't think the building was at a huge risk when the guard made the decision. Sometimes common sense has to rule over company policy!

[TheLionKing]

Kudos to Fortin for doing the right thing.

[West Coast Blue Fan]

With his heart he did the right thing.....with his head...not really.

[AC/DC Rocks]

It's an automatic reaction to want and stop these punks, I'd want to do the same thing but one is putting his or her life in danger that's for sure

We all read about the injustices out there and want to take things into our own hands.

The guy should not be fired in my opinion.

Dirty Harry would know what to do!!!!

[lucky leo]

I have been in the security field for over 10 yrs. I have worked all over BC during that time, vancouver included. If a woman was rapped or robbed would you expect him to watch and then be judged for not rescuring the woman. Fortin did what he thought was right. He is a Security Guard probably only making 10.00 hrs and put his life on the line in making the arrest. Way to go Fortin you did what was right no matter what your boss thinks. He will receive many offers from other companies no question.

[Blue In BC]

He shouldn't be fired. OTOH, he may have put his life at risk considering the guy had a knife.

Overall, you'd hope that anybody in the public would intervene in some form if they saw a criminal act in progress. How could we expect a security guard to not do something. I guess the only question is what was the best course of action, but calling the police probably wouldn't have resulted in an arrest.

I say give him his job back.

[pinkfreud]

I think he did the right thing too. Canadians have been lulled into complacency believing the "public resources" as the article says are taking care of our interests. While I wouldn't advocate for being a vigilante, I do think we need to demonstrate a little more agency and responsibility when it comes to solving our own problems. That being said, I hope a hero like this guy comes to my rescue if anyone ever tries to grab my purse or hold a knife to my throat.

As for his company's position, my guess is it comes down to money and wanting to avoid lawsuits. Their insurance probably doesn't cover any action taken outside a well defined area (i.e. inside Harbour Centre). So if the "victim" (the thief) was injured or killed and decided to sue it would cost the company big bucks. Likewise with the employee - if he were killed his family might come after the company.

[KnowItAll]

yes indeed, he did the right thing. Completely. I wish I was a client of that security company so I could fire them.

[derekrazzellsballs]

It doesn't really matter what the police say because if the guy had been allowed to just take off at will he would have gotten away.

The guy did the right thing, the security company is just worried he will put them at risk of a lawsuit or an insurance claim and that is why he is fired.

These guys aren't supposed to really do anything, that is why half the guys you see in these jobs are 60 years old or more! They are just there for the perception of enforcement not actual enforcement.

Some one should let this guy know that the RCMP is hiring auxillary officers, he'd probably be a better fit there.

[Robbie]

A few people wrote to The Province editorials with their opinions. Some of them felt he should haven fired, others disagreed. Here are their letters.

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The company was definitely right to fire Shawn Fortin.

He deserted his post and went outside his duties as a security officer.

What would have happened had the perpetrator stabbed and killed him?

All hell would have broken loose, with the security company taking the heat.

I have been doing security for 12 years. I was taught my

primary duty was to observe and report -- and not put myself into a situation where I could be injured or killed.

That job is for the police who are much better equipped and trained. The company I work for actually praises guards who do this.

All the guards out there have to realize that they are not cops and stop behaving as if they are.

Robert Shaw, Richmond
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I've worked in security for more than five years and can see both sides of this issue.

Technically, the guard should not have left the site. But I can also understand his frustration as a security guard and as a citizen.

It sounds all fine and dandy to tell people to call 911. That would be the safe thing to do.

But we all know the guard would have had to sit and watch while yet another crime occurs and an overloaded police force arrives too late, if at all.

If he was willing to risk his safety for something that he believed in, he should be congratulated and rewarded, not fired.

W. Cox, Burnaby
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OK, Shawn Fortin is a good Samaritan, but I agree with his boss who fired him

As an ex-security guard, I know the first rule is to protect yourself and the client's property.

I have had instances where I had to call in the VPD to arrest a suspected car thief. I didn't intervene, because it would have meant leaving my post.

I will give him praise for kicking out the legs of the suspect and assisting the VPD. But, at the end of the day, he risked his life, a co-worker's life and the property of the client.

There are paid professionals to apprehend criminals. He was being paid to ensure that they did not get onto private property

Csaba Knezy, Vancouver
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What is wrong with society these days?

Shawn Fortin sees a low-life breaking into someone's car, tackles him, risks his life and gets fired.

The police and society in general need all help they can get, and this guy takes the fall for "contravening company policies."

Shawn, you are to be commended for knowing the difference between right and wrong and being prepared to do something about it.

Let's not hand our streets over to the low-lifes any more than we already have.

John Keetley, Port Coquitlam
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To do the right thing is obviously in the eye of the beholder.

Instead of firing this enthusiastic employee, the security firm should use this as a learning experience for the future.

If we were all fired after making mistakes on the job, no one would work.

I hope ICBC gives him a pat on the back.

Julie-Ann Waldron, Coquitlam
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This young man was just trying to do a civic duty, which many people don't want to do any more because of consequences such as his firing.

While he was brave and courageous, he did put his safety at risk, but for the benefit of the public.

Being fired is a little extreme. And any good company would probably enjoy him as a valuable employee.

He shouldn't have any problem finding another job. But, like any citizen, he does have to be careful and watch his safety.

Brent Warner, Vancouver

[Rammer]

I have been in the security field for over 10 yrs. I have worked all over BC during that time, vancouver included. If a woman was rapped or robbed would you expect him to watch and then be judged for not rescuring the woman. Fortin did what he thought was right. He is a Security Guard probably only making 10.00 hrs and put his life on the line in making the arrest. Way to go Fortin you did what was right no matter what your boss thinks. He will receive many offers from other companies no question.

I really hope he does receive job offers based on his actions, rather than non-actions that his former company seems to want advertised by this firing. If I am hiring a security company, I would like to know that the company would go the extra mile and protect my car from being stolen as well. This company would not receive my business after this, and I would offer a fulltime job to Fortin, just think of how much less crime would now happen around the business with the advertising of hiring him.

We are a sad world when a person going above and beyond the call of duty is fired for it, just to protect ourselves. Next time someone may have a heart attack outside the building, and noone will make an effort now to help the person, other than call the professionals, when their CPR may be the difference......

[KnowItAll]

Some of the letters of support of the firing made me think. There is one legit point that I beleive some letter writer alluded to. Only I beleive that point would be situational.

First, I dont know what this guy was supposed to be "guarding", but if it was say, a jewellry store, then to leave the store for chase a simple car thieve or vandal, leaving the store to be more easily robbed, would be wrong.

I mean, somebody could deliberately do something like that just to draw the guard away.

I guess the guard in every situation would have to balance the seriousness, or value of the crime he wants to stop, against the one he might be allowing to happen.

From the employers point of view, if the Guard was hired to prevent robbery, and left to go after a car vandal, exposing the employers property to be taken by others, then the Guard failed in the key performance of his duty.

Just trying to see the "other persons" side and be more objectable than my previous post.

[KnowItAll]

If I am hiring a security company, I would like to know that the company would go the extra mile and protect my car from being stolen as well.

if you apply that to this case tho, you would be supportive of the company who fired the guard who left your "car" unprotected to protect somebody elses car he was not being paid to protect. In this case, the company has gone the extra mile in sending out a strong signal that they expect their employees to do the job you the client are paying for.