AUSTIN - The president of Texas’ largest private security association, Walt Roberts, today said that in his opinion if citizens should to be allowed to carry guns into any retail store, it should certainly be Target.
Target recently requested that their ‘guests’ leave their weapons outside when visiting Target stores.
Roberts, president of Associated Security Services and Investigators of the State of Texas, (ASSIST), says that he feels that shoppers may need to be armed to protect themselves from Target security guards.
He says he fears Target security guards could be known felons.
“I don’t believe that Target has ever come into compliance with Texas laws governing security guards.” Roberts said.”The law says that Target’s guards are supposed to register with the Texas Department of Public Safety, (DPS), but to my knowledge, they have refused to do so.”
Under Texas law security officers are required to register with DPS, pass a criminal background check, maintain liability insurance, receive training and pass a test before they can go to work.
Roberts says there is no way that Target can legally run criminal background checks on their guards without following state law.
“Only certain state agencies have the authority to run the state and federal criminal background checks.” Roberts says. “I don’t think shoppers have any way of knowing if the Target security guards are wanted felons or not.”
Roberts says he is unaware if Target is following the laws in other states. He says that his association has tried for years to bring Target into compliance in Texas, but that their efforts have fallen on deaf ears.
“If Target won’t follow the laws in Texas and legally check to see if their guards are wanted felons,” He continued, “they should at least allow us to protect ourselves while visiting their stores.”
