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Press Release
ASSIST
Associated Security Services and Investigators
Of the State of Texas
News Release
For immediate release: 10-22-01
Contact: Dave Scepanski 915-751-6811
The state's largest private security association, The Associated
Security Services and Investigators of the State of Texas, (ASSIST),
today said that the private security industry in Texas is not
responsible for the lack of professionalism and violations of
security measures by baggage screeners at Texas airports.
Dave Scepanski, president of the ASSIST says that their association
has been fighting for stricter standards for the industry for years.
"The 5th circuit court of appeals in 1995 tied the states hands
concerning baggage screeners." Scepanski said. "They ruled
that the states had no right to regulate these individuals."
The Texas Commission on
Private Security, (TCPS), regulates all private security officers in
the state of Texas. That includes criminal background checks and
making certain that security officers meet all uniform, training and
continuing education requirements. The court's ruling took the
authority away from the states by claiming that the individuals
working security at airports were not security guards but that they
were "baggage screeners? and gave the regulatory authority to
the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), effectively taking
authority away from the state.
"We felt that this court ruling could lead to an unfortunate
and unsafe situation in our nation's airports," Scepanski
continued. "Members of our association approached the FAA and
the airlines with our safety concerns, but it seemed to come down to
safety vs. money and the public lost out."
He says that all other
security officers in Texas must undergo through criminal background
checks by the TCPS but that the agency is woefully under staffed and
under funded.
"The agency is charged with regulating over 130 thousand
security officers in the state of Texas and they have only 40
employees and a handful of investigators.? He said. "As a
result there are unlicensed individuals operating security companies
in our state who may have criminal histories and they may get away
with it for years."
Scepanski says that his association has fought for increased funding
for the Commission on Private Security during past legislative
sessions and hopes that lawmakers will be more receptive to
increasing the number of administrative staff and investigators for
the agency in the future. �
This release was paid
for by:
Gonzalo David Rodriguez
Houston Hunters Patrol, Inc.
6420 Hillcroft Suite 305
Houston, Texas 77081
Tel: 713-777-9558
Fax: 713-665-0089
[email protected]
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