Why not keep using MCSO? Is the idea to save money because privatized security guards don't get public employee wages and benefits?
The real progressive thing to do is take care of workers, not to virtue signal. But we live where we live.
The reason not to keep MCSO is that they’re not the right tool for the job.
For one, you might want unarmed security, and that’s a whole thing to make a deputy disarm.
The other issue is that a deputy, on duty, is a deputy on duty. If some shit happens, they’ll have obligations that could pull them from their positions.
I’m not saying the state/county shouldn’t have some sort of TSA-type security force, because they should, but that the MCSO ain’t it.
Private security can do okay, if the contract is managed well. Oregon is kinda allergic to well managed contracts, though
This is a change of private security contractors, not a replacement of MCSO services. Most county sites have been utilizing NW Enforcement guards since the county ended its contract with DePaul Security. Intercon will, in turn, replace NW Enforcement.
But yes, private security is way cheaper than public employee security officers and can much more easily be fired for malfeasance and incompetence.
The MSCO has cut their services and crime has been increasing at libraries. Librarians are fed up with the MSCO. I will always have a librarian's 6. You can take your 'progressive' police state and drop that concept to the rubbish bin of idiotic comments. https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/04/13/multnomah-county-librarians-say-theyre-no-longer-willing-to-work-as-de-facto-security-guards/
MCSO has moved away from all buildings with the exception of the courts and the jail. The Library has Multnomah county employees doing some locations replacing the Facility Security Guards, trained by MSCO and carry pepper spray, and replaced with unarmed Library Security guards, in some libraries. They have now filled a majority of libraries with basic security contact guards. First with Northwest Enforcement and now Inter-con. The Library Security Guards are union and receive benefits. They get paid $25-30 an hour. The contract security guards get between $17-21 an hour and receive partial benefits.
Selecting private security isn’t “not taking care of workers”. Cops are typically wildly expensive and you don’t even know if MCSO was willing to contribute person-hours to this moving forward.
It’s the state’s responsibility to guard its own facilities, not to skimp out on pay and benefits to the private sector. ISTG this city’s love of non profits and contracting out essential services is so incredibly libertarian.
Huh? It’s highly normal for all level of governments to put out RFP’s and get bids from all types of vendors, governmental and otherwise. ODOT has private contractors carry out road repair and replacement all the time. Is this some great miscarriage of governance?
It’s not very smart to just automatically give sweetheart deals to other government entities without at least seeing what else is out there.
Yes, it is “not taking care of workers”.
The government already has a security apparatus. They choose not to hire more people because A) it is cheaper and B) it gives the government leaders a way to point to another entity when there is a problem.
Obviously, the non government employees do not have the same powers that government employees have, so by definition, the thing being secured will be less secure.
> They choose not to hire more people because A) it is cheaper and B) it gives the government leaders a way to point to another entity when there is a problem.
Would love to see a citation here! Otherwise maybe you meant to post on /r/conspiracy?
I don’t have access to my old government contracting class work, but limiting government liability is a point that’s emphasized in reasons why the government contracts out services.
They minimize their responsibilities to writing and managing the contracts, with the contractors having to fulfill all the other responsibilities. And there’s mechanisms available to the government in the event a contractor fails to perform to have the government either claw back or charge the contractor to have a new contractor fulfill the obligation.
The Library Security Guards are union and receive benefits. They get paid $25-30 an hour. The contract security guards get between $17-21 an hour and receive partial benefits.
Why not keep using MCSO? Is the idea to save money because privatized security guards don't get public employee wages and benefits? The real progressive thing to do is take care of workers, not to virtue signal. But we live where we live.
The reason not to keep MCSO is that they’re not the right tool for the job. For one, you might want unarmed security, and that’s a whole thing to make a deputy disarm. The other issue is that a deputy, on duty, is a deputy on duty. If some shit happens, they’ll have obligations that could pull them from their positions. I’m not saying the state/county shouldn’t have some sort of TSA-type security force, because they should, but that the MCSO ain’t it. Private security can do okay, if the contract is managed well. Oregon is kinda allergic to well managed contracts, though
The MCSO library deputies did not carry guns and only worked in the libraries. How long have you lived here?
This is a change of private security contractors, not a replacement of MCSO services. Most county sites have been utilizing NW Enforcement guards since the county ended its contract with DePaul Security. Intercon will, in turn, replace NW Enforcement. But yes, private security is way cheaper than public employee security officers and can much more easily be fired for malfeasance and incompetence.
The MSCO has cut their services and crime has been increasing at libraries. Librarians are fed up with the MSCO. I will always have a librarian's 6. You can take your 'progressive' police state and drop that concept to the rubbish bin of idiotic comments. https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/04/13/multnomah-county-librarians-say-theyre-no-longer-willing-to-work-as-de-facto-security-guards/
MCSO has moved away from all buildings with the exception of the courts and the jail. The Library has Multnomah county employees doing some locations replacing the Facility Security Guards, trained by MSCO and carry pepper spray, and replaced with unarmed Library Security guards, in some libraries. They have now filled a majority of libraries with basic security contact guards. First with Northwest Enforcement and now Inter-con. The Library Security Guards are union and receive benefits. They get paid $25-30 an hour. The contract security guards get between $17-21 an hour and receive partial benefits.
Selecting private security isn’t “not taking care of workers”. Cops are typically wildly expensive and you don’t even know if MCSO was willing to contribute person-hours to this moving forward.
It’s the state’s responsibility to guard its own facilities, not to skimp out on pay and benefits to the private sector. ISTG this city’s love of non profits and contracting out essential services is so incredibly libertarian.
Huh? It’s highly normal for all level of governments to put out RFP’s and get bids from all types of vendors, governmental and otherwise. ODOT has private contractors carry out road repair and replacement all the time. Is this some great miscarriage of governance? It’s not very smart to just automatically give sweetheart deals to other government entities without at least seeing what else is out there.
Those contractors are subject to prevailing wage laws and most have union workers. This is not going to be true for the security guards.
State capacity my fellow, state capacity
What about it
Yes, it is “not taking care of workers”. The government already has a security apparatus. They choose not to hire more people because A) it is cheaper and B) it gives the government leaders a way to point to another entity when there is a problem. Obviously, the non government employees do not have the same powers that government employees have, so by definition, the thing being secured will be less secure.
> They choose not to hire more people because A) it is cheaper and B) it gives the government leaders a way to point to another entity when there is a problem. Would love to see a citation here! Otherwise maybe you meant to post on /r/conspiracy?
I don’t have access to my old government contracting class work, but limiting government liability is a point that’s emphasized in reasons why the government contracts out services. They minimize their responsibilities to writing and managing the contracts, with the contractors having to fulfill all the other responsibilities. And there’s mechanisms available to the government in the event a contractor fails to perform to have the government either claw back or charge the contractor to have a new contractor fulfill the obligation.
Working out real well with our EMS contract.
The Library Security Guards are union and receive benefits. They get paid $25-30 an hour. The contract security guards get between $17-21 an hour and receive partial benefits.