(Part 4) Top products from r/securityguards

You're asking a simple question with a complicated solution as there are many factors that go into conflict, stress, and decision making under pressure.

I think the first thing you could do is positive self-reflection. Recognize that stress and adrenaline diminishes your cognitive abilities, and impacts your ability to make rational and logical decisions. That's a biological response and you're simply being human. You said you were concerned about them getting violent, it was already tense, and I assume all three of them were against you. I would be reasonably concerned as well.

If you find this difficult, you need to stop beating yourself up. Ask yourself a simple question: Did you accomplish your goal or solve the problem? If the answer is yes, it's win and it's positive. Unless you broke a law or policy, it's all a learning experience and you can examine the situation to consider what you might do better next time.

You could take time to imagine yourself in future situations and how you would approach it successfully next time, mentally preparing yourself to act. Learning how to control your breathing can help to lower your heart rate and keep yourself more relaxed. Reminding yourself that the people you often deal with are mad at the situation, or what you represent, and not necessarily making it personal (unless you choose to) can help.

Having sufficient training and experience can help your confidence and inoculate you from some of the negative effects of stress, as mindset is a huge piece of the puzzle. Responding with a partner who has your back will also help.

There are a lot of things you can do, and there's no one single fix. If it's useful to you, two books I would recommend are Verbal Judo by George Thompson, and Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. As both touch on some strategies that might help you.

Best of luck and you're welcome to PM me if you want some resources and I'll see what I can drum up.

As a hospital security officer, I rarely approach any situation without putting gloves on. A couple of pairs in a keeper pouch is a good idea, but almost every hospital in the US has a glove dispenser and a hand sanitizer station within a few steps of wherever you may be at any time. When dealing with psych patients, remember it's the illness talking, not the person. Compassion is a big the biggest part of hospital security.

Keep an extra uniform at work. This is actually a requirement at the hospital I work at. Keep a Vick's Inhaler handy, a couple quick snorts will get funky smells out of your nose in a jiffy. There are lots of funky smells at the hospital.

If you stay there and decide you like the hospital setting, I'd advise you to pick up a copy of Dean Vaughn's Medical Terminology and Baron's E-Z Anatomy & Physiology. It will make following the conversations taking place around you much easier, and those two books present it in a very easy to learn manner.

Buy good boots. Danner Arcadia. Yes they are expensive but they will last years. I can get about 10,000 miles on them before needing new soles. which luckily they are recraftable so you won't need totally new boots. I have had one summer and one winter pair for 7 years. got new soles on them once and that was recently.


Next, get good true boot socks. NOT work socks. Fox River, Either go medium weight or heavy weight. Buy a pair for each day of the week you will need them. then you will only have to wash them once on your weekend.


They are both summer socks but the heavy weights will help in the winter.

Danner makes a steel toe variant of the Arcadia and recon. avoid them unless you are in a rough area and need the extra metal for a fight.

I wore the Steel toe variants and could walk 20 miles in a 10 hour shift, do that for 5-6 days a week for months and have zero foot pain.


If you absolutely can not afford the boots get the socks. they are very important. The proper padding will make a huge difference alone.


One other thing. Get shoe deodorizers if you walk a lot. leave them closed when you put them in every night and they will help will odar a ton.

Like others have said, I'd recommend adding OC spray or a baton to your belt. Certification courses should be available locally for cheap, maybe around $100 for a day of training. I would recommend giving yourself at least one less lethal option to go with the firearm. Once you have at least one less lethal certification, I would recommend getting a handcuff certification to go with it.

Once you've added a less lethal to your belt, handcuffs become more important because you are more likely to be detaining/making arrests. The good brands are Smith and Wesson, Peerless, and ASP. If you are going to carry a pair of cuffs, invest in a pen sized key. Nothing sucks more than handling a tiny key while dealing with a prisoner.

You could get away with wearing a strong, quality gun belt like you might see LEOs in soft uniform wear. Combo pieces like this are cool in my opinion: https://www.amazon.com/Safariland-Glock-Paddle-Magazine-Handcuff/dp/B001D85PPI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511749654&sr=8-2&keywords=handcuff+magazine+combo

I don't recommend using suspenders but if you really want them, I preferred the bulky ones over the "normal" kind. Condor and Blackhawk have pretty good ones but if you were a vest, they're very uncomfortable. Just get a better inner belt and more belt keepers.

Depends on the site you work and the contact continuum or use of force that is allowed for that particular contract or employer. Many of the street and traditional fighting styles are very effective, but using them unless it is truly life/death and whatever you were supposed to use was tried and didn't work, is likely to result in your termination, if not a lawsuit. Speaking for myself, if you took down one of our patients using anything outside of the approved tactics, I'd fire you.

Do you have Amazon Prime by any chance? If you do you can get a free taste of some of the tactics taught by Kevin Dillon as part of the L.O.C.K.U.P program. It's a very focused dynamic training, that while expands on armed work and tools, has many uses to neutralize a threat at a low level using very effective techniques.

Article Review

Police Combat Tactics Part One [Amazon]

Police Combat Tactics Part Two [Amazon]

These videos are early versions, but the fundamentals remain the same of the new updated content and course.

That being said, just to reiterate my first point, working as a LE Reserve, this is what I use on the street. As a healthcare security trainer, I teach and use CPI NVCI every day, and would never dream of using the LOCKUP training unless something had gone horrifically wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/Smith-Wesson-SWPENBK-Tactical-Pen/dp/B0026W4ZW4

I carry a smith and wesson one, similar to this but not identical, if your employer really breaks balls about it, just put the cap over the point like in picture #2 and it looks like a regular pen

I still do bar/nightclub work, I usually wear a pair of leather sap gloves or a pair of the soft knuckle gloves from Line Of Fire. I also have used Hatch brand gloves with hard knuckles, but every pair of hatch gloves I have owned has not stood up to more than a couple months of constant use. I highly recommend Line Of Fire, I know the Sentry and Operator series are a little more pricey, but they do have some more affordable options that have a pretty high level of cut protection. Mechanix makes a pair of covert tactical gloves that are becoming more and more popular. These Mechanix gloves have become popular due to their affordability, and the "normal" look they have to them, no shaped knuckles or anything that could contribute to the "intimidating" glove style some companies don't allow.

I wouldn’t recommend buying a “prebuilt” IFAK. They can get very expensive when you can build your own for half the price.


TRAUMA KIT

• (https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/TacMed-Solutions-Operator-IFAK-Pouch) [Tac Med Pouch]
  
  
• (https://www.rescue-essentials.com/combat-application-tourniquet-c-a-t-tactical-black-gen-7/) [CAT Tourniquet]
  
  
• (https://www.amazon.com/Israeli-Dressing-First-Aid-Compression/dp/B003DPVERM) [Israeli Bandage]
  
  
• (https://www.amazon.com/QuickClot-ZME150_OB-Combat-Gauze-Z-Fold/dp/B001E1CLTC) [Quickclot Combat Gauze]
  
  
• (https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Medical-Performance-Occlusive-Dressing/dp/B003VSORKC) [HALO Chest Seal]
  
  
• (https://www.amazon.com/EMT-Trauma-Shears-Carabiner-Stainless/dp/B00DKDNM0Y) [EMT Shears]
  
  
• Generic Gauze
  
  
• Black Mamba Industrial Gloves
  
  
  I also carry a small generic first aid kit with a few extra additions.
  
  
• Cayenne Pepper
  
• Ibuprofen
  
• Superglue
  
• 1 SAM Splint
  
• 4 tubes of Oral IV
  
• 1 MRE
  
• 1 nasal OTC Narcan kit
  
• Box of Black Mamba Industrial Gloves (best nitrile gloves ever)
  
  Don’t carry stuff if you don’t know how to use it. Especially using a chest seal. Can do more harm than good. Only stuff I would probably ever need would be a tourniquet, Israeli bandage and some gauze with quickclot. I’m a minimalist so I carry the bare minimum.
  
  Chances are you’ll use a regular first aid kit more than you would a GSW kit of an IFAK. Don’t wear trauma shears like some guards do, looks tacky an if you get into a physical fight it can be used against you.
  
  The only thing I physically carry on me is a tourniquet, the rest goes into an easily accessible patrol bag inside the trunk. I don’t have a lot of free room on my belt so I only carry what I need. Tourniquet goes into my cargo pocket.
  
  EDIT:
  
  I'm CPR and Firstaid trained, only reason I don't use any CPR mask because the chances of me using it will more than likely be on a transient or junkie. Eventhough barriers are relatively safe, I'd rather hold off. Chances are too risky for me to take on catching some sort of disease. EMS show up quicker than the police around here.

I wore hatch street guard for about a year. I like them. You can pick them up on Amazon for between 28-36 dollars depending on the size

Hatch SGK100 Street Guard Glove w/Kevlar, Black, Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RAZING/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_p7EzCbK8VDBKP

I've always used Bianchi flashlight holders-- well made and reliable, plus you don't have to worry about fumbling with a flap.

It comes in 2 sizes, so make sure you research your light and the holder dimensions.

https://www.amazon.com/Bianchi-Accumold-Elite-Compact-Holder/dp/B001CNUJIW?psc=1

I also carry pens in my breast pocket, but I pull the closure flap over the top of the pen itself.

I am planning on buying this holster for my shield soon:

Safariland 6360 ALS/SLS Level-III Retention, Mid-Ride Duty Holster, S&W M&P 9mm.40 w/Sure Fire X300, STX Tactical Black, Right Hand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00363WTNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_d7YXDb0F52F4T

People have stated in the "questions" section that this holster fits the M&P Shield 2.0, which is what I own. The description says it is made for accessories as well.

I like this Armitron watch:

https://www.amazon.com/Armitron-Sport-408209BLK-Digital-Watch/dp/B0044QZF3I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478162135&sr=8-5&keywords=armitron+wr330

--
You can also find it at WalMart, or Target for roughly $20.

It's filled my needs for the 3 years, I've had mine.

ASP/Flashlight holder

I’m sure you can find it on galls or other sites. It’s Bianchi Accumold brand

I used to wear my flashlight wear my baton is now, so old muscle memory catches me when I don’t have my baton and I’ll slide it in that.

I personally love my Belleville boots. I've been using the brand for ~7 years, and they're quality boots. My current pair are 1.5 years old and still comfy as hell. Only issue is break in period, took almost two weeks.

https://smile.amazon.com/Bianchi-Patroltek-Expandable-Holder-21-Inch/dp/B001D0MAKY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481082491&sr=8-1&keywords=bianchi+baton

Carry it weapon-side at 4 o'clock if you're using this.

If you prefer a rotating scabbard, get an ASP Federal Scabbard and carry it either at 4 o'clock weapon side, or 11 o'clock on abdomen, at approx 45 degrees, baton-base facing your weapon hand side.

Although some people like them, I do not carry or advise side-break scabbards. My baton will stay in hand and drawn until there is no threat. If I can't safely close the baton and move to initiate a controlled detainment, there is no reason for my baton to leave my hand.

Source: I am an ASP Integrated certified weapons instructor who works in security.


Further opinion, I would grab the baton or taser 1000x before even looking at spray. That shit is great for dogs because they don't know how to wipe you. Otherwise, fuck that. I'm not trying to fight in some WWI-trench-gas, lungs-burning scenario if I can avoid it.