Security Risk!?

Nathan King said:

Interesting discussion. I was very pleasant with the guard despite very gently and respectfully questioning the policy. He was quite professional and pleasant as well. I feel he didn't personally care what I did, so I don't think this is a case of a rogue guard.

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From how you describe the situation he wasn't rogue but may have been misinformed. If it were a real protected building you wouldn't be left with the question of "is this guy for real or not". He may have "had his orders" but they are most likely not really legal. I probably would have just left, but my temptation is always to offer to call a sworn LEO to clarity the situation. I've only been challenged once and that worked out quite amicably. At one government building that I heard reports of other photographers had been hassled, when I noticed the guard with a big gun (machine gun, I think) looking at me I smiled and waved at him; he smiled and waived back... then stood behind a pillar.

Theo Sulphate said:

Also, if either you or he called the police, I'm certain the police will always support the security officer.

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Not always. Many cops don't have much respect for security guards anyway, and one who tries extend his influence to places he is not paid to "protect" may well find an unsympathetic ear with the cops.

lxdude said:

Not always. Many cops don't have much respect for security guards anyway, and one who tries extend his influence to places he is not paid to "protect" may well find an unsympathetic ear with the cops.

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Their feelings towards security guards, good or bad, shouldn't come into it. They should uphold the law, regardless.


Steve.

Nathan King said:

Interesting discussion. I was very pleasant with the guard despite very gently and respectfully questioning the policy. He was quite professional and pleasant as well. I feel he didn't personally care what I did, so I don't think this is a case of a rogue guard.

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It is definitely the case of a rogue guard, or of one who had been misinformed. His demeanor is beside the point. What if he had wanted to confiscate your equipment- would you have let him? It would not have mattered how pleasant or professional he was.
He violated your rights. A security guard does not have the powers that a cop does. And a cop would have had no right to violate your constitutional rights to be there, doing what you were doing.

Steve Smith said:

Their feelings towards security guards, good or bad, shouldn't come into it. They should uphold the law, regardless.


Steve.

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You're right, and they should not. I was illustrating why I disagreed with the notion that the cops will always support the security guard. Some police will not favor the guard in any way, others will. That's just how it is, regardless of how things should be.