NYPD for hire: how uniformed New York cops moonlight for banks

NYPD for hire: how uniformed New York cops moonlight for banks

m.guardian.co.uk

I was surprised two weeks ago to walk into my local TD Bank, on Greenwich Avenue in the West Village, New York to find that the security officer who was usually standing by, on alert, had been replaced by a uniformed, armed, radio-carrying New York Police Department officer, Officer Battle. I confirmed from him that he was, in fact, an NYPD officer – and was working part-time for TD bank.

Of course, this raised red flags for me. After the violent crackdown on Occupy Wall Street in November of 2011, when that group was having some of its most significant successes in protests and actions t

(visit the link for the full news article)

I thought this might be of interest because as the author suggests there is a massive conflict of interest!

If the off duty uniformed officer is told to act in a way that would be in breach of an individuals/ protestors rights the. What would be do? The banks are paying him, the state has equipped and trained him but the bank is his paymaster?

I think this is the most outrageous use of municipal resources particularly if you look at the insurance liability issue.

Ah well, over to you.

m.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Also can this be used as a means of fulfilling an officers contracted hours or is it only a supplementary agreement to state / municipal duties? If so does the extra work accrue benefits?

Whatever the answer to that question since when has the hype become a structured mercenary force for hire by private enterprise? Can I hire my own off duty uniformed cop to protect me for a few hours a week?

The seemingly most corrupt police gang in the USA partnered up with the "Banksters" seems a perfect marriage to me.

My conspiracy nerve is tingling here so, for entertainment purposes I pose this question. Do you think the banks are just putting people in place that will actually shoot free citizens on command? I'm not sure your average rent a cop would plug a person for trying to get their money out of the bank after said collapse.

reply to post by GoldenBrain71


Interesting idea of foreshadowing a collapse. I had seen it as a response to occupy Wall Street . I have no doubt however that if there was a collapse and plod was under the pay of the bank and there was panicked rioting style forced entry that he wouldn't hesitate to use his weapon. And all his actions insured by the tax payer.

This isn't news to me. Cops can work as off duty security folk, and have for a long time. A number of years ago when I did plainclothes security for a large chain store we had WA state patrol (two at a time) stationed in the parking lot to help us deal with the migrant workers.

There is no conflict of interest. The police will follow procedure outlined by their department even when off duty.

reply to post by spacedonk


That has been the case in most of the US as long as I can remember.
It's not unusual to see cops who are off duty working anywhere from banks, to grocery stores, to directing traffic for a special function. You could hire one for your kid's birthday party if you wanted to.

The time working off-duty does not go toward their 'contracted time', they are not under contract it should be noted, they simply work 80 hours over two weeks however it is scheduled.
When they are off, they can sign up for a multitude of off duty job postings as extra work, much like working a second job.

Liability falls on the state who certifies them while they are working under the color of the law, but officer's can still be sued civilly if they screw up.. Most officer's pay out of pocket for civil liability insurance and legal service.
The officer is working in uniform and still is a representative of his/her municipal, county, or state rules and regulations and so must abide by such.

Some off duty positions are provided by the client, some are sponsored overtime, approved by city, county or state agency from an annual budget put in place for overtime to be used for such unpredictable needs such as hurricanes/tornadoes, civil unrest, earthquake, mass shootings and any incident that would require more officers working than would otherwise be.

I think this is the most outrageous use of municipal resources particularly if you look at the insurance liability issue.

Sadly, most people have passed poor judgement on ALL police officers and ALL law enforcement agencies because they witnessed the screw ups of a few capitalized on by main stream media. (You'll see what I mean as the replies continue here). I know many, and they are just regular people just like us, looking to go home without any extra holes in them and put food on the table for their family like everybody else.

Originally posted by Domo1
This isn't news to me. Cops can work as off duty security folk, and have for a long time. A number of years ago when I did plainclothes security for a large chain store we had WA state patrol (two at a time) stationed in the parking lot to help us deal with the migrant workers.

There is no conflict of interest. The police will follow procedure outlined by their department even when off duty.

No it is not news that cops work their free time pulling security. What is news is that they are:

1. Fully uniformed in NYPD issue blues
2. Carrying state issued weapons
3. Being paid by the state (the state is hiring out their off duty cops)
4. Insured as the article says not by the hiring corporation but by the state.

Therefore I have no issue with an off duty cop getting extra work, he'll we all need extra cash. They should however be employed directly by the corporation they are temping for, not carry a state issued weapon nor wear their state issued uniform. When doing outsourced work they are not representing the police. They are representing themselves and the corporation picking up the tab.

reply to post by Lonewulph


100% get your post an agree with it. I feel disaster management and regular overtime is different to a cop being hired for private security by a corporation who would have inhouse security if not for being able to hire cops. As per my post above I have no issue with people working for extra bucks. A corporation should not be able to hire the cops for protection though. See my initial post and the article regarding conflict of interest particularly in this instance in the context of Occupy.

A sporting event does not hire the police for their event, they pay the bill to have their event policed because he state demands extra resources to prevent public disorder. This is entirely different IMHO.

reply to post by spacedonk

A corporation should not be able to hire the cops for protection though. See my initial post and the article regarding conflict of interest particularly in this instance in the context of Occupy.

Yes, anyone should be able to hire off duty police, but there should be no conflict because the police must still enforce criminal laws of the state regardless of what the manager of the bank wants.

Remember that video that was circulating recently showing the cop at the airport telling the airport manager that two solicitors do not have to show their ID, and no he will not detain them, etc..? He was cheered by the public because he was looking out for a citizens rights regardless of the demands of who he was working for. That's the example of what the cops in NY should be following and there would be no conflict of interest.
www.youtube.com...

However, speaking again on behalf of my state, it's quite simple.

An officer working for say,..a bank, he's off duty. The term simply means he is not on city paid schedule. He's working for the bank but he is still very much 'on duty.' In other words, he must still respond to any citizen in need, or any criminal incident that takes place near him, even if he is driving home from the bank.

With that in mind it should be understood that the officer is not held to act within the rules of the bank, (or whoever he is working for), he must still abide by, and enforce, the criminal laws of the state...first and foremost.

So if a few protesters show up on the sidewalk to protest the bank and the bank manager wants them removed, the officer cannot remove them if they are acting within legal quidelines of exercising their rights. (as long as they are not blocking vehicle or pedestrian traffic for example).

In NY, if the cops are removing someone who is lawfully exercising their rights because the bank wants them removed, the officer and the bank can be sued civilly for rights violations. And the mayor up there needs to get his police department reigned in.

reply to post by Lonewulph


Yes anyone can hire off duty cops that are not liveried in their cop uniform. It is the use of an 'impartial' police force to represent a private corporations interests that concerns me. Off duty private individuals should not represent themselves in any other capacity than that which they are fulfilling. The fact they also happen to be cops should not be exploited. If I saw a cop at a bank I would think he was there in his role as a cop, not as a gun for hire.

Okay this'll be my last post because I do not believe you are getting it.
On off-duty officer hired to work security for private company does not represent that company, but represents an officer with police authority who enforces the laws of that state. The company Is simply paying to have a police officer present who will be staying on the premises and not leave for any other calls. If the company would not paying for him to stay, the police officer would only be there if a crime occurred and somebody called 911.
Me I would rather have an off-duty, state certified police officer, with the arrest powers… Keeping watch over my business and employees.
Sorry For the typos, sent by my iPhone

I was in-house security for The Saginaw Civic Center in Michigan when the WCW wrestling promotion came into town. They hired 12 police officers from the city of Saginaw to stand around and look important while Hollywood Hogan ranted and tried to get past them.

Cops are routinely tapped for such assignments. In Hollywood, many cops are also part of SAG, so that they can be cast as extras in movies in full uniform.