Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: AUGUST 2016 13 And into the databases you go! Police arrest a protester taking part in a blockade of the main BNSF rail line in Vancouver, Washington recently. The action was organized by the Fossil Fuel Resistance Network in response to the recent oil train derailment in Mosier, Oregon to show people the risks with fossil fuel transportation. (Photo by Alex Milan Tracy) I n Florida, Lake Coun- ty sheriff’s officials will try and succeed where the FBI and the private security guard company G4S failed so spectacularly. Sheriff’s investigators, be- latedly, will be checking the backgrounds of employees of G4S as a public safety measure. That seems like a good idea – and not just in Flori- da. G4S operates all over the world and God only knows how many more Mateen- style shooters are currently being employed to protect sensitive sites like federal courthouses. Company officials have said that they conducted a background check on Ma- teen in 2007 when he was hired and again in 2013 and found “nothing wrong.” It’s unclear if that inter- view was before or after Mateen threatened to kill a local sheriff’s deputy and his family or any of the other reported and verifiable outbursts that paint a very clear picture of a ticking time bomb. Chief Deputy Peyton Grinnell said the sheriff’s office will be reviewing the vetting of the private sector employees to make sure they’re the right people to be working there. “We don’t want to take anything for granted,” Grin- nell said. And what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Sheriff’s office officials say they’re taking a second look at “internal protocols” on employee screening as well. County Commission Chairman Sean Parks said he’s happy that Sheriff Gary Borders is looking into G4S and the many employees that currently work jobs that used to be done by sworn law enforcement officers. “I am concerned that this evil person could have somehow been employed in anything having to do with security,” Parks wrote in an email. “However, I have the highest confidence in Sheriff Borders and his proactive measures to provide security at county facilities.” It’s unclear if G4S, whose lobbyists are major players in Congress and on K Street in Washington D.C., will have any interest in cooper- ating. Some might suggest that if the security screening for employees at a private security company is so poor a local sheriff has to pick up the slack, then G4S should pony up for the cost of the job they didn’t do. Checks LearntheSkills YouNeedfor Advancement Earn your Master’s in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership 100% Online 20 month program Top 100 university All coursework completed online Discounts for law enforcement association/union members Official academic member of the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police University Consortium Speak to an AdvisorToday » (877) 946-4731 | CriminalJustice.SanDiego.edu