Here are a couple of cops who were arrested for billing a neighborhood for security service they didn’t perform. One of the officers ripped them off for over $15k. I’ve long had a problem with cops working as security.
They wear their department issued uniform, carry a department issued firearm and radio while driving a department issued patrol car. They reimburse the agency they work for for the use of those items, then are free to rent themselves out. Depending on the situation, they are considered to be security guards or police.
If they want to search you but don’t have a warrant or probable cause, they are security guards. If they ask you a question and you lie, they are then cops and you have broken the law. If you resist them in any way, they are cops. They get to have things however it works out best for them. As this great grandmother found out, when Disney security searched her bags as a part of a security check and she was arrested for having CBD oil. The charges were later dropped, but this illustrates the problem I have with cops as security. They can search you, and you have no constitutional protections. But let them find something illegal, and they instantly can use the fruits of what would otherwise be an unconstitutional search and arrest you.
Oh, and should that cop have to use any sort of force, you can bet your ass that they will be fully covered by magic police immunity.
This entire practice is also a clear conflict of interest. There are quite a few Orlando Police who work for Universal Studios. I once watched a famous singer use a shit load of drugs while backstage at a concert at Universal Studios, right in front of uniformed OPD officers working off duty security. Those cops didn’t do shit, because they know that pissing off their employer (the Studios) by arresting performers will ensure that their cushy and lucrative off duty gig will go away. In some cases, they make more working as security than they do as police officers. They aren’t going to let anything like the oath they took to the law and the constitution get in the way of that.
I don’t think the general practice of off duty security should be legal.
6 Comments
Kentucky Headhunter · June 21, 2026 at 7:39 am
Yeah, our neighborhood has off-duty cops for extra “security”. So, dutifully, every week on Wednesday at 10 AM there is a cop car parked on my court for 20 minutes. Sometimes 25 minutes. Boy howdy do I feel safe then.
YourAverage Joe · June 21, 2026 at 1:11 pm
My HOA used to pay 55k a year for Harris County PCT 4 constables to patrol our neighborhood.
You never ever saw them.on patrol.
At a HOA meeting I suggested the constables carry an HOA issued tracker when they start their patrol so we could verify performance and everyone looked at me like I had worms crawling from my ears.
It never occurred to anyone there that the Constable was the biggest thief of all.
Tom235 · June 21, 2026 at 8:04 am
Get down to the basics. What type of person voluntarily chooses a profession where they get to order others around at the point of a gun?
Divemedic · June 21, 2026 at 8:27 am
Any of us, given powers to do so, would probably attempt to enforce our will upon others. That’s why the powers granted to those with those jobs needs to be kept to the minimum.
Steady Steve · June 21, 2026 at 5:08 pm
Is there any case law covering this? Someone had to have sued a cop playing security guard for trying to be both. Since there are court rulings saying police are only responsible for general public order not to protect particular persons or locations. I can’t see how the courts would accept that they can be both public servants and private employees at the same time.
joe · June 21, 2026 at 8:25 pm
i guess diff states have different rules…in tx officers working security are normally not allowed to enforce house rules…they are there in case actual laws are broken and to keep the peace…and depending on the job they can’t use dept vehicles…i had one at a church where i had to wear a generic uniform and badge…i’ll give enough cops credit that 99% of the time, they are smarter compared to most security guards…not by much but still smarter…most security officers are guys that want to be police but are too stupid…having been in the field for a “few” years, i still agree with 99.99% of your observations DM…
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