(Not) blowing smoke up your skirt
Written by Robert D. Sollars
You’ve been reading these posts for a while, and while you may know me peripherally, I thought I’d give you a rundown of my experience and accomplishments. This way, you’ll know for a fact I ain’t just blowing smoke up your skirt or trying to flip your switch!
I’ve been in the security field for 40 years at this point. I started out in special events security – which really isn’t security but they called it that at the St. Joseph Civic Arena in 1982. It was only a couple of days and events long but it was interesting, to say the least.
I then went to work for a name, blast from the past, Wells Fargo Guard Services. I worked, at several accounts in the St. Joe area for 12 1\2 years. I went from a sekurit gard to supervisor, field supervisor, branch manager fill-in, and handled 12 strikes from before they started, during, & after they ended. Again, it was interesting and I learned a lot of great information from experience and other people around me.
The learning aspect was not easily advised back then, as it isn’t now. I was expected to blindly follow orders and do what I was told like a good little puppy. I didn’t do that, and eventually, my nose was rubbed in it, slapped, and kicked out the door landing face first in the mud. But as I see it now…it was their loss.
In 1996 I started with Allied Security in Kansas City, Mo. Again, I ran into a lot of interesting clients, officers, guards, and other assorted characters. They finally made me an Account Manager in charge of ‘trouble-shooting’ troubled accounts. Again, I went too far in trying to help the client and was booted out of there and the company. The manager ended up firing most of the office staff and a few supervisors, including her best friend at the time.
I worked with Uni-Guard Security as an Account Manager at a large multi-tenet office building just south of downtown Kansas City. This time I left on my own accord after the office refused to back me up with disciplining a guard who was consistently late and breaking the rules and regulations of such a public assignment, despite the fact he’d been written up more than 30 times by me (I think they were afraid of a black guy who could’ve played linebacker). The client didn’t like it, but I had already accepted a different job when the office announced I was leaving…quite to the surprise of the client, I was told not to say anything to them until the office could.
My next security assignment was with First Response, Inc. of Mission KS. A Kansas City suburb. I was happy and worked well there. I was an operations Supervisor that went to varying accounts and did what needed to be done…surveys, fill a post, replace an officer, talk to the clients, update on new orders, and all sorts of wonderful & exciting stuff.
The owner and VP of the company allowed me to do what I did best for them. I was able to focus on the things I liked and did best – writing post orders, training manuals, and for the company newsletter – visiting with clients and officers – coaching each to be the best we could all be. I designed, wrote, implemented, and instructed the 8-hour training program for them, the first such in-depth program in the area, and I got to see the entirety of the KC area, visiting posts from north, south, east, & west (the airport, Grandview, Topeka, Lee’s Summit, and accounts that were far spread apart at times).
Then I moved to Phoenix, and for both my wife and I, it was a huge mistake. We’ve had nothing but health issues since being here and of course, I went blind 6 weeks after moving here. Since 2004, I’ve been continuing to write, research, speak, & do security work of that nature. The first few years were horrible for both of us – being real…I was an ass and treated people that way.
But I was also able to write 7 books, 2 of which we don’t discuss because of how bad they were, with a few more on the way.
I’d love to be able to assist you in keeping your facility, either business or educational, safe from security issues. As you already know my specialty is workplace & school violence prevention. I come to the job with old-school revolutionary ideas that work as well as any technology does…if they are followed honestly. But also remember, not everything I write and tell you about will be applicable to your situation and location, even the same store in different locations have differing threats. So, tweak the ideas I give you for your own use, just don’t blame me if they’re too far off the mark!
Get more security news and updates by following me on the social media channels I’m on, or contact me;
Website: Sollars Violence Prevention Training & Consulting
Phone: 480-251-5197
www.facebook.com/robertdsollars/
Twitter: @robertsollars2
Author of (all available on Amazon):
One is too Many: Recognizing & Preventing Workplace Violence (2014) e-book only at this point
Murder in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Prevention (2018)
Unconventional Customer Service: How-to Break the Rules to Provide Unparalleled Service (2018)
Murder at Work: A Practical Guide for Prevention (2020)
Legend of Three Book 1: The Rise of MarPatconia (2021)
Evil Does as Evil Is (2021)
Preview all of these, except One is too Many, at: http://www.dldbooks.com/robertdsollars/
Like these blogs? Then please feel free to pass them along, with proper attribution, to friends, colleagues, or anyone who may benefit, with proper attribution. Have them subscribe to my website: Sollars Violence Prevention Training & Consulting
It happens to Anyone…Any Time…Anywhere… For any Reason
I May Be Blind, but My Vision Is Crystal Clear
Copyright 2022 Robert D. Sollars
