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Crimes & Preventative Security Measures for New Yorkers

Be it in a department store, office building, or even movie theaters, the presence of uniformed New York security personnel is growing in recent years. There are a variety of benefits to having one or more uniformed security guards stationed at your business, many of which often go overlooked when determining whether or not added security is necessary in a particular location. With more attention being put on random acts of violence in recent years, the added security is never a bad thing to have, but here are some specific reasons why you may want to budget for professional security in addition to your standard loss prevention measures.

Visibility

Security Guards Need Only Be Seen to Be Effectual

Uniformed guards, specifically armed uniformed security guards, certainly have a way of standing out in a crowd. Even if your security guard does not wear a traditional uniform and dresses in more business attire, the way security personnel carry themselves in contrast to your average customer or employee makes their presence known. Having your security guards visible and making their presence known offers a number of benefits in and of itself. Having your security personnel lowers the potential for theft at your location.

Security guards are trained on behavioral characteristics or trends to keep on the lookout for which may indicate potential theft. In a retail environment, for example, they will be watching for customers who are paying more attention to the camera placement than the products on the shelves, customers lingering in a high-value section without doing much actual browsing, or customers simply picking up items without looking at prices or inspecting the items. These behaviors are generally indicative of shoplifters. Most decisions are made by weighing the risk versus the reward, and the higher perceived risk presented by uniformed security will dissuade many would be thieves from even attempting to steal from your business.

This visibility also offers a twofold benefit. While it dissuades thieves and shoplifters, it also instills a sense of safety and security in your customers. Customers and employees will have a clear direction to go in case of an emergency situation, and be able to find help quickly and easily. Most security guards are well trained in how to respond to a number of emergency situations, and not just restricted to handling criminal activity. Your security personnel will be able to take action and ensure the proper emergency services are contacted and on their way as soon as possible in other situations such as medical emergencies and fires as well, and will be able to help direct customers and employees alike on how best to proceed.

Security

Protection and Defense for New York Businesses

One of the obvious benefits of having security personnel is having additional security at your location. While it seems self-explanatory, there are a number of ways your security guards can be deployed or implemented depending on how your business is configured.

New York Retail Security

Theft Prevention Starts with Security Officers

New York Security Guards Companies in the NYCFor a retail environment, the best way to implement your security personnel is either by the doors to help with stopping shoplifting by providing one final checkpoint before customers leave the store, or having them walk high-risk sections of the storefront which might be targets for shoplifters. If you have more than one security guard, you can position them according to the highest risk locations. High-risk locations can be easily determined by reviewing your shrinkage numbers related to specifically to theft and missing inventory. If you have loss prevention employees in addition to your security guards, it is also helpful to keep them in close communication with each other, as loss prevention can notify your security staff of any suspicious behavior see on the cameras. Many retail stores such as Target, Macy’s, and Sears use a combination of both uniformed and non-descript loss prevention officers and security in keeping their stores safe.

Theaters in the NYC

Security for the Fine Arts & Performances

For movie theaters, having uniformed and well-trained security guards provides a large benefit, especially with the rise in violent activities in movie theaters as of late. There should be a theater-wide alarm system to alert your employees, security personnel, and customers in the event of an emergency, and an organized plan of action on what to do in case of an emergency. Your security personnel should be positioned in areas where they will be visible, such as the tills, concession area, aisles leading to theaters, and even parking lots if necessary. This added security will not only deter would be criminals simply due to the high visibility of your security guards, but your on-site security will act as your first line of defense in case of any criminal activity or perceived threats.

Office Tower Security

For office buildings, having a security desk inside the main entrance visitors must check in at will help keep a running log of every customer or patron entering your establishment, as well as the necessary information to match with security footage or other resources to identify them should a crime be committed on the premises. Most criminals try to stay anonymous, so having to check in using their name and identification will usually dissuade most criminals from the get-go. Having a few security personnel stationed on each floor for any general emergencies is also recommended. Many offices that handle confidential information, for example, Allstate’s Uniondale claims office in NY, has a security check in both in the main plaza of the office suite their office is housed in, as well as at the entrance of the Allstate office itself.

Schools

Security guards at schools should be positioned throughout campus, either at check in locations for non-classroom oriented buildings like the library, and throughout non-ID required buildings like lecture halls and the like. Your security personnel should also make an effort to communicate with the students, and keep an open ear in for any perceived threats based on conversational cues. In a school setting, the primary purpose of security guards is to prevent active shooter scenarios and ensure the general safety of students and staff. Many college campuses, Nassau Community College in Garden City, NY being a prime example, have security posted at the entrance to the library as well as visibly present in the main café area.

Active Shooters

There has been an increased focus on active shooter incidents across the Unites States in recent years, which understandably has a lot of businesses and customers alike on edge. Your security team will be the first line of defense in not only preventing but also in stopping these active shooters. Most active shooters are usually unassuming, and often times are unable to be recognized as a threat until it is too late. Once authorities are contacted, it can take up to 20 minutes for police to arrive on scene. Most active shooter scenarios cause the most damage and casualties within the first 5-10 minutes. This is why your on site security is essential in these situations. Depending on if you have armed security or unarmed security, their approach to situations like these may be different, focusing on either neutralizing the threat quickly and efficiently if they are armed and properly trained for such a situation, or to assist with evacuations and giving law enforcement details on the shooters location and access to doors only your security personnel can access, giving law enforcement more mobility and options on how to apprehend the shooter. Most active shooter situations are planned in advance, so having security present and able to listen to conversations and interacting with your employees and customers may also help them evaluate a potential threat long before your employees and customers are in any immediate danger.

Overall, security guards ensure that your customers and employees are safe, and have a go to person in case of an emergency. They are trained to expect the unexpected, and know how to handle those sudden emergencies that seem to shatter the day to day routine the rest of your employees and customers aren’t always prepared for. Through calm and immediate action, your security staff can be your most important asset in diffusing an emergency situation, and keeping everyone safe. If you think private security is something your establishment can benefit from, find a firm with experience in your particular industry. Nationwide Investigations & Security, Inc. is a good example of where one might hire private security staff, as they offer a variety of services ranging from loss prevention to crowd control management and alarm system monitoring, have a number of locations across the US.

Cocaine Cowboys and Texas Law

Drug laws are constantly changing, but possession of certain drugs such as cocaine can still be a very serious offense. Across the country, there has been a movement to decriminalize small amounts of drug use. However, in certain states, even small possession of cocaine can result in a felony charge. According to the Drug War Facts website in 2016 about 1.9 million or 0.7% of people 12 and older were “current users of cocaine.” Also according to the site over 38 million people had admitted to using cocaine at least one time in their lives. With these numbers in mind, lawyers have been busy.

Overview Of Cocaine Possession Laws In Texas

In the state of Texas possession of any amount of cocaine is considered a felony charge. The drug possession laws are outlined in the Texas Penal Code Health and Safety Section Title 6 Chapter 481. The Texas State law defines drug possession as “actual care, custody, control or management” of a controlled substance.

Texas splits it drug charges into two main categories being possession or sale. The penalties are harsher if someone is charged with the sale of a controlled substance as opposed to just having drugs on them. The penalties also get harsher with larger amounts of cocaine being involved. Depending on the amount, someone that gets arrested for cocaine possession can face a 3rd, 2nd, or 1st-degree felony and face excessive jail time and fines.

According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, in 2002 the state of Texas ranked number one in the nation for the amount of cocaine seized with over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine getting confiscated in the state. According to the NDIC website, most of these seizures are related to illegal drugs coming across the United States and Mexico border. In 2014 the state of Texas reported a total of 23,818 arrests statewide for opium or cocaine possession (https://www.dps.texas.gov/crimereports/14/citCh9.pdf). The Texas DPS does show through their statistics that the number of drug possession arrests has been decreasing in the last ten years.

Criminal Penalties For Cocaine Possession/Sale In Texas

As stated earlier the Texas state law gives worse penalties for cocaine possession based on whether the charge is for possession or sale and how much cocaine by weight is involved. If the possession amount is less than one gram the crime is considered a state jail felony and a person convicted can face up to 2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. For amounts between 1 and 4 grams, a person can be charged with a 3rd-degree felony and be given 2 to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Between 4 and 200 grams, the crime is a 2nd-degree felony and can come with 2 to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If the cocaine possession amount is between 200 and 400 grams the crime will be a 1st-degree felony and the judge can sentence 5 to 99 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If the amount possessed is greater than 400 grams than the person can be charged with an enhanced 1st-degree felony and face 10 to 99 years in prison and up to a $100,000 fine.

If a person is charged with the sale of cocaine of any amount larger than one gram, then they will receive harsher penalties than they would if they were charged with simple possession. If the sale is to a minor than the charge is automatically a 2nd-degree felony. If the sale takes place within a drug-free zone, penalties for the crime can be doubled.

In some cases, a person may be given probation instead of jail time or a combination of the two. When given probation the defendant must report to their probation officer, take drug tests, complete community service, etc. In many situations, drug abuse treatment may be a requirement to complete the probation program.

Potential Defenses And Your Rights

One of the most common defenses in drug possession cases is illegal search and seizure. The U.S. Constitution only allows police or government officials to search a person’s property in certain cases. Anything found during an illegal search cannot be used as evidence for the case. For a drug possession arrest to turn into a conviction the prosecution must prove that the police found the cocaine as a result of a legal search. In most cases, a police officer must have a search warrant or probable cause to search someone’s property.

Getting a drug possession case dismissed due to an illegal search may be tough but it is not impossible. The best thing to do is hire a lawyer for your case and they will be able to tell if you were legally searched or not. Having legal representation is sometimes the determining factor on whether a person is convicted or not, especially in cases of drug possession.

Cocaine Cowboys and Texas Law

Understanding the Felony Murder Rule

In Texas the felony murder rule applies in cases where a killing takes place while a person is in the process of committing another felony. In these circumstances the killing is considered to be murder. Felony murder charges may be applied regardless of whether it can be demonstrated that the accused person had intent to commit murder or not.

Felony murder charges are also applicable to all accomplices and can be applied in cases where an accused person had negligible participation or where the person was in flight from a crime. Essentially, if a crime is perpetrated, for example a drive-by shooting, all of those present and consciously taking in the crime, including the non-shooters can be prosecuted for murder.

A burglar whose gun discharges by accidentally, slaying a innocent bystander, can be similarly charged with felony murder. Prison sentences for felony murder can be in range of 5 to 99 years. However as Texas is a state with Capital Punishment a felony murder charge which is recognized as a Capital case, for example killing a police officer, could result in a sentence of execution.

Justification for the Felony Murder Rule

Understanding the Texas Law of Parties

The felony murder rule, also referred to as the law of parties, is justified on the grounds that a perpetrator, who carries out a felony, with intent must be held responsible for any consequences of that felony. If those consequences include causing a death, the intent to commit the felony is also assigned to the act that causes death. The person is held criminally responsible for all the actions.

Drunk Drivers & Felony Murder

In Texas there have been a number of cases where prosecutions against repeat drunk drivers were upgraded from manslaughter to felony murder charges. Normally, Driving While Intoxicated is considered a misdemeanor, however the third DWI conviction is escalated to a felony charge. Therefore a persistent drunk driver can be liable to face a felony murder charge and significantly more prison time.

The Role of a Criminal Lawyer

Murder is the gravest crime on the statute books in Texas. Anyone charged with taking another person’s life in Texas needs to understand fully what defenses are open to them and how to mount a credible defense such as that provide by the Law Office of Sandra J. Oballe. Any perpetrator who has been charged with felony murder or charged with a felony where a death has occurred should lose no time in consulting with a lawyer. The role of a criminal lawyer is to represent the best interest of the client at all times. A criminal lawyer may be able to work with the prosecution to ensure that felony murder rule does not apply in the circumstances and negotiate so that murder charges are not applied. The attorney will naturally be familiar with the Texas penal code and will be in a position to offer advice and if necessary to prepare and mount a defense in court.

Flynn Call Leakers ‘Broke The Law’

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) said Tuesday that those who leaked the contents of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s phone calls “belong in jail.” “That’s nine leakers that all belong in jail,” Nunes said.

“Those nine people broke the law, clearly, by leaking classified information to anybody.”

Flynn resigned late Monday night, after a Washington Post report on Feb. 9 said he had privately discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with a Russian ambassador during phone calls in December — despite assertions by Trump officials, including the vice president, that he had never done so.

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Signs That a Person is Drunk

Drinking alcoholic beverages is an activity that millions of people all over the world enjoy in a social and controlled environment. There are others who drink with the purpose of getting drunk, instead of simply enjoying the slight buzz they get from having a few drinks among friends.

There are many ways to find out if a person is drunk. The first thing is that they will start to look sleepy. Then you will notice that they have trouble speaking with the same pace that they normally have and the following problem is that they will lose proper coordination of their bodies.

This is main reason that drunk driving, or DWI, is such a relentlessly pursued criminal offense in the state of Texas. A driver’s coordination falters due to impairment caused by alcohol, their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is also compromised, and this costs lives when serious drunk driving accidents occur. If you’ve suffered an arrest for driving while intoxicated, you’ll need a Houston DWI Lawyer on your side.

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When A Person Is Accused of a Crime

When a person is arrested for a criminal offense in Houston two things happen: a fear of the potential repercussions of the consequences of the actions/allegations, and an immediate trip complete with all expenses paid transportation straight to jail. In the case of Houstonians were caught up in the vast net of law enforcement, this is more than likely going to be the Harris County jail in downtown Houston to be quickly followed up by an initial court date at the Harris County criminal court on Franklin Street.

When a Person is Arrested in Houston

Once a person is arrested, they are informed of a bond amount after which, if they’re smart, they’ll immediately use one of the phones in the jail to call family members and friends for the sole purpose of bonding out of the detention facility in which they are located.

The way the process works is a bond or they’ll bondsman is found who is willing to cover the amount of the bond, and the family usually have to pony up about 10% of the bond in order for the bill bondsman to agree to cover the bond which will result in the release of the defendant from jail.

Fighting Criminal Charges

It’s extremely important that the defendant bonds out of jail as that is the best way to avoid aggression from other inmates, saying something that may incriminate yourself during use of phones that are located in the jail, and it also gives the defendant an opportunity to continue living their life from the best position possible to fight the criminal charges.

If the defendant has an opportunity to bond out of jail, they should. It’s very important to be free in order to get a full grasp of the allegations made by law enforcement, enough time to give your attorney space to conduct their own investigation, and a chance to file criminal charges of harassment and civil rights violations any event that the situation applies to your current predicament.

Hiring an Attorney Who Can Help

If you live in Texas, it’s probably best to hire a top criminal defense attorney in Houston to represent you on your case as they are among the most experienced criminal case litigators in the state of Texas. We recommend Board Certified criminal-defense attorney Mark W. Bennett for persons who need an experienced criminal defense attorney on their side with a solid background.

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The Lubet Law Journal

  • Crimes & Preventative Security Measures for New Yorkers
  • Cocaine Cowboys and Texas Law
  • Understanding the Felony Murder Rule
  • Flynn Call Leakers ‘Broke The Law’
  • Signs That a Person is Drunk
  • When A Person Is Accused of a Crime
  • When You’re Arrested for DWI in Houston
  • Get Legal Help When You Need It
  • Texas Law Enforcement Gone Wild
  • Most Texas Convicts are Bad Drivers
  • Pokemon Go Caused a Car Wreck: Staying Safe in this Digital Age

Categories

  • Criminal Law
  • Drug Offenses
  • Personal Injury Lawsuits
  • Protective Security

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