Louisiana is cracking down on unlicensed security guards working in the New Orleans metro area. This comes as more and more private security officers are involved in violent situations. In the last 12 months, six security officers have been involved in shootings in New Orleans. One of those led to the death of a well-known security guard who WDSU now knows was not registered with the state to provide protection.
Now a state agency that oversees private security is cracking down. Retired police officer Carl Saizan wants to be crystal clear. “We’re going to come after you, we’re getting very aggressive,” said Saizan. Saizan is a former Major in the Louisiana State Police force. He retired after 30-plus years on the job running investigations for LSP. He now is the head of the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners. The agency regulates security guards.
“Look, we have a responsibility to regulate the licensed companies. But in fairness to those security companies that are doing it right, we have to go after the unlicensed security companies,” said Saizan. Saizan said since he took over the agency about 15 months ago, he has issued 19 cease and desist orders to security firms across the state operating without a proper license or registration.
All security companies, and their employees, need to have a license to operate in the state.
The state rules are as followed: All security firms must have a state license to operate.
Anyone working for that firm must be registered and approved. The requirement to work security – two eight-hour classes to work security unarmed and an additional eight-hour class to carry a gun. These are regulations state lawmakers say they support.
“We need to make sure that those who are performing this line of work are properly trained,” said State Rep. Daryl Deshotel, a Republican from Marksville. Saizan says the crackdown is necessary as private security is a growing industry. “The reality is private security is everywhere in the City of New Orleans,” said Saizan.
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor & Statistics, there are more security guards in this country than sworn police officers. The federal agency says just over 1.2 million people work private security in the U.S. while there are just over 800,000 police officers. That’s why Saizan says more regulation is necessary.
“It’s my understanding there was never a formal complaint unit that ever existed under the state board of private security examiners. We’ve created one. and we’re in the process of going out conducting audits on companies,” said Saizan.
A recent investigation by the state board into one local firm grew out of a tragedy. Darriel King was a security guard who was shot and killed at Wit’s Inn in April. According to Saizan, King worked for a local company called City-One. That company is licensed with the state.
Saizan says anyone working for them also has to be licensed or registered with the state as well. According to Saizan, King was not registered.
City-One recently had a hearing before the state board. The recommendation from the board included an administrative fine and probation for using an unregistered person as a security guard. The recommendation is awaiting board approval. “We need to raise the standards of training and professionalism,” said Saizan.
Lawmakers are working on more reinforcement and regulation starting in 2025. “I’m not a big regulator, but when you start talking about security and protecting people’s lives – I think it’s extremely important we understand who it is and we need to make sure those guys and gals are serving their customers,” said Deshotel. Those customers include the general public.
“They do foot patrols on Canal Street, they’re in private businesses, they’re in local, state and federal government facilities. So they’re everywhere. You probably have probably a few hundred that are in New Orleans working on any given day,” said Saizan. Saizan says state statutes for this industry have not been re-written since 1985, that’s why he’s working with lawmakers. He also says they’re working on an app that all registered security guards could have access to where they could immediately alert police of 911 about crimes happening.
