Hello, I am a male writing this in hope that someone else does not suffer the same fate as I.
I worked for Pinkerton Security (before it became Securitas and I then worked for Securitas) for a little over four years.initially, I worked at a small client site in St. Cloud, MN. (I worked at this site a total of three-and-a-half years, during which time I received three plaques/awards for outstanding service to the client). After about five months, I was promoted to site supervisor, mainly because the current site supervisor was leaving for a position with then Burns or B.I.S.S. I held the position for about three years until Securitas lost the contract and General Security Services Corporation/Midwest Patrol got the account.
Consequently, I was laid off. Branch manager of the Duluth Securitas office, Jerry Weeks, said he could use someone like me to work for him in the Duluth, (MN) area. Jerry told me I would have full-time work (the first of many deceptions).
So, I, the trusting person that I used to be, moved to Duluth after borrowing money from a relative. I received some overtime for a few months and then barely made it through the winter at thirty hours or less a week. The low-paying accounts didn't help any, but Jerry would act like I was making a six figure income.
I was working at a client site and I was told by a client employee that the other guard, Robert Watkins, was sleeping in his car when she came in to work. I said that wasn't right and I would mention it to Jerry. When I informed Jerry, he shrugged and said he couldn't do anything because the client didn't complain. (this was my first hint of favoritism/corruption).
Not long afterwards, I was written up for supposedly "saying things about my boss" (Jerry) then he said it was for "complaining about checking the stairwells" at a client site. I could not get a copy of any of the write-ups, (yes, there's more) and I was denied a witness, although Jerry had the receptionist/human resources person Chris Rossow for his witness.
I called Jerry's boss, Kip Sandoz, in the Roseville, MN office and said I felt the write-up was unfair and that I suspected favoritism/corruption was going on in/by the Duluth office. Kip assured me this would be taken very seriously.
A few days went past, and Jerry called me into his office to "explain some things". Not only did he not explain anything, he acted whiney and said 'why didn't I come to him if I had a problem'.
A little over a month later, I was written-up again. The client that supposedly complained was a hotel at which I was working at the night in question. Supposedly I was not making proper rounds, there was a fight going on which I did nothing about, two drunks were passed out in the hotel vending area, a woman said two drunk guys were making passes/sexual comments about her daughter and security wasn't around or was standing by the front desk, there was a hole in the wall and two light fixtures torn off the wall on the fourth floor, etc. I later learned that the night auditor there, Chris Anderson, was going to get fired for not doing his job. Also, he is a friend of Robert Orso, Securitas patrol officer, who is also a phony and a back-stabber.
(After this write-up, I called Securitas Corporate in Westlake Village, CA and spoke with someone in the EOC. The lady didn't say much, but apparently something happened because the hostility increased towards me from Jerry, Chris, Gary, and Robert Orso).
I worked two nights a week on patrol, and other places on other nights. One night, while on partol, after performing one of my stops and traveling to the next stop, a deer, while crossing the roadway, struck the left side of the patrol car, resulting in a dent in the fender and the side mirror being broken off. I made a note of it in the "hotbook" for Gary Weitman, Securitas captain/scheduler.
I was called into the office and was told I had to take a drug test and that I was suspended. I filled out an incident report the same date as the incident with the deer, but I was left wondering for nearly a week what was going on. I was called into the office nearly a week after the deer/car incident and was told I passed the drug test and, because of the other two write-ups and Kip's say-so, I was terminated for "misconduct".
Among other things, Jerry said there were instructions in the car on what to do about the deer incident, but there weren't. I looked. I was also accused of eating client food at some of the client sites and not getting to work on time. Jerry admitted to "surveilling" my then residence with the help of his girlfriend, and Robert Orso.
I noticed when I turned in my uniform, Chris and Gary at the office were really smiley and friendly when they would look ugly at me/ignore me any other time.
As a result, I am currently unemployed and was denied unemployment benefits. I am living with friends at this time in the Albany area and praying I can find another job soon. I have a strong feeling Jerry will do everything he can to lie to any prospective employer.
I have a conscience and personal honesty, something that didn't mix well with Securitas's "core values" of "integrity, vigilance, and helpfulness".
It all appears to come back to greed, love of money and corruption... Thats why Jerry fits in so well with Securitas. Jerry even said, I won't get anywhere with a lawsuit, because he's "got things covered" and he is "looking out for the company". Jerry is an excellent deceiver, liar, and con/cover-up artist. I know, because he has hinted more than once all that matters is money. (I did tell two of Jerry's former friends in Duluth what Jerry is really like. Also, one of Jerry's former friends whom I am friends with, told me that Jerry told him I had quit while Jerry was on vacation).
Interesting, I called the same number to tell the (Securitas) EOC in California about this as earlier, and I was told to call a number which is Securitas in New Jersey. The lady who answered said she never heard of Securitas EOC. (convenient run-a-round???)
To date, I have been unable to contact anyone with Securitas who will help or listen to me. I called the MN state EEOC, but there is nothing they can do, because it appears Jerry screwed me in a "legal" way. There is little doubt in my mind that if I had been a "company man" as Jerry wanted me to be and shelved my conscience, I would still have my job and the lying phony Jerry to "protect" me like he does with his favorites.
By the way, I heard from a then current Securitas guard that Jerry is rumored to have stolen frozen chicken from a client site several years ago, but the client declined to press charges and the Duluth Police Department has the camera serveillance tape.
I know I have named names and may be subject to civil action, but as the saying goes, 'you can't get blood out of a turnip'.
I welcome your comments and questions.
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