Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum

Releases & Statements

Gotbaum: Security Officers Unprepared for Terrorist Attack

New Report Says City Officers Lack Training, Experience

Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum today released a report concluding that security officers are not properly trained to respond to a terrorist attack or work with police and firefighters in the event of an emergency. Despite the orange security alert that New Yorkers have lived under since September 11, 2001, standards for New York City’s private security officers are alarmingly low.

Gotbaum announced the findings in front of the Empire State Building. Tenants have sued the owners of the Empire State building, accusing them of “reckless,” “negligent,” security practices that present a “clear and present danger and substantial risk of grievous bodily harm and death.”

“I am dismayed by the lack of training for the private security forces that guard hundreds of buildings with thousands of workers,” Gotbaum said. “New York City has some of the most famous and heavily used commercial buildings in the world. In this age of terrorism, these buildings and the New Yorkers who use them must be protected.”

Gotbaum’s office interviewed over 100 privately-contracted security officers who work in 39 major Class A commercial buildings and found the following:

Most officers say they have less training than New York State requires. Twelve percent have no training at all.

Training fails to emphasize terrorism, working with police and firefighters.

Security officers are told to report emergencies rather than taught their role in responding to them

Due to low wages and lack of health care benefits, turnover is rampant: nearly one-quarter of security officers stay at their job one year or less.

New York’s low training standards have not been revised since 1992.

The New York Department of State does not sufficiently monitor police contractors to ensure that the security officers they employ are fully licensed and trained.

“The phrase ‘heightened alert’ has been tossed around a lot in recent years, but there’s a major gap in our security, and the City and State don’t seem to be concerned about it,” Gotbaum said. “I call on all relevant agencies to take the necessary steps so that private security officers are ready and able to help keep New York City safe.”

The report includes the following recommendations:

The State Legislature should raise the number of training hours required to become a security officer.

The Department of State’s Division of Licensing should strengthen and expand their auditing of security companies to ensure that all security officers are properly licensed and trained.

The Department of State’s Office of Public Safety should revise and strengthen the training curricula to reflect current security concerns, such as terrorism, and to update the curriculum regularly to address evolving threats and concerns.

Governor Pataki and the State Legislature should heed City Council Resolution 569 and allow the City to adopt more stringent requirements for training, background checks, and licensing/registration than the State requires.

The Police, Fire, and Emergency Response units and other first responders should all coordinate their emergency response efforts with private security firms.

“The State, the City, and the private building owners are all going to have to make changes for this to work,” Gotbaum said. “But security must be our top priority. Who’s comfortable saying, ‘This can wait’?”