Getting my Act 235 Lethal Weapons Card What a Joke

At left is my certificate I earned to be able to apply for my act 235 Lethal Weapons card so I could work armed . Armed Guards made more money so it just made sense .
Never did I realize till years later the total joke this training and program is and how very lacking it is in training and knowledge a guard needs.
The whole thing of guards carrying guns in the first place is controversial in our state but prior to this there where not even these minimal standards and in some states there still is no training requirements to be an armed guard.

The public in general is at danger do to lack of guards understanding they have no arrest powers in PA. there are in now way Peace officers in any manner  etc etc. and bad things happen all the time in this state because guards go beyond what they are permitted to do which is basically nothing than be eyes and ears  and report incidents to law enforcement.
 the total training to get Act 235 when I went was 35 hours of training .
Compared to hundreds of hours of training needed to get Act 120 Municipal police Officers certification

When I turned 18 and  able to take the course but not own a fire arm but could carry a company owned weapon you had to be 21 in pa to own a hand gun  I went to the International Academy of Law Enforcement  in  an old building  rounded corner office building  on S.Highland Ave.which once had a grocery store over in E. Liberty .
IAL was on the 2nd floor thats where I meet a character named Major Siegle  a retired US Army Major of military Police .

The school closed couple years after I attended and major retired to Florida 

To be continued.

Guarding the Powerline Project to Power up J&L's new Electric Furnaces

My next assignment after PAB with Burns was helping to guard several sites being utilized  for construction of an ambitious power line project to bring power from 275K volts to the new electric furnaces on Pittsburgh's South side  J&L   Mill. The line would go over the Ohio river to North side then under ground up the Allegheny river to Troy Hill cross the Allegheny River  to Bloomfield then thru Oakland   then across Monongahela river to the old Glass Plant where  a big substation was built. 
I could have worked in the mill and made good money but by time I was out of school in 77 I saw the writing on the wall several entry gates at J&L south side and 2nd ave works had been permanently closed when they closed down certain shops. When my dad started at J&L in the 50's there where 10,000 workers that same  type of mill today can be run with 500 or less  So after J&L became LTV  it was only 10  years and it was gone.  thats why I was going to trade school so I would always find work with several skill sets.

My first assignment was watching an old abandoned mill building and equipment parked around it off of 2nd ave in Hazelwood you went thru a portal under the B&O Railroad tracks now a bike path  . The joint Venture Electric company had the contract and I sat in a trailer and once an hour walked around  not bad but one night a electric   Boss sneaked into the site  when there was over a foot of snow on the ground and accused me of sleeping yea right . He pulled up thru gate no lights and when I went to find out what the noise was when his car hit a bump  he called the office trailer from the trailer next door as I was getting ready to walk out the door.

He was an arrogant ass hole found out he pulled it on other guards too so Burns no longer put up with his antics and  refused to change out any more guards because this ass wipe thought it was a game . Both Joint venture Company's  would go bankrupt and bought out in the intervening years. The building was torn down and UPMC now uses the upper and lower lots for employee parking for there Oakland Hospitals . After this incident  I moved across the river to a site off Jane Street  extension  where at one time was an old Glass factory which was cut into hills and closed in the Depression and sat empty since 30's  Duquesne Light company now known as DQE Was building a gigantic substation on the 2 tiered lot.  Which had to be expanded and reinforced .

 So back I go to my first days assignment first a couple blocks away they have me watching cars of workers in a lot for couple hours then at end of there shift I walk back up to the site to the guards trailer. there is a fenced gate at entrance but property is not fully fenced there is all kinds of trailers and equipment on site several acres in all. Working the site was pretty easy walking around and checking things and except for the occasional dog walker no issues. That is till one afternoon I get to the site and there are 2 off duty Zone 7#  Pittsburgh Police officers from the Jane Street Station  in the trailer. the 7# zone was reconfigured as Zone 3# the station now in Allentown . They have been hired to ride around in a pick up truck  after Marsulla Contracting  From Uniontown pa.  equipment further down on the property line where they where installing the footers for the power line towers  was damaged by vandals.Shame they where a great outfit thats no more .

After all we sat below the Arlington Heights and St Clair Village  Projects  a notorious group of section 8 apartment buildings originally built for steel workers family s during WWII My uncle and his family where one of the last white family's to move out do to all the violence in late 60's . Both projects  have almost all been torn down  now a couple of the nicer buildings now serve as college housing. Those who lived there are now dispersed to homes thru Carrick,Knoxville  and Mt Oliver area and crime rates have sky rocketed its a shame because there are many nice black family's who lived in Arlington Heights  and I went to  Carrick High School with there children , but its always that 10-20% who cause the problems be it Bad Blacks or White Trash. Who live in section 8 housing.

Well after the officers came on duty for over nights from 3PM to 7AM  I just patrolled the 2 terraces and they did the perimeter in the 4x4 pickup truck to get around in the mud and climb the steep inclined hill.
Needless to say I felt pretty safe having 2 cops around and things pretty much settled down except for few times where kids where caught drinking on the property after stealing some cases of beer from a local distributor and some vandals where caught  I also got to know some great cops like Adam Mcnair and his K9 Rocky and Ray Lenigg and Sgt Red . I  believe they have all passed on at this pint

This was an active construction site and there was mud  everywhere but they used gravel and such to keep it under control. Everyday it was exciting to see what had been done the day before and some times I got to see workers working over doing there thing.

It took a little over 2 years to complete the project  and J&L then LTV turned on the furnaces and used them for less than 2 years and totally shut down the south side works  and most of 2nd ave furnaces except for byproducts where thankfully my father was able to transfer to.
DQE spent all that money 54 million at the time  to get power there and got screwed by LTV . Luckily they tore down and completely rebuilt almost all of both sites so the power eventually was used  from the sub station.


To be continued

Working at a Disco named Giraffe and an Anealing Plant

In between fixed  assignments  at Burns I worked 2 interesting jobs  the 2 posts at Parkway Center West and an evening at  PAB- Pittsburgh Anealing Box

Since Burns Headquarters where in Parkway Center West they had the security for the complex of 9 buildings and there where 2 posts the 1st post you walked every 2 hours and patrolled all the buildings at night to make sure doors locked lights off no water running heat was on when it was cold etc.  the complex has grown considerably since then . It was built on a land fill site and there was a coal mine fire underneath when they finally got that out they where able to expand including a now closed mall. The second post was to walk around Building 7# which had a Disco named Giraffe . Remember this was the 70's .
It was always interesting the characters you ran into  going to and from the disco while I was there we had no incidents other than couple drunks who you made sure you took there keys and called  them a cab or police if they got rowdy .  It was a great assignment till they lost the contract to Pinkerton . One snowy evening when I called for assignment they asked could I cover PAB in the North side I said sure but had no way to get there since I use buses  and with snow they where running very late if at all when I got to Burns office that evening . No problem the dispatcher said and a supervisor picked me up and dropped me at the plant which made very large boxs of anealed steel used to seal products.
A big old block long steel building  right next to a casket manufacture  along the river Which the supervisor  told me a story about how a supervisor got shot one night by a guard thinking he would be funny hiding in one of the coffins well you guessed it he made his move to be funny and got shot, also at one time they used the National Casket Company's big long basement to teach guards to use shotguns when they where allowed to carry them we where strictly unarmed.Great talk about creepy old buildings .  So I put on couple extra lights so I could find my way around this shit pit of a building pre OSHA days which had rats and mice from the river and shook and made all kinds of noise from river breezes and railroad next to it the roof leaking and danger every where with open pits and shaky wiring .
They even had a company cat to help take care of the mice and when I worked any of these old places it was good to know they where there as they usually sat in foreman's office only place there was a working phone as was custom they out phones on night service and it was only one in plant that worked  and if something was wrong they would perk up to alert us. If they brought you a dead mouse they had a box of treats and you would give it one. the plant also had an extremely loud door buzzer which scared the shit out of you when the plant was quiet  and the first worker showed up for his shift  to be let in.I only worked there 2 evenings and first evening  I did not get dinner before I worked so no problem most plants had vending machines with sandwiches not this shit hole just old coin machines and not much selection and all I had was $3.00 in bills after that I always made sure I had change in my carry bag and some crackers or pop tarts with me. I could have been a jag off and left the plant and walked up street leaving the shit pit unguarded as many guards did between when you punched in on your Detex  tour clock  which weighed abut 5 pounds  you carried and went from station to station and turned the key in your clock which recorded when you did tours  ,and half the time the clocks never worked right .

http://www.watchclocks.org/Types/20th_Century/Newman_Line/735_Newman/736_Newman_Grille/601_guardsman.html

PAB was acquired in the  in 90's and the old North side plant closed and moved to a modern faculty   the National  Casket Company was closed  has become upscale  office spaces and PAB sits empty of machines and now a homeless hangout and they catch the place  on fire several times each winter trying to stay warm building fires in the old plant.They have finally knocked it down

Old national casket on left  Old Plant I guarded sat on right all thats left is the office

Working as a guard during the National Truckers Strike

My second assignment with Burns was at LTL Trucking lines Pittsburgh terminal a couple blocks from CM Forge
They went Bankrupt in 80's during a slow time in trucking .
My Job was to sit in the dispatchers office keeping an eye on things . Then once an hour walk thru the terminal building checking for hazards  and then thru the lot checking trucks where not leaking fluids etc and signs any one might be trying to break into trailers in the lot.
It was a very quiet job except for occasional voice coming over a Zenith line? they called it which was basically an open mike phone between  all the terminals. If I had a problem and could not get hold local supervisor  could pick up the phone and get one of the 24/7 dispatchers to get hold of the right people . Other than the occasional truck leaking cargo contents and a trailer sinking because it hydraulic lift was loose I rarely had to call any one .
That was till the weekend during summer 79 when the teamsters went on strike nation wide.

http://www.cb39.org/trucking-history/truck-driver-strikes-1979.html

LTL was non union and stopped all its trucks I checked them in as they came in that weekend . Next to us was Yellow Freight lines a Union outfit . They had pickets who for most part where peaceful but they got out of hand the first weekend and good ole General Patton as he was known as a tough no nonsense Stowe Township cop came down and settled it. Good thing many truckers where injured and couple killed during this strike.
During the first weekend we still had trucks coming down into the Bottoms as its known who did not know the strike was called. The union guys stopped them   advised them to pull there rigs over in one of the lots till things settled down.  I heard some yelling that evening and they here arguing with a driver I said knock it off I had called  Police and there  on the way and since I was only 19 at time  I was  literally taking my life in hand but at over 6 foot and 225 pounds I could handle myself if I had to.  The police arrived and they talked to the drivers the officer then came to my place and asked if the driver could leave his trailer on LTL's lot .It was then I had to use the all call phone told dispatchers what was going on and they said fine they can leave there trailers or trucks in the LTL  lot  till things blow over after the police officer asked if they could do so.  . Some dropped there trailers in our lot some parked whole rig and just stayed in there rig 1st night then found motel rooms up the road after there dispatchers arraigned rides for them. At least in Pittsburgh it was fairly quiet  but in other parts of country trucks where shot at a driver was killed  and logs where left hanging low under overpasses to injure drivers and  tire-jaks put on roads to deflate tires.

I was there several months till they lost the guard contract something frequent in the industry as every  guard company tried to cut the others throat what they would provide guard service for . It still goes on to this day.  I then worked several temporary assignments .Burns also lost the contract with Pepsi plant next to LTL and when they lost the contract one of the Burns supervisors gave me one of there No Trespassing signs they use to post on property's after he took it down   The Yellow Freight terminal has also closed  and the LTL terminal which sat empty for many years is now being run by Dayton Trucking. the trucking industry has seen more than its shares of bankruptcy mergers and acquisitions as well. many trucking company names now gone to history.

Old Abandoned Yellow Freight terminal

Old LTL Terminal

Where did all the Security Guard and Alarm Companys in Pittsburgh Go ?

When I started as a guard in the 70's there where over 200 security guarding and alarm outfits in Pittsburgh some did both alarms and guards  or just alarms or just guards  95% of them gone either closed completely and assets sold  , bought and merged etc. many started by ex cops and detectives as retirement income . some outfits only had 2-4 guards  with 1 or 2 accounts while some like Burns had hundreds same with alarm company's.

? mark means the company name is no longer around and what happened to outfit is unknown  some merged but with who unknown  many are now part of Securitus.

Security Guard Outfits

Burns International Security 7# Parkway Center West   -Merged now Securitus
Globe Security - Merged- now Securitus
McGlenon detective Agency -  Penn Ave Wilkinsburg- Closed?
Dell Detective Agency -  Bloomfield- Closed?
CPP Security ( California Plant Protection ) - Merged  with Pinkertons  now Securitus
United Detective Agency  Saw Mill Run Blvd.- Closed -?
Pinkerton Security Agency- Merged now Securitus
Universal Security Services - Closed
Paragon Security -  ?
Pegasus Security -Zelinople -Closed
Ogden Security Patrol - Crafton ?
Allied Security - Library Rd Rt 88 - Merged now Allied/ Barton after founder Niel Holmes died
Whitehall Security -Closed ?
Federated Security -  Allegheny River Blvd. Oakmont -Closed ?
The Security Bureau -Penn Hills - closed ?
Gregg Security - Merged ?
Firm Security - Banksville road - Merged  Vector Security
Commonwealth Security -Mckeesport ?
Pa. Professional Security- ?
Task Force Security  - #7 Parkway Center  -?
US Security Associates -?

United Detective Agency - Sawmill Run Blvd. - ?

Alarm Companys

? indicates fate of company unknown name no longer active under that name may have merged other company's

  Holmes Protection- Pittsburgh branch went to Westec  in Pittsburgh now Vector Security  Rest of Holmes  went to ADT
Burns International Security  merged with Holmes
Night Owl Security- merged with holmes
Black Shield Security- merged with holmes
Pittsburgh Fire Alarm service - Merged with Holmes
AAA Alarm merged with Holmes  

Holmes sold to Vector
 
Crime Busters- Merged with SSA Security systems of America
Laurel Security Fayette county - merged with SSA
Amper Security- Merged SSA
Commonwealth Security merged several times now part ADT
Firm Security -Banksville Rd.-  Acquired by  Vector Security
Universal Alarm - merged with Firm now part Vector Security
Interlock- Merged with firm Now part Vector Security 
Check Mate Security- Bethel Park ?
King Security - Owner deceased ?
PM Security- Penn Hills- Merged Cat Burglar& Fire Alarm
Guard Duty/ Minatronics ?
Mastertech- Merged Guardian Protection Services
Fidelity Alarms- Merged to Honeywell Now part  Stanley Security Solutions
Pittsburgh Alarm Service ?
Honeywill Security- North Hills ?
North Allegheny Security- North Hills   Now State Alarm Services- now owned by SSA
Perimitector -Penn Hills ?
Belco Security - Penn Hills ?
Lease n Alarm - Acquired by  Westec now Vector Security
Pittsburgh Alarm Service  ?

JTK? Alarm oakmont ?

Richard Neise? Security alarms - Penn hills ?

Suburban Security North hills-retired ATC monitoring acquired accounts 

  cauley detective Agency & Alarms

United detective agency & Alarms

First day on the job a uniform and nothing else

My first paid Security Guard Job was in 1978  working for Burns International  Security Agency also known as Burns Detective Agency in its early days .
it no longer exists as it has been bought sold and merged several times  over the decades since I worked for them.

I went to there offices in Green Tree at Parkway Center West  office building 7#  via Public bus and then walked to the offices about 1/4 mile away.

I started this job after running into a class mate who was working for them while going to trade school like I did and he said it was a good way to work on weekend  to make money and be able to study in between breaks etc and still be able to give 100% during the week to school  . I never saw him after that in fact 98% of all the people I ever worked  for as a security guard  with I have never run into again in my life  for I found out some of the biggest Losers ,Liars, Braggarts,Tattletales and  Thieves you would ever want to meet work in security.
Almost all of the places I worked are gone as well including the buildings in many cases. Now nothing more than a memory. Some company's still exist just not in Pittsburgh any more

I put in my application was called 3 days later  was asked a couple questions sent to the dispatch office which was full of alarm monitoring meters etc,  and was given a uniform and put on my first assignment  with no training what so ever. Start at $2.25 and hour as an Unarmed Guard
It was ## American Forge in the old Pressed Steel Car Plant in McKees Rocks bottoms section.Which was the scene of very violent strike which killed several workers in early 1900's
it was a 12 hour shift Saturday and Sunday  12pm to 12am I took 2 buses and walked about 1/2 mile to get there
They made giant crane hooks used in long wall mining  and ratcheting binders for holding down loads on trucks.
It consisted of an office and plant building which had 2 huge heating ovens  .
I followed the guard manual which was also the log and tour book   and was shown what to watch and check on by the guard I relieved. Which included touring the plant once an hour and  calling the Burns dispatch center every2 hours to tell them I was safe
I would later find out after talking to a guy I worked with at Holmes  Protection  this policy came about after a burns  guard working a weekend long shift at a now gone brick making plant in the Hayes section of Pittsburgh now the parking lot for Sand Castle Water Park  after the guard fell a couple hours into his shift breaking a leg and laying all weekend no help and fighting off rats.
Stan found him after an alarm went off at the plant.
Funny how things work out because shortly after going to work for burns they sold there alarm division in Pittsburgh to Holmes Protection and burns went back to not checking on guards as often and put what was left of the supervisors on the road checking on guards.
Things at the plant went pretty well I was there a few weeks when I went to a training class  for Burns and they discussed all the tings we needed to know to work as a guard. During the class I found out Burns was even involved with big deals like security for the  nuclear reactor in Shipping port and providing security for the US Open in Oakmont country club. I worked for about 3 months at the plant  never any problems  till one afternoon I came in and started my tour there where still some workers finishing up some weekend maintenance  work when I heard a loud noise which sounded like gas escaping  I was right it was natural gas but it was like pulling teeth to get any one to take care of it. Then the next weekend there was an oxygen leak near the furnaces again nothing but crumbles and then management said they did not want me in the plant any more. One of the supervisors was so mad he said screw them thats what they pay us for is to make sure there plant is safe and this is what they do, and he got me a nice job out in McKee's Rocks watching a trucking company site . ## American Forge would go on to have  serious fire etc, and the plant was closed  in 80's when the steel mills went down. it was bound to happen management who did not give a shit and workers who cared even less. One of the kids from my neighborhood dad worked as an electrician in the plant and lost his job. he was never the same after that.

American forge located in green steel buildings along river

Green Buildings where American forge