Security Guards and No Respect?

Question

Why are security guards, at least those in contract security, not respected and labelled lazy and/or ignorant?

Answer 1

Ignorance mostly. Problem I have seen though is that when a person becomes a security officer, they get carried away with a power trip. I have worked around security officers for a long time and most just do their job and don't worry about anything but doing what they were hired to do.

Answer 2

Because a lot of them are guys who so desperately wanted to be cops but couldn't cut it, so they take this other job that sucks, and makes them more unhappy because they end up seeing cops all the time but are still not able to be one.

There is also a lot more contact by the public with security guards then they have with actual cops, so they see who is doing it. My wife's kid brother is a mall security guard and a lot of his co-workers fit the stereotype perfectly.

I was a security officer for about 2 years before I became a Peace Officer (ages 18-20) and even I was embarrassed to be one/admit it. I worked at a nuke plant as contract security and at a an oil refinery, so at least I wasn't exposed to the general public or real cops.

Answer 3

Because some people like to stereotype other people, mostly out of ignorance and lack of education.