ESS Austin Operations Manager John Jackson Retires

A letter from Johnny Atkinson, Vice President of Executive Security

In August of 1997 John Jackson began work for Executive Security. I had been acquainted with John for several years through his work at other security companies and when he became available I immediately knew that it would be a great addition to our small but growing company. This proved to be correct and we developed a great working relationship that lasted for the next 9+ years. That’s not to say there haven’t been disagreements during that time; we just developed a great understanding of each other.

When John retired from our Austin office on March 30, 2007, completing almost 10 years of service, every shareholder of Executive Security came to Austin and expressed their thanks for a job well done and wished him all the best in retirement, speaking volumes for our great respect and gratitude to him. After serving over 27 years in the United States Marine Corps and more than 20 years in private security, John has earned his retirement and I hope that it will be longer than and just as fulfilling as his service to his Country.

Best Wishes,
Johnny Atkinson, Vice President

Do you know what the State of Texas requires for your security officers’ uniforms?

The Department of Public Safety regulates the Private Security Industry. Texas Administrative Code Rule 35.39 outlines the Uniform Requirements for Private Security Officers.

Each commissioned security officer (licensed to carry a weapon) must display the name of the company under whom they are employed, the word “Security” and identification which contains the last name of the security officer.

Each non-commissioned officer (not licensed to carry a weapon) shall display either the name or board-approved logo of the company under whom the security officer is employed, or the name or the board-approved logo of the business entity with whom the employing company has contracted. They must also display the last name of the security officer and the word “Security.”

The name of the company and the word “Security” shall be of a size, style, shape, design, and type which are clearly visible by a reasonable person under normal circumstances and must be on the outermost garment (i.e. raincoat or jacket).

No private security bureau licensee shall display a badge, shoulder patch, logo or any other identification which contains the words “Law Enforcement” or similar words.

Failure to comply with these State requirements could mean fines for the Guard Company as well as the Private Security Officer.

For more information on Private Security requirements please visit http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/psb/.

Families Who Have Recently Lost a Loved One Are Easy Targets for Scam Artists

Scam artists are preying on families who have recently lost a loved one. In times of grief you may be an easy target for a bogus claim for payment. Learn how to protect yourself from these scams by following these simple guidelines:

Designate one person to screen claims
Take charge of the conversation with the person who is requesting the claim by asking follow-up questions
Get written proof of the claim
Confirm that the person truly represents the company or organization they are claiming
Don’t make the payment immediately; take the time to think

To read more about ways to protect yourself from scam artists, read this article in the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117537720801955787.html

Raiding the Supply Closet Hurts Companies' Pockets

The healthcare, information technology, and manufacturing sectors have some of the highest rates of workplace theft, while the hospitality, retail, and sales sectors have some of the lowest, perhaps due to the use of surveillance technology, according to an August 2006 survey by CareerBuilder.com. While some employees may think that it is no big deal to take their employer's office supplies home for personal use, experts say that raiding the office supply room and other thefts end up costing U.S. employers billions of dollars each year. A survey by Lawyers.com finds that employees' favorite office supplies to steal are pens and pencils, sticky notes, printer paper, stationery, envelopes, file folders, toilet paper, mouse pads, and items from the office first-aid kit. A small percentage of employees have even admitted to stealing computers, office furniture, paintings, and plants. Employee theft expert Mark Doyle says that office workers often rationalize their theft to the point where they believe that what they are doing is not really theft. "They think it's owed to them because they didn't get a raise, didn't get promoted, don't get the attention they think they deserve," he says.

Source: Journal News (NY) (04/02/07) ; Milford, Maureen

IRS Found Lax in Protecting Taxpayer Data

Thousands of taxpayers could be at risk of identity theft or other financial fraud because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has failed to adequately protect information on its 52,000 laptop computers and other storage systems, a new government report concludes. The IRS did not begin to adequately correct the security problems until the second half of 2006, despite being warned about them in 2003 and again in February 2006, according to a report by the inspector general of the IRS, J. Russell George. Nearly 500 IRS laptops were lost or stolen during that three and one half year period, many from the homes or cars of IRS workers but a significant number, 111, from IRS offices, the report found. The IRS says one laptop typically contains information on 10 to 25 tax cases. Although the missing laptops could not be examined, the inspector general’s staff tested 100 laptops currently used by IRS employees and found 44 had “unencrypted sensitive data, including taxpayer data and employee personnel data,” leading investigators to conclude “it is very likely a large number of the lost or stolen IRS computers contained similar unencrypted data.” No report of identity theft has been linked to the missing laptops, and no taxpayers have been alerted to the potential security breaches, IRS officials say. The report attributes the newly identified shortcomings at IRS offices “to a lack of emphasis by management.”

Source: Washington Post (4/5/07)

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
“Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you're not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were. ” - David Rockefeller