PGA Security Patrol Cars

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NorCalEMT02
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PGA Security Patrol Cars

Post by NorCalEMT02 »

Any security guard for the park can you answer me this...

A while ago when I was leaving PGA from the vip lot, you know how they have all the cars exit trough the side entrance/exit, not the main entrance, well being that there was a line that you have to wait to leave a driver went through the cones and wanted to exit through the closed main entrance, then a behind him a security patrol car followed him, turned on its lights and siren, and tried to pull him over, I was laughing and confused because by California Law that driver did not technicaly had to pull over. the States vehicle code says "25252. Every authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with at least one steady burning red warning lamp used for the purpose of controlling official traffic control signals."

PGA lightbars are green, not red, and with a siren, if that driver was me, I wouldn't of stopped, I would of kepts on driving until the park called for city police, then I would show him the VC why I did not stop.

Can you tell me if its your "policy" to "pull over" drivers in a private park?
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imdaman
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Post by imdaman »

Great question! As a former security officer I can answer it. For years our cars were used police cars with red and blue lights. The newer cars have the green lights, but they also have red and blue lights under the clear central lens. The red and blue lights are for emergencies, the green lights are used for non-emergencies. When we attempt to stop a car, we use the non-emergency lights, followed by the siren if the driver won't stop. The car we are trying to stop can keep going, but the license plate and description of the car would be given to our dispatch, and the vehicle would be towed if it was parked back on the property later in the day (if it was spotted of course). Security is authorized to stop cars for safety issues and CVC violations such as speeding, etc. If a car is driving the wrong direction, in an unauthorized area, etc. security can stop the car to talk to the driver. Hope this clarifies the policy for ya :)
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retlawfan
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Post by retlawfan »

imdamon has it right. The key piece of information in this discussion is the fact that we are talking about PRIVATE PROPERTY. The PGA security force has no jurisdiction off of the PGA property, but on site they can make any attempt to stop a vehicle they want.

The red/blue lights mentioned can be used whenever PGA security chooses, as long as the vehicle is on PGA property. If they were to exit their property and use the red/blue lights off of PGA property, they would be in violation of CVC, and subject to citation.

It's a fine line that some security forces use when they have large private property areas to patrol. And, the fact that GA security has had very good relations with the City of Santa Clara, and the SCPD over the years doesn't hurt either.
soupkid
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Post by soupkid »

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd comment.

When I was a Security Officer at PGA (before it was Paramount), we drove retired Santa Clara Police cars, complete with the cage in back and red and blue lights. We only used the lights and sirens in emergencies, but really weren't supposed to pull anyone over. Key words are "weren't supposed to". But we did. Cars weren't authorized to stop, some did and some didn't. I know things have changed since I was there. Officers can cite vehicles for certain infractions, I have heard.

Its true that the cars have no authority outside of PGA property, but I recall one incident where employees after closing were being robbed backstage on their way to Cash Control. Thinking the robber was an employee, we staked out the area for about a week. Sure enough, the robber struck again. Unfortunately he was a little faster than us and somehow made his way out of the park and ran across the parking lot, across GA Parkway, and into the business park across the street. Santa Clara PD (via the hotline in dispatch) gave us permission to use our patrol cars, with lights flashing, to go off property and pursue the suspect. We did get catch the guy, who turned out to be an employee after all.

We were also allowed to take the patrol cars off property one 4th of July when the fireworks show had about 6 misfires, meaning that there were some unexploded shells that might have ended up in the neighborhood to the east of the park. We had to go scour that neighborhood to look for them and to warn the residents to check their backyards. We never found the shells.
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Station1
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Post by Station1 »

Same thing for shopping malls, their security officers generally have the amber light bars and they can attempt to pull you over in order to "advise" you of proper parking lot etiquite or (correct me if I am wrong) try to detain you until police arrive - like store security would do if you were caught shoplifting.

Parking lot idots that take short cuts or ignore traffic control devices should not have rights...just my opinion.
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