airport

"Port Everglades is the only one of Florida's 14 seaports that contracts with local law enforcement to staff its gates. Port of Miami uses its own employees, while the other ports hire private security firms, said Michael Rubin, vice president of the Florida Ports Council, a trade organization.".

A large BSO footprint is not needed at PE. Sorry CSA's you're not needed. A smaller number of deputies can do the job with private security just like the courthouse. The Airport should be considered for privatization also.

"Port Everglades is the only one of Florida's 14 seaports that contracts with local law enforcement to staff its gates. Port of Miami uses its own employees, while the other ports hire private security firms, said Michael Rubin, vice president of the Florida Ports Council, a trade organization.".

A large BSO footprint is not needed at PE. Sorry CSA's you're not needed. A smaller number of deputies can do the job with private security just like the courthouse. The Airport should be considered for privatization also.

I agree! The CSAs are civilians just like the security guards would be. They are not better trained; they've just been there for so many years that it appears they are experts. Security guards can do it just as well if not better............and in this economy it would be cheaper. FOPE is just trying to justify their existence by fighting for them.

CSA's may not be Deputy Sheriffs, but for goodness sake, half the private security guards at the port barely speak English and have been fired by one security firm then re-hired by another. The economy is not doing well, that's no secret. But trying to make yourself feel better by saying that CSA's are the same as private security is not realistic. They are held to a higher standard. A BSO CSA is not employed by an organization that is only about making money, security guards are. Saving money is good, but public safety comes first, and that is not what a private organization's priorities are. CSA's are employed by a county law enforcement agency and depending on their assignment are given the duties of taking police reports, traffic crash reports, collecting evidence, issuing traffic citations, conducting Breathalyzer tests, and testifying in court on all of the above. Would you feel comfortable with Wackenhut doing any of that? Security guards have a function, but it's not to act in a non-sworn law enforcement capacity. Pretending different things are the same in order to save money is not a rational way of considering how to best secure one of the world's busiest cruise departure ports.

It's true that BSO CSAs should not be compared to security guards, most of whom are working for minimum wage because it's all they can get. Our CSAs are better screened and way better trained, plus they have to speak English. The port just wants to go cheap and whether they wise up and keep BSO or they hire Joe's Security, they will get what they pay for.