Armed Guards and Museums

[Glenn E. Meyer]

For discussion:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/16/arts/design/moma-stabbings-safety.html

How to protect museums and pros and cons of armed guards. Don't want to have a gun fight among 1000s of patrons, kids, etc. Have the 'guard' just call for back up.


The man immediately jumped over the ticketing desk, cornering three people behind a desk and began jabbing and swinging his knife, injuring one employee in the neck and another in the left collar bone. The museum guard then attempted to distract him. A witness said that the attacker asked the guard where his gun was before fleeing.

Of course, quality armed guards would be expensive.

I know we are gun centric at times. When I was in San Francisco, I had to check my pocket knives to visit museums and go through metal detectors for some.

[1Rangemaster]

Not sure what there is to discuss, as the anecdote seems to say it pretty well: a firearm could be very useful against a blade. You got it right in that “qualified” folks will be expensive. Many locales will hire off duty police. I know in several malls in a major city, management has Security checking IDs, bags, etc.-with a cop in the background.
Of course it’s a museum; wonder how the management would feel if we outfitted the guards with swords, battle axes, halberds, etc.(I kinda like the old swinging mace meself…

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I forget to mention that I had a black MoMA ball cap that I used to wear to matches and classes. Tried to bring some culture to the events. Unfortunately, most folks thought I just couldn't spell MOMMA.

[Le Français]

Some venues have unarmed, uniformed security working entrances, and armed, low profile security mingling with the visitors. Not cheap, but certainly better than no guns at all.

[O4L]

It won't allow me to read the article without creating an account.

I happen to work in visitor services at an art museum so I am at the front desk most of the time. We had one incident with some gang members vandalizing some property that had the staff a little worried about security a year or so ago.

I was hoping that it would open the door to getting some approved security or CLEET training to be allowed to carry at work but I couldn't quite talk them into it.

[CleverNickname]

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[NoLock]

I’m very surprised they didn’t have armed security or MOS posted inside.

They’re a high profile venue open to the public. Even if you’re not worried about terrorism you’re bound to deal with nutjobs.

Is this website reputable?https://hyperallergic.com/717939/moma-renews-nypd-contract-canceled-during-blm-protests-after-stabbing-incident/

[O4L]

It just so happens that we had a "nutjob" in the museum when I came on duty yesterday.

It was the first time in my nearly six years here that I have had to ask someone to leave.

[Le Français]

The last time I went to a large, internationally renowned art museum, there were unarmed security guards manning the magnetometers. I decided to not say anything up front about my...situation...to see what would happen. I walked through, the instrument beeped/light came on, and the guy manning it quickly said "Oh, it's your umbrella. Go ahead." :rolleyes:

[Beast17]

Years ago I was browsing USAJobs when I was disenchanted with my agency. I was kind of surprised to see an 1811 posting for the Smithsonian. I've never seen one since (maybe 10-15 years ago). As I recall, the job entailed doing protective details for travelling art exhibits being loaned out to other international museums, overseeing security locally, conducting theft and fraud investigations. Not my bag, but could've been interesting for the right person. It never really occurred to me that the Smithsonian museums are federally run and might merit their own department of Special Agents. Obviously it wouldn't be a really big unit.

As I recall, the Smithsonian SAs weren't explicitly described as in-house guards or doing any kind of plainclothes patrol function.

[jetfire]

I mean obviously, the private security sector has lots of problems, not the least of which is the sort of weird talent pool it draws from. For example, there are a bunch of dudes in my AF Reserve unit that I consider pretty squared away who work private security as the civilian sector job. But I also think they're the exception, rather than the rule. My SWAG is that the private security field is probably 20% cop rejects, 20% switched on people who are either .mil reservists or retired cops, and 60% Regular Earth People who are probably just punching a clock for money.

[Beast17]

I mean obviously, the private security sector has lots of problems, not the least of which is the sort of weird talent pool it draws from.


Yeah, here you have the consequences of an inadequate background check and insufficient supervision. I can see why the Smithsonian wants its own security to travel with the art when it leaves the museum.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/security-guard-draws-eyes-on-1-3-million-painting-first-day-on-the-job/ar-AATI03F

[Outpost75]

Not sure if they still are, but Smithsonian guards in the 1980s were GSA Federal Protective Service uniformed personnel.

[TGS]

Not sure if they still are, but Smithsonian guards in the 1980s were GSA Federal Protective Service uniformed personnel.

The Smithsonian Office of Protection Services employs 850 of their own Special Police. They do not use FPS.

The Smithsonian has employed its own special police officers since the 1800s. Fun note, the reason they still carry revolvers is because of poorly worded statutory authority from back then where the statute specifically wrote an authority to carry "revolvers", not the more generalized term "firearms" like every other agency. Hence, if they ever wanted to buy Glocks or AR15s, it'd quite literally require an act of congress.

*ba-dump ching* I crack myself up.

[Caballoflaco]

Video of the incident from Active Self Protection. It’s pretty gnarly as most knife attacks are.


https://youtu.be/lFNPY58G2z8