[pentup]

I've been wondering this for some time: why are uniformed New York City Police officers standing guard inside the superstore? I've seen them (on the first floor, near the cashiers) on several occasions. Who's paying for their time? It seems an unusual arrangement, which I've never observed in other New York retail stores. It's common practice for NYPD officers to moonlight as private security, I believe, but these men are in uniform. What's the story?

[henryp]

They're paid by B&H. This is a perfectly legal arrangement used by us and numerous other NYC stores and retail locations. It's common practice for NYPD officers to moonlight as security in uniform.

[pentup]

Thanks for the info. It seems a very questionable practice to me.

[pentup]

Apparently, this is a new enough, and constrained enough, policy that even some officers themselves are confused about it:
Moonlighting.....

Interesting phenomenon.

[henryp]

Thanks for the info. It seems a very questionable practice to me.

I cannot imagine why you'd have that opinion, but it's an opinion and you're certainly entitled to yours.

From the thread you linked to:

NYPD now allows members of the service to work part time security in uniform, but you must seek permission first and may only work at locations they allow.

It's called the Paid Detail Program or Paid Detail Assignment System. A NYTimes article from June 1998 is here.

[pentup]

I cannot imagine why you'd have that opinion

You cannot imagine why a resident of this city would prefer that the badge, the gun, the nightstick, the uniform, the training, and the authority of police officers not be for sale to private interests? Really? Unimaginable? OK. Especially in light of the article you just linked to, which informs us:

"To sweeten the deal, the city will even pick up liability costs: if your rented officer happens to apply excessive force or wrench his back, taxpayers will pick up the tab."

Now that makes me question the policy even more.

Again, thanks for the info. Obviously, I don't blame B&H for taking advantage of the policy, if it somehow serves your business interests; the responsibility rests with Kelly and the brass, and with NYC pols for not caring, apparently. Not a big deal.

[henryp]

You cannot imagine why a resident of this city would prefer that the badge, the gun, the nightstick, the uniform, the training, and the authority of police officers not be for sale to private interests? Really? Unimaginable? OK.

I'm in Manhattan 5 days/week. Mosat of my B&H colleagues work here longer hours than I do

My wife works in Manhattan longer hours than I do and until recently my kid did too. I value the NYPD as much as anyone. A store like B&H values the ability to employ NYPD officers and our customers value the protection they offer. If you think we've never received a threat to our location, you're mistaken. And, I'd rather have an NYPD officer working here than as a bouncer in a booze-pouring nightclub. My wife's cousins are current or retired NYPD cops and generally appreciated the program too.

[pentup]

I don't understand why you're dragging your family and their long work hours into this, or why you're so defensive about my "unimaginable" questions. I don't believe in privatizing public resources, you do. We can differ on the point without making it personal. If "bouncers in booze-pouring nightclubs" etc worry you, you should, like me, advocate improving the salaries and benefits for all New York cops, as they serve all members of the public. It seems to me your "threatened" location would be far better protected, in the long run, by a larger, more robust, better-paid and less over-worked police force. As long as private interests with sufficient resources are able to purchase individual pseudo-official police protection, there's little pressure on the city to actually improve things for both the public and for police officers.

[pentup]

Anyway, we're far adrift from anything pertinent to photography, and I apologize for asking the question here, when I could have asked on a police or government forum. Thanks for your time, Henry. Sorry if I rubbed you the wrong way.