Bank teller foils holdup, nabs suspect — loses job

Seattle Times ^ | August 1, 2009 | Jennifer Sullivan

[reaganaut1]

Jim Nicholson is a hero. Maybe Washington state has so many bank robberies because "bank tellers are trained to get robbers out the door as quickly as possible and are advised against being a hero over money that's federally insured".

Given its current policies, there must be jobs better suited for him than teller for Key Bank.

[Larry Lucido]

Instead, Nicholson threw the bag to the floor, lunged toward the robber and demanded to see a weapon

"I'm sorry sir. This bank requires that we see a weapon before you can rob us. Just a formality, I assure you."

[PGR88]

Why is anyone surprised? At a national level, we are apologizing to dictators and fretting over the emotional well-being of terrorists. It’s the ghost of the times.

[Balding_Eagle]

If I owned the bank I would have given him a bonus as I handed him his walking papers.

I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be the one to tell his wife and kids that he was killed over just a bag of money that wasn’t even his.

[elkfersupper]

Ain't no room for any cowboys in this society anymore.

Too bad.

[John123]

Jim KNEW the bank's non-confrontational policy... and did it anyway... and in doing this... he may have put other tellers at risk... because bank robbers are more likely to shoot first and ask questions later now...

I'm sure someone will offer him a job in another career.

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2306670/posts

[lightman]

And the wussification of America continues...

[bboop]

Wusification. Totally. Disgusting. We need more cowboys. I bet this isn’t the law in Alaska. And I just bet that Alaska is NOT in the top ten robbery states. hmmm, coincidental?

[spinestein]

[Jim KNEW the bank’s non-confrontational policy... and did it anyway... and in doing this... he may have put other tellers at risk... because bank robbers are more likely to shoot first and ask questions later now...]

Thieves are always more likely to commit robberies when they know the policy is for employees to instantly comply with demands.

If the policy was for employees to always resist robbers and pull shotguns out of their drawers and shoot robbers in the head, you’d pretty quickly see a whole lot fewer robbery attempts.

[keats5]

This entire country is going “anti-man.”

(And this is coming from a woman.)

[John123]

If the policy was for employees to always resist robbers and pull shotguns out of their drawers and shoot robbers in the head

Are you volunteering?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Someone please post the name of the bank here. It is time for this to stop. All major corporations, hear this, we the public are not going to stand for this any more. This includes Randall's Grocery Stores -- they just fired a guy here in Texas for grabbing a thief and the purse he stole and returning it to the lady from whom he stole it. Randall's fired him. Anyone who has any sense at all and still shops at Randall's must be shamed into not spending a PENNY in that store. All of you want someone to do something? I'm doing it. I am now organizing a "You're Not Firing Another Worker for Stopping a Robbery" campaign. If interested, PM me.

We need to get some lawyers on our side and sue these companies for terminating people who successfully stop robberies. Next, we need to go after ANY lawyer who defends a company in such a termination action. The name of the law firm and the lawyer needs to be published when such cases occur. As many family members of said lawyers also need to be published. Don't tell me something can't be done about this -- I don't believe it any more.

It is time to take action. I need some PMs from people who agree and let's try to formulate a plan of action. If someone takes action and dies in the process, that person is a hero, not a villain. The villain is the one who robs and the one who kills outside the law. When someone acting within the law is hurt or killed, they are not to be vilified but heralded as unselfish, self-sacrificing and their families are to be honored. On the other hand, the criminal involved is to be caught, prosecuted and then executed for killing or hurting someone (if severe injury). The family of that criminal is also to be vilified and shamed publicly, lawyers be damned.

If this doesn't stop, we are going to become a nation of criminals preying on the innocent with lawyers living in gated communities or fortresses to protect their families. Send me some PMS. No interest, I let it drop. Interest, let's get it organized. The time is now. List every single place of business you know who has the policy of terminating someone who stops a thief or robber. Let's get going!

[FreepShop1]

"What is a 'gub' ?"

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I'm sure someone will offer him a job in another career.

Jim should not face any hardship in looking for another job for doing this at all. Anyone who posts comments about putting others at risk in stopping robberies needs responses from others. Show some backbone, people! It is time to stop sitting back and letting someone else do everything. Let this guy know we don't need this attitude toward employees who have stopped a robbery and protected company assets, and in this case, lives...by running the robber off.

[cmsgop]

He made a meager living selling meagers......

[RockinRight]

Most banks have the same policy. I think it’s based on the fear of lawsuits.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Thanks for the link and name of bank -- Everyone...pass the word. Anyone with an account at KEY BANK in Washington State or anywhere they have a branch, CANCEL IT! Let's not even have a boycott. Absolutely no more business transacted with that bank! Have some backbone, people!

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I think it’s based on the fear of lawsuits.

Let them have a fear of customers. Nothing like a run on bank accounts to get a policy changed VERY quickly. Let's go!

[myknowledge]

A bank robbery is foiled.