It’s a horrible policy, but until we manage to effect MAJOR changes in or legal system, this will continue to be the norm for security guards, store clerks, delivery people, etc. If they’re authorized to take action while on duty, the employer (in this case the taxpayers) is automatically liable for any injuries (or death) to the employee and to any bystanders, or attackers who claim they weren’t really attackers but were trying to stop the attack. This can get into millions of dollars per incident. The only defense an employer, such as a police department, has is to be able to prove that they put the employees through extensive training and screening. This is not economically feasible for low-wage jobs that are commonly held on a short-term basis.
Yep. If the guards had even touched the attacker, they’d likely have ended up in court. It’s that kind of thing that scares people into inaction more than fear of bodily harm. Not justifying what they did, but it’s even a risk being a good Samaritan nowadays. I think we’ve all heard about people trying to help accident victims and being sued for causing injuries whether they did or not. Good Samaritan laws don’t cover everybody and do not apply everywhere. And, I suspect they have as much force as a “not responsible for injury” notice that can be discarded at a judge’s discretion.