Unarmed security guards deter potential criminal activity across nearly all facets of public life and can be the first responders to emergencies. To ensure these workers can respond to evolving situations, Boston’s City Council is considering an ordinance that would establish mandatory minimum training.
“This is not just a conversation about training; it is a conversation about public safety, worker protection, and our responsibility as a city to make sure the people we depend on are properly prepared and protected,” said Councilor Henry Santana. “We cannot expect people to respond to emergencies, de-escalate conflicts, and protect others without ensuring they have the proper training and tools to do the job safely and effectively.”
Employers of unarmed security personnel would be required to provide new hires with 40 hours of initial training, plus an additional 8 hours of recurrent training annually. Here, they will be trained in first aid, including CPR, AED, and Narcan administration; de-escalation strategies; incident reporting; and their rights in the workplace. Employers will be required to compensate employees for all hours spent attending the training program at their regular hourly rate of pay. The ordinance would go into effect 30 days after its passing.
The entity responsible for conducting the training has yet to be determined, and it is unclear whether workers such as apartment front-door staff and bouncers should also be covered.
Senior Advisor to the Mayor’s Office on Labor Policy Lou Mandarini said there is conceptually “a lot to like” about the ordinance.
“I don’t think anybody could be opposed to ensuring we have a baseline, uniform standard across the city to protect our hospitals, universities, banks, and concert venues,” he said. “And also, most importantly, protect the workers themselves and make sure they have the skills and the training to deal with whatever they face.”
Deputy Chief of Worker Empowerment Jodi Sugarman-Brozan added that her office is always in support of earn-and-learn models that offer workers the opportunity to enter an occupation and take away credentials that can improve their access to opportunity.
The proposal is also supported by SEIU Local 32BJ, the union representing security guards in Boston.
“People look to us for help,” said Security Guard Samuel Gomes Rodrigues Jr. “They assume we know what to do. But the training we have received over the past years has mostly involved us watching videos on a computer.”
Santana and co-sponsor Ruthzee Louijeune have promised to refine the new ordinance through hearings and working sessions.
