https://www.therecord.com/opinion/contributors/burlington-auto-theft/article_d8a622b3-8b00-5992-8925-e39e644e85ef.html
Yep - not u common in my shitass city these days for a couple cops to be posted at the doors of safeway, walmart, etc. full time. Me getting mugged by 5 tweakers in broad daylight? 8 hour response time. Homeless dude stealing bread to survive? Immediately arrested.
Meanwhile the police force complains that they need more money because they don't have enough resources to do their jobs... full 1/3rd of our civic budget already. Totally fucking useless, unless you're a big brand.
A lot of the time they're paid overtime rates by the company and not being paid by the city.
They're private security but still wear cop uniforms, drive cop cars, and often sit in their cars burning gas we pay for with taxes.
Businesses are fine paying it, because it's better than paying taxes for real policing and having to wait.
It's moving to full on privatized policing, gated communities do the same shit rather than pay taxes.
When this stuff happens, it never ends well for anyone, but often eventually results in sociatial progress once the ashes settle.
A lot of the time they're paid overtime rates by the company and not being paid by the city.
That's true in Canada, except those hours worked are added to their union pensionable hours, so taxpayers are still on the hook.
I know they're paid for by Walmart/whoever, but they should get actual private security that doesn't cost the taxpayer 300 grand to train and prepare for service. The police force can stop complaining about being understaffed too when they're playing rentacop.
Congrats officer you caught a guy stealing 2 loaves of bread and a $10 rotisserie chicken. Mind going to arrest the guy who committed an assault 2 blocks away just now?