Armed Private Security Now Escorting Neighborhood Vaccination Teams
Charlotte NC Sept 13, 2021
Armed security officers have been used to secure many Covid-19 vaccination sites throughout the country since late 2020 but now, they’re going mobile.
Since the beginning of the vaccination push, security officers have secured vaccination locations ensuring public safety and preventing the theft of the vaccines.
At least nine security officers since April have been injured during these assignments and on two occasions, security stopped the theft of the vaccines.
But now, private armed security officers are on the move in California, New York, and Colorado providing mobile security support for healthcare workers and support staff who have entered a new phase of vaccinating the public.
Daily mobile vaccination units are moving from one neighborhood to another making it easier for those who are elderly, low-income, or without transportation to become vaccinated.
Some of these new mobile units have been met with demonstrations, vandalism to vehicles and equipment and several workers have been physically threatened.
Now, as more states are ramping up mobile neighborhood vaccination efforts, the need for security escorts have become more apparent and health agencies are integrating them into part of the moving teams.
Our workers are much more comfortable with the security folks nearby said, Dr. Jessie Ramirez.
In Jefferson County Colorado, the mobile teams have experienced harassment and threats.
The county’s public health agency was forced to pull back the three mobile units after a driver in nearby Gilpin County, where one of the units were contracted to work, approached the van, and destroyed pieces of signage.
According to Dr. Dawn Comstock, executive director for the agency, staff members had also been verbally harassed by members of the public.
Armed private security officers now protect their efforts in local communities.
