A Saskatoon woman is applauding the efforts of a downtown mall security crew after video of an arrest was widely circulated and criticized last week.
Jaime Drader has worked at Midtown mall the past three years and remembers plenty of dangerous incidents in her time working in the downtown core.
"I know one of my coworkers was leaving work one day in the parkade and she (experienced an) attempted carjacking. So that was an event where my team spoke to management and they spoke to security and throughout the line it got fixed within a week, I want to say," Drader said.
Darder said ever since her coworker was nearly carjacked earlier this year, security has stepped up its presence around the mall, and it's had a noticeable impact on security and shoplifting.
That's why she wasn't surprised to see a video taken by Brielle Bright on Oct. 20 showing six security officers taking down a suspected shoplifter along 1st Avenue S outside of the mall after an alleged assault, according to a Saskatoon police spokesperson.
"People aren't as, you know, ballsy with stealing stuff, so that's toned down a lot," she said.
Troy Ostapiw, a law enforcement educator with 28 years of experience who has trained officers at the Saskatchewan Police College, private security and RCMP F Division, says the job description for a private security officer has changed drastically over time.
Gone are the days of the Hollywood stereotype showing a man sleeping at a desk in the middle of the night. Nowadays, security officers are often at the frontline of mental health issues and social unrest.
"For security officers, the world is just a lot more complex, so they need to also educate themselves," Ostapiw said, noting mental health issues in his industry have become commonplace.
"A security officer represents, to an extent, the institution or that authority figure, so they have a very difficult job because they don't have a lot of tools to do their job," he said.
Ostapiw encouraged private companies to invest in proper education if they are employing private security officers.
Cultural sensitivity, mental health and addictions, de-escalation and use of force training have become so important to make the difference between a volatile situation and a safe resolution, according to Ostapiw.
Without that solid foundation, security can't serve its purpose.
"The environment really has changed out there. And I think you can see that, and I think a lot of people have seen that," he said. "Presence and communication are the most important things. You need the ability to communicate with people."
Ostapiw said security is often an entry-level job that can lead to law enforcement or corrections officer careers for some. But for others, it's often a job with plenty of turnover, high stress and little pay.
For those reasons, Ostapiw said a "hands off" culture has spread throughout the industry to best protect private companies from a public relations nightmare or legal action.
"When you start getting into violence, I think that security still does play a role because they kind of are the first responder of that incident if they have the proper tools," he said. "And if they don't have the tools, they shouldn't be expected to respond."
Ostapiw was hesitant to comment on Bright's video because he said it doesn't tell the whole story -- a realization he wishes more people would confront.
In a world where everyone has a camera on their phone, limited understanding of use of force and often only a snapshot of the incident, it creates a perfect recipe for misunderstanding.
"There's always a whole story there. And with the phones, we only get a (part) of that story. It's a very small piece we're seeing," Ostapiw said.
Saskatoon Police spokesperson Alyson Edwards says private security guards are allowed to detain people until police arrive if they witness a crime.
Police confirmed officers took a person into custody in response to an allegation of shoplifting and assault from Midtown on that date. The arrested person was transported to Royal University Hospital for mental health assessment.
No charges were laid.
While many people are responding to the video by shaming the security guards, Drader said her heart goes out to the security team for the often difficult circumstances they face and their quick decision making.
"You don't just go home and kind of forget that stuff. It sticks with you for a couple of days for sure," she said.
"It's sketchy being a woman walking alone at night. It's nice to know that there are people to protect you."
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