Fmr. NYPD Detective: Security guards are essential workers on the frontlines of outbreak

CMP Protective and Investigative Group President Thomas Ruskin joins Yahoo Finance’s On The Move panel to address the dangers security guards may face during the coronavirus crisis.

Video Transcript

- And as we look at these various areas of the country that have been re-opening, we have been getting increasing reports of altercations in some cases between people who enter into say a retail establishment and are asked to put on a mask. And they don't want to do that.

One of the latest happened in Los Angeles where a couple of individuals who entered a Target store got into a tussle with a security guard there. And he ended up falling and breaking his arm as a result. I want to talk more about the safety of these security guards.

We're joined now by Thomas Ruskin. He is the president of CMP Protective and Investigative Group which provides investigative and security services in the New York area. Tom, thank you for joining us. So this is something we've seen a bunch of reports about. What do you think people need to know about the security industry right now, and how they may be exposed both health wise and also their own security?

THOMAS RUSKIN: Well, they have to realize that the security guards are essential workers. They were dictated in New York state under Governor Cuomo's and most of the states. They're essential workers. They're required to maintain the health and safety of the people, the same way the police department is.

And they are on the front lines of securing [AUDIO OUT]

--for construction sites and other commercial establishments that are needed by our society to be able to function. So the security guards have been called on countrywide to maintain order, to make sure people are adhering to PPE and wearing masks, socially distancing.

And at the times when a dispute happens within that establishment, as you alluded to, they have been called on to try and break up or try and reason with the person to be able to have them accept what are becoming the norms of our society today based on the pandemic.

- Tom, are there uniform rules for the men and women who perform these security functions at different stores or different enterprises as to just how involved they can become? I would imagine in some states it's different than in others, and that you're not allowed to actually touch a person. How does this play out?

THOMAS RUSKIN: Well, Adam, that's an excellent question. Because it does differ per region. Sometimes the security office protection officer is armed. And sometimes they are called upon. I don't [INAUDIBLE] any more than any of us want to touch anyone in the world.

At this point in time, you know, based on the pandemic, they really would prefer to keep six feet away. Most of the time it's to maintain order and discipline in the establishment. It's to try and make people feel more at ease as they go, let's say, to a shopping mall, a drug store, or some other commercial establishment that they would do.

But, you know, the security officers that work for us and are also in New York state are very scared about themselves. They're going to work. They're putting themselves in harm's way by coming into people that they don't know who could be contaminated or be carrying the virus. And more over, than they're home, and they have wives and husbands and families.

And certain stories that I've heard is they are living separate than their families. They're living in a separate portion of the home as if they had COVID. Because they don't want to take a chance of them being exposed and then bringing it home to their families.