Frequently Asked Questions
What are Special or Private Police?
Special Police or "Private Police" officers are those sworn police
officers by the State of North Carolina that have the powers to make
arrests for felonies and misdemeanors and authorized to issue citations
for infractions and motor vehicle violations on private contracted
property. Special Police Officers have the same legal arrest authority
as any municipal police officer with the exception of the officer must
be assigned and contracted to the specific property of jurisdiction.
What is the territorial jurisdiction?
Metro Special Police Officers has power of arrest and jurisdiction on
any real property that we own, possess and or control, been contracted
to protect by owner or owners or the person in possession and control of
a contracted property.
What is the legal limitations of "hot pursuit"?
Metro Special Police Officers can pursue any person or subject that has
been observed or in the commission of any crime as long as the incident
started within our contracted property/jurisdiction and we are in
immediate and continuous pursuit, but can only pursue that individual to
the North Carolina State line.
Are Special Police authorized to contract with any town, city
(municipality), state or other governmental agency?
Metro Special Police Officers can work or contract with any governmental
agency or entity (federal, state, local town or city, housing authority,
lake authority, water/sewer etc...) in the State of North Carolina under
conditions or certain circumstances. Metro Special Police Officers can
not replace, augment or act as your local town, city or county police
force. We can however work by providing private contracted law
enforcement services on real property owned by or in the possession and
control of your governmental agency/entity. This would be the town
hall, town parks, any governmental owned buildings/facilities and
property, public housing communities, hospitals, financial institutions
and similar areas. Metro Special Police Officers can not enforce the
city ordinances, traffic laws on the public streets or highways or those
areas specifically not contracted with our company. Metro will work
with your local law enforcement agency, housing authority and local
government.
Who Governs and Oversees Authority Given to Special Police Officers?
North Carolina Department of Justice is the governing and regulatory
agency that defines the laws and criteria for the special police offices
with regards to arrest powers. North Carolina General Statute Chapter
74E authorizes the State Attorney General Office to oversee the Company
Police Program and to certify individuals who perform and meet the basic
law enforcement standards to becoming special police officers.
The agency also oversees and determines those best suited to qualify as
Company Police Agencies and can be certified to hold a Certification of
Company or Special Police. Metro Special Police and its department
heads and officers are approved, certified and have the full authority
to be sworn police officers through this program.
Are Special Police Officers Armed and Licensed To Carry Firearms?
Metro Special Police Officers are trained and certified to carry
firearms during the performance of their assigned police
duties. Depending upon their contracted assignment they may carry their
duty weapon openly while wearing their police uniform. Metro Special
Police officers also carry OC spray (called pepper") and impact weapons
such as wooden or ASP batons. Annual firearms training of the police
duty weapons and other defensive tactics are taught by our training
officer or officers can attend in-service training and advance training
through any North Carolina certified police training academy. Metro
Special Police Officers are also trained in the handling and use of
shotguns and other rifles.
Do Metro Special Police Officers Drive Marked Police Cars With Blue
Lights, Siren and Identified Markings?
All Metro Special Police Officers drive marked and unmarked police
cars. Marked patrol cars must be identified with the wording of "
Special Police or Company Police" on the vehicle. We are authorized to
use the blue lights and the sirens in the same method as any municipal
or other law enforcement agency. The use of such emergency equipment
does not allow our officers to disregard for the traffic laws of the
state but allows the officer to enforce a traffic stop or to respond to
a call of service in a reasonable and prudent manner.
What Kind Of Police Work Does Metro Provide?
Our officers are contracted for many types of services that includes and
not limited to providing police services for housing authority,
hospitals, responding to burglary and security alarm systems, both
businesses and residential, escorts for financial, ATM and banking
institutions, patrol services for business, commercial centers,
apartment and residential communities (both gated and open), office
buildings, office complexes, banks, credit unions, private public
schools, churches and religious facilities, constructions projects and
any governmental agency that contract for our services.
Where Does Metro Special Police and Security Provide Services?
Our corporate offices are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and
have operated in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area for more than 20
years. Metro has established itself as the premier private law
enforcement and security services company during those years and will
work anywhere our clients/customers ask and contract us for such
services. Metro is currently providing additional services in the
counties of New Hanover, Brunswick, Gaston, Union, Cabarrus, areas in
South Carolina and Virginia . We are willing to provide services in any
State depending on the project size. Metro has established long term
partnerships with both local law enforcement agencies, businesses, and
communities in those service areas.
Are Metro Special Police Officers Similar to Off Duty Municipal
Police Officers?
Not really. The primary difference between the "off duty" municipal
police officers hired to perform security services and the "contracting"
of a private police/law enforcement officer is that Metro works full
time for you. As already noted in our introduction our officers "are"
police officers with the full power and authority to perform police
services within your contracted property. The advantage of contracting
with Metro Special Police and Security is that our company is required
to be insured with our own workers compensation, liability and
automobile insurance. When you as the customer "hire" an off duty
municipal police officer you are most likely going to be responsible or
liable for any additional workman's compensation or claims due to the
actions the officer you are employing. Metro officers work full time,
this is his/her primary job and that means that your
company/business contracting for our services provides you with a alert
and full time police officer. This is not a second or sideline job and
is responsible to you - the customer.
Are Metro Special Police Officers Like Private Security Guards
The answer to that question is no. But here at Metro our agency has
developed a "full service' orientated security and law enforcement
concept. Our officers work within the capacity of both the security
division and the police division.
Metro has developed a close relationship between the quality of officers
we recruit and hire for both the security and police officers program.
Our officers work together and are expected to perform above the
"guards R us" mentality.
Metro police officers are individuals that come with law enforcement
experience from many cross section of the law enforcement field, whether
it be from a small town municipal police department, or the city of the
size of either Pomona or Los Angeles Police Department, California.
Metro takes great pride to know that both the security and police
division is recruited to hire the best officers/applicants available.
We take the initiative to use the resources provided to cross train many
of our security officers that will be trained and expect to meet the
same standards set forth by the police division. In many cases our
security officers work side by side with our own Metro Police officers
many of the local law enforcement agencies that we come in contact. Our
police and security officers are a very important and integral part of
our commitment to providing you full quality service.
We find that security officers that are properly recruited, with
complete and full detailed backgrounds, properly trained, and licensed
by the employing agency can provide a sufficient level of support.
Security officers can not make arrests but can in instances of a "crime
committed in his/her presence" detain for either the local police or a
Metro Special Police officer to make or effect a follow up arrest.
Are Metro Special Police Officers Experienced in Law Enforcement?
Metro officers are proud of their past experience in the public
sector of law enforcement that they bring to our company. Our
department is comprised officers that range from 2 years to 30 years of
municipal law enforcement. Our average law enforcement years of
experience here at Metro is 10 years and that includes experienced
officers as Chief of Police (11 years previous municipal department) Los
Angeles and Pomona Police Departments, comprised of officers with
experience in municipal and county departments throughout the country.
Metro is the largest and has been the leader in the private law
enforcement program for the past 10 years with a police infrastructure
of twenty five (25) sworn special police officers that work within
Mecklenburg and surrounding counties. A full security force of over 60
security officers, most if not all with previous law enforcement
experience provide support to the services provided by Metro Special
Police and Security.
Are Metro Special Police Officers Well Trained and Do They Complete a
Thorough Hiring Process?
Metro Special Police applicants and those officers currently employed
with this department are required and expected to complete a full scale
of academic and practical exercises during the basic law enforcement
police candidate academy (B.L.E.T.) training program. The academy is
twenty six weeks of introduction to basic law enforcement with both
practical and situational exercises, firearms and many other
specialized police related courses. Please refer to the training site
to review all the North Carolina Department of Justice Training and
Standards Division requirements.
Background investigations of both the special police and security
applicants/officers are thorough and completed by the Internal Affairs
department. Lateral transfers from other municipal or private police
agencies are treated in the same manner and complete backgrounds are
conducted of each individual who applies for a position as a police
officer. All completed backgrounds are forward to the North Carolina
Department of Justice Training and Standards for final review and
approval of the employment of that officer. Please refer or click on
the recruitment page for further details.