Confronting the End of Level Boss
🎼In The Absence of Security I Made My Way...🎼
Returning to my News “Outpost” was a relief mostly, after the previous relief manager drama.
However, I knew I needed something else, hopefully something a little more stable and as always, hoping for more moolah in the bank.
In my time at the Northpoint Shopping Centre, I made friends with the guys on security there, even at times assisting with “goings on” within the immediate radius of my shop. Being close to the main entrance meant there were quite a few “goings on” lol.
So, I happened to be chatting to one of the security officers whilst taking a break at the cafe in the inside market area of the centre. It turned out they were undermanned and looking for a new recruit…yup…game on!
Within just a few short weeks I had closed down the News Agency Chapter of my life and gone into uniform patrolling the Bransholme Centre (Northpoint but locally known as Branny Cenner, the latter being Hull slang).
Back then there were no SIA licence requirements, just a police check and learn on the job.
As you may imagine, council estates tend to have a good deal of colour, much of this had been on the Chinese whispers circuit in Hull for decades, but also within the local rag, The Hull Daily Mail.
[I told you it was colourful!]
It didn’t take long for me to start experiencing the diversity of life in The Malls, the rapport with business owners and the conflict with shoplifters.
The bulk of the work was moving on teenagers dossing on the seats, assisting shops with shoplifter incidents and evicting beggars, during the day anyway.
This type of work is obviously 24/7, once the centre closed to the public maintenance of the security of the building was also necessary. We worked 12 hr shifts, day and night which worked well for me as it was a defined pattern, save for sickness and holidays, meaning real days off and more hourly rate, yay!
Part of our night duties involved dog handling, we had 5 German Shepherd dogs, so plenty of scope for patrols with a buddy for extra safety.
One of the dogs, Blitzen (I know lol), I noticed, never really got the attention of the other officers apart from feed time. On questioning this I was warned off as to how dangerous he was so no one took him out. Me being me, wouldn’t accept that and took it upon myself to befriend this furball with fangs and within a couple of night shifts I became his only handler…frowned upon by the other officers, but Blitzen just needed a friend, even though I am human, he didn’t seem to mind me.
So, back to the day shifts and during a holiday period when manpower on the security team was somewhat scant. I was actually the only officer on the Malls, around lunchtime so the other guy was feeding his face somewhere.
From the entrance to the indoor market, the location I had taken up post having just done the full circuit of the place, I could oversee a large area which had the main seating central to it.
I could hear raised voices but couldn’t really see from whom. So, taking a slow walk down to the centre seating I then noticed a small gathering and 2 guys clearly heated about something.
Now, we talk about colour and legends: Bransholme had its share of “nawties” but also a couple of families that people feared. One of the families was headed up by 2 brothers and whilst not quite the Krays, they were, well, difficult customers. And hey, guess what? One of the 2 brothers was part of the ensuing argument.
I had been warned not to approach either of the brothers alone and particularly the one facing off with the other guy.
So, what do you do?
There is only you, there is no immediate backup and incidents in the Mall had to be dealt with for the safety of everyone else…
Straightening my tie, I headed in.
The “brother” stopped his rant and glared directly at me.
He had never seen me in the centre before: “Ha, new guy eh?”
“Yes, fairly new…but hey, what’s happening here?”
“Nowt to do with you!”
“Well I am sorry but it actually is because you are causing a disturbance and I need you to either calm it down or take it outside”.
By this time a crowd had gathered and my retort to the “brother” seemed to bring a gasp of horror from those around me.
He looked at me, his face set in an angry glare and for what seemed minutes but probably just seconds. (I was trying to think what my next move would be because this guy was built, and I mean bodybuilding built!")
Oddly, his threatening look dropped and a smile poked at the corner of his mouth.
He turned back to the guy he was lambasting.
“Right, you and me outside. Security don’t want us causing hassle in here!”
I don’t think my jaw dropped but, off they went, he turned back momentarily and waved.
“Cheers security!”
Incident over.
At that point, the officer who had been on his lunch break sidled up.
“All quiet while I was gone?”
Laughing I told him what had just happened and to be honest I don’t think he believed it. Some of the locals who had sat and witnessed everything interjected and confirmed my story.
Word soon got around and whilst I felt I had not really done much, it substantiated my position in “The Cenner”!
As an aside to this incident, for years afterwards, if I was out and about in the main City and spotted the brother, he would take time to acknowledge me, shouting “Hey security! OK!” and the like.
Until Next Time
Some more of my FREE Newsletters:
