When Andre Pruitt, a former employee at AlliedBarton Security Services found out that Point Park was switching security companies, he realized that things will change as Point Park as welcomes its new service.
U.S. Security Services, one of the largest security companies in the country, took over for AlliedBarton on Sept. 20. According to Lou Corsaro, the Managing Director of University Marketing and Public Relations, the deal between the company and the school is a multi-year deal.
“They are an international company with a lot of experience in higher education,” Corsaro said in an interview on Sept. 10. “They were attractive to us.”
U.S. Security has thousands of clients throughout the country, ranging from Fortune 500 firms, healthcare organizations, and schools and universities. As mentioned in last week’s issue of the Globe, they also provide security for the University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University.
As a large company, U.S. Security is not without its share of complaints and legal issues. The company has dealt with issues in the past regarding employee wages and concerns. The company also has a bad reputation with current and former employees on review websites such as complaintsboard.org.
Corsaro wanted to make Point Park students, staff and faculty aware that during the bidding process, there was a thorough investigation of the company. This included their services, experience, hiring process, reference checks, and certifications and licenses.
Brian Harver, an employee at AlliedBarton for six months, switched companies because he has developed mutual respect between students and staff. He said that Sam Kosanovich, the Student Center director, and Dana Bekavac, an assistant director at the Student Center, in particular, greatly appreciated him and what he provided to the University.
Pruitt, who had been with AlliedBarton since January 2014, is willing to stay at Point Park because he believes it is a great place to work.
“Students love me and [the] staff appreciates me,” Pruitt said Sept. 11. “I am willing to go to a new company that I don’t know of just to stay here.”
However, some students felt that Point Park changed companies just for cost reasons only.
Victoria Zeller, a senior multimedia major, believes that Point Park worries about cost a lot.
“Point Park always looks for ways to cut costs to save money,” Zeller said Sept. 21.
Justin Karter, a graduate student and assistant to the Honors Program, said while he understands that the University has to make tough decisions, he questions whether this takes the school away from creating a community atmosphere as the school has to worry about cost. He also expressed the concern about students having to bring their cards everywhere they go.
“In a way, it would make people feel less safe, or more worried,” Karter said on Sept. 15. “It will feel like a prison.”
Corsaro said that there was no instance that forced change and the University administration has no bad feelings against AlliedBarton.
“We wouldn’t select U.S. Security without having full confidence in them,” Corsaro said. “Security is the number one thing the University looks for.”
Conversly, Ian Whitehurst, a senior psychology major, had some advice for the new security staff at Point Park.
“Don’t be afraid to be friendly with students,” Whitehurst said in an email interview on Sept. 21. “Many students like talking to guards.”
