First of all, I personally question the wisdom of confrontational tactics.
I’ve found out the hard way that there are times when much more can be accomplished by patiently working to gain credibility, then using that hard-won respect to influence and effect true change. But that’s just my personal opinion; I know from personal experience there are other times when constructive change is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
This incident raises many very serious questions.
How does F&M Security have the authority to arrest someone on the street, not on or even near the F&M campus?
How does F&M Security have the authority to take someone off the street, move them to the F&M campus, then physically detain them for several hours?
How does F&M Security have the authority to file charges against someone not on or even near the F&M campus?
I’m not surprised one bit that F&M czar John Fry would over-react; his expectation is of total control over his domain and its surroundings.
I’m not really surprised that F&M Security would conduct themselves in such a way; former Lancaster mayor Charlie Smithgall often misused the Lancaster City Police in a similar manner, for similar purposes.
But I am shocked and disturbed that F&M Security has conducted themselves as if they were actually off-campus law enforcement in the community, something that would be on shaky legal grounds at best.
Had F&M Security treated individuals like in this incident who were physically on F&M’s campus, it would raise serious legal questions about their conduct. But since F&M Security acted like this on a public right-of-way, nowhere near the F&M campus, it raises serious questions about just how far their legal authority actually extends.
I am convinced that this incident proves F&M Security believes they have more authority over local citizens than any private security group ever could possibly have under the law.
It’s no wonder that Race Avenue residents are fearful and resentful of their not-so-nice neighbor across the street.
There has been a lot of talk lately about how the surveillance cameras in Lancaster City violate our civil rights. We’ve all seen how Dale High & Co. continue to take advantage of the system.
But the conduct of F&M Security in this incident clearly proves that F&M itself represents a far greater threat to the people of Lancaster than all of these other concerns combined.
This incident proves that no Lancaster resident is safe from F&M Security.
Actions like these provoke fear, not respect.
