Security Guard Industry News

2017 News:

Security Guards no longer at The Standard

The Standard student housing apartment building near the University of Tennessee’s campus is no longer providing security guards in the building and hasn’t had security guards posted since Dec. 23.

The lack of security, provided since the building opened last fall, is another issue for Landmark Properties, owner of the eight-story, 234-unit, 672-bed Standard building. It is added to the delayed move-ins for UT students who were supposed to be in their apartments on Aug. 12.

As of Jan. 2, city inspectors have yet to allow eighth-floor residents to move in. The parking garage hasn't been approved by the city inspections office.

Cody Nichelson, spokesman for Landmark Properties, said in an emailed statement that Landmark Properties typically does not staff third-party security officers on a permanent, ongoing basis once the "construction is complete and the building is operational."

Guards haven't been at the building since Dec. 23, he said.

"The Standard at Knoxville does, however, include industry-leading security features, such as controlled and monitored access via key fobs specific to each resident's unit, keyed locks for individual apartments (and) video surveillance and on-site management."

Semester's over and some University of Tennessee students still wait to move into Standard

Terry Stines, part-owner of Red Hawk Security, the company that was providing security guards, said Landmark Properties has been a “good partner,” and said the two sides are “still having communications” and are “trying to get something worked out.”

Asked if the company would provide security in the coming days, Stines, who is also a member of the Gatlinburg Police Department, said, “I honestly don’t know. If there is security provided, it will be provided by us, to the best of my knowledge.”

In a later conversation, Stines said he owned the “editorial rights” to Red Hawk Security and said he didn’t want anything released about his company in the News Sentinel. When asked a follow-up question about whether security personnel were no longer working at The Standard because of the holiday break, Stines said it was not the business of the reporter.

Red Hawk’s site supervisor Chris Howard said he was not at liberty to discuss security at The Standard.

The Standard’s delay for Tennessee students’ move-in has happened in other states

According to the lease agreement with The Standard, the company can “elect to discontinue any security devices or measures at any time, with or without notice to Tenant. Therefore, Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Tenant’s security is Tenant’s responsibility alone.”

Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections Director Peter Ahrens said in an emailed statement that security was provided in the building when occupancy was allowed during construction in order to keep tenants out of the construction area.

"All floors are completed, construction workers are no longer in the residential levels, and no separation is required (barriers or security guards) between levels of the structure," he said.

Russell Corbett’s daughter, Allison, lives at The Standard. The two have filed a small claims suit in 5th Sessions Court against Landmark Properties. Russell said Allison picked The Standard because of its secured, gated parking garage that has not been fully approved by city inspectors. He said security guards were put in place in lieu of the gated security.

“It’s just one cluster bomb after another,” he said Monday.

Tearsa Gardner's daughter, Meagan, also lives at The Standard. Sunday night Tearsa was at The Standard and said she saw no security guards. She said this is concerning because she thought the guards were part of the agreement with the city to keep construction zones and workers away from students.

"It is also my understanding that The Standard is using security guards (to) control access to the parking garages until the security gates and RFID (access) passes were distributed to secure access to the parking garages," she said in an email.

"If the security gates are not installed on the parking garages before students return from Christmas break, random cars can park in the garages and my daughter and other students won't have guaranteed parking," she said. "She signed a contract for $80 per month to have a secured spot in a garage and several times has not been able to find a parking spot."

Few students remain in The Standard because of the holiday break. Classes resume at UT on Jan. 11.

As reported on the Knoxville News Sentinel