Clarification of feature article in winter issue of Observed & Reported

As many of you know, Schubert Flint Public Affairs provides day-to-day association management on behalf of CALSAGA, which also includes strategic communications and public relations guidance, in an effort to enhance the public image of the private security industry.

When a publication makes a mistake or mischaracterizes something about our client, we do whatever we can do to ensure that there is a timely correction to set the record straight.  Far too often, the erroneous story is a front page banner story, and the correction is either never run or buried in small type in the back up the publication. 

We don’t want to commit the same offense.

In the winter issue of Observed & Reported, we ran a feature article, “Our Forgotten Heroes,” which was intended to challenge the response of the private security industry and society-at-large when a security officer is killed in the line of duty.  In the article, the author was discussing the funeral and burial service of a slain Wackenhut security officer and an editing error on our part inadvertently implied that Wackenhut representatives were not present. 

Of course, we at CALSAGA knew that Wackenhut’s response for the officer and his family was tremendous, because we worked closely with them.  Still, the article could have been misleading.

To clarify, there were two memorial services held for Officer Isais Quinones.  At the viewing service, Wackenhut had six supervisors in uniform, as well as President Drew Levine and Vice President Chuck Brock, among others.  Wackenhut representatives conducted a ceremonial flag draping and held a company-wide two minutes of silence.  At the request of the family, only friends and family attended the burial service the author was alluding to. 

Wackenhut also made arrangements for flowers and limo service for both days, offered all family members psychological counseling, opened a memorial fund, as well as had Wackenhut representatives help Officer Quinones’ wife through the entire insurance process.  They have also been keeping the family up to date concerning the murder investigation.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, staff and membership, we commend Wackenhut for their response to the tragic loss of Officer Quinones.  We hope our response clarifies any inaccuracies implied in the previous article and hope that despite the errors, the overall message of the article resonates with members of the private security industry and public, that it is an assault against civil society when a security officer is attacked or killed, and society should join us all in mourning these losses.