I do engineering work for a living and when I started in the business we had a great deal of longevity.  These last 5 years  I have been laid off about every 6 months and I am tired of doing this.  I like shooting and dealing with people so what are the pros and cons (no pun intended) of being a security guard over a cop or vice versa.  
Being a security guard looks like it will take less time in college.
Being a cop has greater prestige and better pay.  
Mostly I want to get out of this “cubicle hell” and try to help people.

In high school I had the opportunity to be a cop and decided to be an engineer because of the pay and my dad could get me in the business.

be a cop.

as far as i know, you can be both in texas .
in michigan, we have what is known as PA330, which allows private industry to hire certified and trained police officers with full police powers, hospitals, malls, etc...  i thought texas was one of the ststes that did this also.  it's fun watching people's face when they say "you can't arrest me, you justa renta cop, and they look closer and se the words "police" on your badge.  the majority of our arrests are idiots that don't think we can check them for warrants and act stupid. it's all of the benefits of municipal LE and all of the benefits of private security, much better than my previous municipal PD job, less gunfire too.

I'm slightly biased

1)Will being a "square badge" get you a pension and benefits?

2)What would you rather be seen in a golf cart or a Crown Vic?

3)In my experience, ever since 9/11 cops(and firemen) have been incredibly popular. What about Security Guards?

4)Cops are armed with firearms and radios. Most Security guards just have radios.

5)When the security guards have trouble, who do they call?...the Police

No doubt about it, be a cop.

my badge says police, and looks better than yours, i carry a glock 22, asp, drive a crown vic or an impala with a vector light bar, and we had 605 arrests last year (49 felonies)
i am not a square badge.

In the long term you will probably be better off with the engineering.  If you have a BSME or something like that, go get an MBA at night.  Your company might finance it, too.  Also you will show them that you are working toward the future & that may be a reason for them to lay off someone else next time.

Rent-a-cops don't make much, maybe a little more than minimum wage.  There is no future & high risk compared to sitting a cubicle.  That risk might look exciting to you but it will get old real quick.

LEO's don't make a lot of money either.  Just research some of the old posts on here & you will get an idea how rewarding it is.  I'm sure that there are a lot of LEO's who like their job, but there sure is a lot of complaining on here.

Good luck.

i make 19.00 an hour, not counting my shift premium, been a "rent-a-cop" for less than a year, i made 15.00 as a municipal PO.

That's an average of 1.657 collars a day, you're a busy guy!

i should edit that stament, that was "WE" my dept. roughly 40 officers, MY MISTAKE!
personally, i had 95.

Quietshoez, which mall do you work at?

Also, how many of the arrests are retail fraud? How has the increase in the dollar limit affected your felony rate?

i work at a hospital, rather not say which, and to be honest, the majority of our arrests are for "disorderly" and warrant arrests after we run people on LEIN for trespassing, the incorporation of the 93 day misdemeanor helped also.

What kind of security job do you work where you make that kind of money?  We pay $8 per hour for armor car drivers (glorified courier) and a little less for the riders.  I have a stack of resumes on my desk from people wanting a job at that pay.  Some of the local cops don't make that much, and most of our guys are former cops.z

I have a fairly good idea what hospital you work at, I am in labor and healthcare law.
A bunch of guys in my guard unit were security guards at the VA when they went to police status, they all went to GA for a few weeks and came back trying to get their shirts to cover guns and flashing badges for free drinks at the topless bar at lunch.

You should be glad you didn't work for clarkston. They make $6.00 an hour.
The mall gets a lot of guys from there to be on the shoplifeter processing patrol, because they need the pay raise.

[:)]
i work with a bunch of badge flashers.  i think they feel inadequate somehow, and compenstae for it that way.  i don't even carry the damn thing.  my gun however...................

y brother was an armed security gaurd at a Federal Building, the pay was pretty good. I think he was making aproximately $14.00/hr. With some overtime his take home was more than mine as an engineer with a BS some weeks

Rent a Cop

Starting State Patrol wages here are around $27,000 a year. You could make more money as a high school teacher.

Keep doing your engineering job, unless that really means janitorial services or groundskeeping and do your helpful volunteer work on your off hours for excitement.

Perhaps a volunteer fireman would add spice to your cubicle life.

first get rid of that idea.  do it because you want to.
people are assholes and they're gonna destroy themselves no matter what you do, do it for yourself and the people you work with, rewards are few and far between, but that makes them all the more sweeter. and be prepared to be treated differently by everyone, mostly badly.

I worked two places as a state certified Unarmed Security Guard here in Virginia. At Con-Agra in Crozet, I was a security guard and the nigth shift EMT. Mostly night after night waliking inside and/or outside patrol three times each, broken up occasionally by an injured employee. That ran the gamut from slight cuts (often) all the way to (ONCE) three fingers amputated by a hydralic door on a industrial mixer. The other job was at Du Pont. Signing in visitors and checking outgoing trucks for company property. Now, when I get back to work (I'm off from work with kidney stones AGAIN!!) I'll be on the safety and loss prevention team at Wally World. That position combines both my state certifications, security and EMT-B. I loved both the security jobs I did. Both places I was making about $8.00 an hour. I am interested in getting a Reserve position with the County Sherriffs office where I live. IIIRC, our Reserves are not paid, but it is a life experience I would like to add to my bio.....

Scott

Well I think your better off staying where your at but you can find good jobs out there.I'm a security guard that works for a private security co. for a government Agency. I make 18.61/hr.alot more then most all of the PD's around here.True we are not your avg. rent-a-cop that makes six bucks an hr. but we are still security.You just have to look around and don't settle for some mickey mouse bullsh!t.

Texas has no provisions that allow security guards to have full police powers.  Security Guards can only arrest on the same things that any non-LEO can:  breach of the peace misdemeanors, theft, and felonies.  

Security or police, police or security...

Depending on the situation in your area, the benefits will vary.

Security can be very profitable and is usually a lot less stress. It is generally a LOT easier to get hired as security. There are usually a lot less directives and regulations to follow as security. And, there aren't any special laws written that can land you in jail simply because you are employed as security. Security can be very boring, but it depends a lot on what type of contracts you're working, and what kind of area as well. With security, you don't take your work home with you, and no one considers you the "neighborhood cop".

Law enforcement pays fair to well, and usually has great benefits. The hiring process generally involves having your entire life laid out for the hiring entity, and can take up to a year, sometimes longer. In addition to following all laws pertaining to peace officers, department regulations also must be followed. The laws are generally more lenient when it involves carrying weapons for LEO's also. Work follows you home, can cut into your private life, and the required overtime can leave very little time for your family.

I have been both, and right now I'm a supervisor and trainer for a security company. I have been a patrol officer and instructor for law enforcement agancies in the past. Currently, security fits me better. I miss police work occasionally, though. Either profession will prepare you for the other. Pay can be similar, again, depending on your area or contract.

My suggestion would be to apply to be a police officer/deputy/trooper/et al, and work as security while you are going through the hiring process. The odds are against you being hired for quite some time as LE, so you might as well make some money and get some experience while you try. You might find you like one over the other, but you can only REALLY know by doing both.