As the city prepares to host global events, including the FIFA World Cup and the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, thousands of private security officers in Philadelphia are raising concerns about safety and training.
Many officers say they do not feel adequately trained to handle the situations they encounter on the job. They are urging the City Council to pass a proposed bill that would mandate more comprehensive training requirements for security personnel.
“If we’re here to serve and protect, how are we going to do our job properly in the way we’re supposed to do it if we don’t have the right training we deserve,” said Beverly Thorpe of SEIU 32BJ, the union representing many of the city’s security officers.
The bill, introduced by Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, would require employers with 15 or more security officers to provide 40 hours of initial training and eight hours of annual refresher training. Topics would include CPR, de-escalation techniques, emergency response, and mental health awareness. “We need to be trained to deal with the things that we encounter,” said Tyrone Patterson, a member of the SEIU 32BJ executive board.
SEIU 32BJ represents approximately 3,000 of the estimated 14,000 security officers working across Philadelphia. Union leaders say the proposed legislation is critical to ensuring public safety, especially as the city anticipates a surge in visitors for large-scale events in 2026.
“These officers live in this city. They protect every single building you’ve probably ever walked into – every hospital, every higher ed university across our city,” said Daisy Cruz, SEIU 32BJ Mid Atlantic district leader. Cruz added, “We’re just asking to make sure the training bill passes because we’re trying to lift standards, professionalize this industry.”
