Last week, an Arizona Department of Economic Security contract guard, identified as 30-year-old Mahmood Almuwali, was arrested for Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon and Discharging a Firearm within the City Limits. The employee of Superior Security shot at a male client as he was attempting to drive away from the government facility.
The shooting both vindicates and saddens former employees of the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), who came under attack by the media and Governor Doug Ducey for trying to professionalize security at the Department.
Related article: DES Security Guard Arrested For Shooting At Tucson DES Building
Almuwali was a security guard with Superior Security, at the time of the incident. Last week, the ADI reported that an adult male client, who was inside the DES building located at 1455 S. Alvernon in Tucson, became upset with staff and raised his voice, according to authorities. Staff requested the security officer to respond. Almuwali told the client to leave and escorted him outside. Police report that the male went to his vehicle and Almuwali followed. As the client attempted to drive away Almuwali discharged his firearm. Multiple people (including children) had been at complex and 911 was called. The client continued to drive away and went to a nearby apartment complex and called 911. No one was reported injured.
In the course of the alleged crime, Almuwali used G2 RIP ammo. This bullet is one of the top five most controversial bullets on the market.
DES details matter
According to sources, Almuwali had applied for a fulltime position as a security guard with the DES Office of Inspector General. Almuwali was turned down for the position and remained working for the security contractor until the time of his arrest.
In the aftermath of the San Bernardino massacre, then DES director Tim Jeffries called on DES inspector General, Judge Jay Arcellana and his team lead by Dr. Charlie Loftus, to identify best practices for security details at DES locations. According to Judge Arcellana, Jeffries, “after discussion and recommendations, decided that DES would be better served if security guards were state employees. The proposal came from my office within OIG. While I made the direct recommendation to the Director, there was much research from security staff within OIG. The recommendation was unanimous.”
Judge Arcellana told the ADI that the plan was not only “more cost effective and more responsive to DES needs,” but provided “more flexibility; more control; quicker response with first responders already on site; etc.”
Judge Arcellana stated that “based upon the events of gun violence,” that occurred during 2015-2016, “this was a clear cut, yet brave, decision that the Director made.”
It may have been a brave decision, but it ultimately cost Jeffries, Loftus, and Arecellana their jobs when political enemies turned the issue over to the media. The media, in turn, told the public a sensational fiction about how Jeffries’ team was stockpiling weapons and ammo. While a Department of Public Safety audit found that there was no stockpiling, the damage was done to Jeffries, Loftus, and Arcellana and others. Defamation lawsuits filed by both Jeffries and Loftus were approved to proceed by a Maricopa County judge last month.
Little security at the Department of Economic Security
Loftus, who served as a law enforcement officer and expert for over 30 years, was surprised by his findings that it was more cost effective to make DES guards state employees. In fact, he was so surprised by the findings that he had his team check and re-check the calculations before turning them over to Jeffries for his consideration.
“The need for creative solutions to protect against gun violence was paramount in our thought process,” said Arcellana this week. “The ability to hire, train and to control assignments was not possible with contract guards. In an active shooter situation, trust and confidence with security staff is critical. Again, these relationships are not possible with contract security guards.”
“Looking back, under Director Jeffries, there were no incidents. Unlike what recently happened in Tucson,” concluded Arcellana.
“At the time we were dismissed,” said Loftus, “we were implementing additional training and safety aspects for the DES employed guards. The first is purchasing a firearms training simulator with specific and custom scenarios just for DES to assess judgment and fine tune skills. The second is purchasing Kevlar bullet proof vests for the DES guards. As of January 2018, neither of these critical aspects has been implemented which is alarming in particular leaving the DES guards vulnerable without bulletproof vests.”
In April 2017, the ADI reported on multiple incident reports in which DES staff and clientele were at risk. With over 77 social services centers housing several thousand DES employees servicing hundreds of thousands of Arizonans in need, staff reported everything from trips-and-falls to one male of Middle Eastern descent threatening everyone from DES staff to President Obama.
Related article: Ducey Admin Delays Delivery Of DPS DES Report