City Council - Government Operations Committee Hearing on Docket #1541

Executive Summary

On September 17, 2026, the Boston City Council Committee on Government Operations held a public hearing on Docket #1541, an ordinance sponsored by Councilors Henry Santana and Ruthzee Louijeune to establish minimum training requirements and permitting standards for unarmed security guards in the City of Boston. The committee heard testimony from two witness panels representing security employers, healthcare organizations, and labor advocates, followed by public comments. Industry representatives raised concerns regarding the financial and operational burdens of the proposed 40-hour mandate, restrictions prohibiting employer-provided training, administrative feasibility, and steep non-compliance penalties, while frontline security workers and labor leaders emphasized the urgent necessity of standardized, independent, and in-person emergency and de-escalation training. No votes were taken, and Docket #1541 remains in committee for further working sessions and revisions.

Committee Opening Remarks and Letter of Absence

Committee Chair Gabriela Coletta Zapata opened the hearing on Docket #1541 at 10:18 AM, explaining that the proposal establishes a city permitting and training framework requiring 40 hours of initial training within 90 days for new guards (180 days for existing guards), eight hours of annual training thereafter, city-certified third-party providers, and employer compensation for training time and costs.
Lead sponsor Councilor Henry Santana highlighted that unarmed security guards protect critical public infrastructure and confront mental health crises, substance abuse, and medical emergencies, but currently face zero local or state minimum training requirements. He shared his personal experience working as a guard with minimal onboarding and welcomed collaborative stakeholder feedback.
Councilor Edward Flynn emphasized the need for compromise, acknowledging the critical role guards play while warning against harming small, minority-owned security businesses.
Councilor Erin Murphy supported finding a balance between worker preparedness and the practical training capabilities of employers.
Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune joined the hearing proceedings as a co-sponsor.
Chair Coletta Zapata read into the record an absence letter from Councilor Miniard Culpepper expressing opposition to Docket #1541 in its current form due to concerns over training mandates, restrictions on employer-provided training, permitting penalties, and burdens on small and minority-owned enterprises. An absence letter was also noted from Councilor Sharon Durkan expressing general concerns.
Administrative staff present included Mimi Turchinetz and Monique Mitchell from the Office of Labor Compliance and Worker Protections.

Panel 1: Industry and Employer Perspectives

Patricia McMullen (Executive Director, Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals) testified that hospitals are complex, highly regulated environments requiring flexible and dynamic training rather than a one-size-fits-all model. She recommended allowing hospitals and similar institutions to attest that their existing internal programs meet or exceed city standards instead of relying on external non-profit vendors, and suggested the city pilot minimum standards with its own municipal security guards first.
Herbie Duvernay (Founder and CEO, WindWalker Group; Board Chair, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts) testified that 68% of his 200-person workforce are people of color and 58% are Boston residents. He cautioned that a rigid 40-hour training mandate paid at minimum wage imposes real-life scheduling barriers on working parents, students, and immigrants, while driving up operational rates and rendering small disadvantaged businesses uncompetitive against global firms.
David Consell (CEO and Co-Founder, Redcon Security; Member, BECMA) shared that his firm employs over 50 guards and operates with tight margins. He stated that paying tuition, fees, and wages for 40 hours within 90 days across an industry with turnover exceeding 200% would be financially unsustainable. He also objected to provisions imposing a $300-per-day penalty per guard and a three-year city contracting ban for clerical or permitting renewal errors, urging the council to allow digital tracking platforms such as Aptiva.
Cameron Kilberg (Vice President of Government Relations, Allied Universal Security) argued that Docket #1541 should be completely reconsidered. She opposed the exclusion of high-quality employer academies, the mandate requiring providers to be 501(c) non-profits with five years of experience, the lack of grandfathering for experienced personnel, and the condensed implementation timeline, noting that a similar ordinance in Philadelphia has faced severe administrative delays and remains unenforceable. She advocated that security guard standards belong at the state level rather than under municipal jurisdiction.

Panel 2: Labor Representatives and Frontline Security Workers

Carmen Fonseca (Security Division Coordinator, SEIU 32BJ) noted the union represents approximately 1,800 security officers across Boston. Drawing on her own past security experience, she stated that officers still receive inadequate training and are routinely instructed to simply call the police or supervisors when crises occur, leaving them unprepared for unpredictable emergencies. She urged the council not to let employers cut corners.
Rob Cook (Policy Fellow, SEIU 32BJ) outlined national data showing security officers face high rates of workplace violence, being five times more likely to take time off due to assault-related injuries. He pointed out that 29 states mandate training and noted recent local violence, including a stabbing at Boston Medical Center in December 2025. He clarified that the full law would take effect the July after passage, giving ample implementation time, and argued standardizing costs levels the playing field for small businesses.
Roberto Brown-McCormick (Security Officer, USI) testified regarding the hazards of commercial posts in the Seaport. He described how current employer training is largely asynchronous, online, and reliant on ineffective AI-generated customer service videos that do not train guards to handle violent individuals or acute mental health episodes.
David Williams (Security Officer, Northeast Security at Prudential Center) described erratic hazards, including severe freight elevator malfunctions and encountering combative individuals with weapons or syringes. He testified that current guidelines primarily protect employers from liability rather than keeping workers safe.
Trevena Guerrell (Adjunct Professor, Monroe University; Instructor, 32BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund; retired NYPD Sergeant Detective Supervisor) testified on the necessity of comprehensive, in-person training covering access control, de-escalation, conflict resolution, active shooter response, and ethics. She emphasized that classroom-based, interactive instruction provides transferable credentials and professionalizes the security workforce.

Public Testimony

Robert Steadman (Securitas Security Services USA) spoke against the 40-hour mandate, stating that effective training is competency-based and site-specific rather than based on an arbitrary hourly metric, and argued that the bill blurs the lines between security guards, clinicians, and law enforcement.
Roberto Jimenez (SEIU Committee of Interns and Residents) read testimony on behalf of CIR Regional Vice President Dr. Justin Halloran supporting the ordinance, stating that early guard intervention in CPR, Narcan administration, first aid, and de-escalation saves lives and assists medical personnel downstream.
Kokina Fuller (NAACP Boston Branch) urged the council to pass the ordinance to advance equity, respect, and safety for the predominantly Black and brown security workforce.
Winston Vaughn (Amalgamated Bank) testified in favor of universal minimum standards, emphasizing the reliance of commercial downtown employees on well-trained guards.
Zayna DeLauer (Student, Northeastern University) supported the ordinance, noting that campus community safety depends on trained security personnel who currently receive less in-person CPR training than incoming college freshmen.
Tatiana Begalt (Executive Director, MassCOSH) spoke strongly in support of standardized 40-hour training, highlighting the need for trauma-informed de-escalation, hazardous material protocols, and clear workplace protections.
Steve Amitay (Executive Director, National Association of Security Companies) testified against the measure, pointing out the absence of accredited non-profit programs in Boston, the unrealistic burden placed on the Office of Labor Compliance and Worker Protections, and the fact that no other state bans employer-run training programs.

Committee Disposition and Closing

Chair Coletta Zapata affirmed that the committee will hold additional working sessions involving labor and business stakeholders to address implementation, tiering options, and curriculum requirements.
Docket #1541 was retained in the Committee on Government Operations.