KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three former Force One Security employees are sitting in jail after allegedly killing a man while on duty at Yum Yum Bar & Grill in Kansas City.
FOX4 first told you about training concerns from Force One Security employees on Wednesday. Since that story aired, FOX4 has heard from many other current and former employees about complacency and lack of training they say contributed to the shooting death outside of Yum Yum Bar & Grill.
Kevin McNiese has been in the security business since he was 19 and was a police officer in Alabama before moving with his family to Kansas City. That’s when he got a job with Force One Security.
“Training has always been an issue,” McNiese said.
McNiese was an armed security officer assigned overnights at a property in Westport. He said there’s basically no training at Force One. He and other armed security officers were never taken to a firing range and never saw a handbook of standard operating procedure, among other things.
“I was not commissioned while I was at Force One,” McNiese said.
In KCMO, security officers are required to get a private license. Applicants must be fingerprinted and pass a written exam. State law requires armed security officers qualify annually with law enforcement firearm instructors.
“I asked several times about getting commissioned and was actually told I was at a post that would not be checked,” McNiese said of conversations with Force One Security owner Lamont Semien. “When I moved to patrols, I was told not to engage in anything, that way P.D. would not have a reason to check my commission.”
The Force One Security website lists Semien as a local police officer. FOX4 learned he worked for Mission and Westwood, Kansas, police. Both said he’s no longer with the departments.
On Wednesday, FOX4 went looking for Semien at the address listed on his website, but it’s now a hair salon. The woman who answered the Force One Security phone number wouldn’t tell us the new office address.
On Friday, FOX4 found the new Force One Security office at a building near 71st and Metcalf in Overland Park. Outside there were three Force One Security patrol cars parked in the parking lot. One with tags expired for almost a year.
FOX4 reporter Shannon O’Brien went inside to ask Semien about his employees’ concerns, and no one answered the door. The office was locked up tight.
O’Brien also called Semien’s cell phone and left a message in an effort to get his side of the story.
When asked if McNiese believes Semien is putting people in danger, he replied, “Yes, yes. Placing non-trained officers, placing poorly trained officers at this post, you are putting the public at risk, you are putting the client that is paying for protection at risk and you are putting the officer at risk.”
As of this publishing, Semien has not contacted FOX4 from messages left Friday or Wednesday.
