Toowoomba AU May 24 2010 
SECURITY officer Mark Grady believes violence in Toowoomba is out of control with anti-social youths running riot.
Mr Grady, who has worked as a freelance security officer in Toowoomba for the past six years, has hung up his uniform vowing not to return to Toowoomba’s streets until something is done about the increasing violence.
“I would not work as a security guard in Toowoomba any more. I am fed up with it,” Mr Grady said.
“It is too violent. In the last three years, it has just really gotten out of control. There is no way it is safe to walk alone in the CBD at night.
“In the last 18 months, about 40 of my friends and co-workers have resigned from the security industry in Toowoomba. That’s how bad it is.”
Mr Grady said the risk factor for security work was too high. He said security guards were increasingly taking the law into their own hands because of lack of other options.
“I would honestly rather work as a security guard at Schoolies on the Gold Coast than in Toowoomba,” he said.
Mr Grady said there were a number of factors which contributed to violence on Toowoomba’s streets.
These included inexperienced security guards, lack of powers for police and guards, many grey areas for security guards and pathetic punishments for violent offenders.
“These people keep breaking the law because there is no real punishment when they do.
“The situation is out of control and until someone gets the law right it will never get better,” Mr Grady said.
“I wouldn’t trust anyone in the CBD. It is by far the worst part of Toowoomba.”
