News 2006

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Columbia Security Service & Systems, Inc.

Reported by THE DAILY NEWS Longview, Washington in the “Letters to the Editor” section:

November 15, 2006

Skill, dedication is appreciated

The Kelso High School has found a gem in the person they have hired to direct traffic at high volume times during the day. It is refreshing in today's world of unskilled and often uncaring individuals that we finally see a loyal, skilled and dedicated employee of a security company who obviously knows what he is doing and is doing it well.

As I pass this area on several times a day, I witness him in action on many occasions. He is there in every weather condition we face whether fog, wind, rain or any other condition and never fails to do a great job.

I have often thought about stopping and asking his name, but it is almost impossible during the times he is present, due to the amount of traffic he is dealing with. He keeps a steady flow of traffic going while always paying attention to the pedestrian safety.

Especially noticeable is his ability to allow each traffic direction an equal amount of time for their passage at these very busy times. It is remarkable that he can direct this much traffic without incident, keep the pedestrians crossing safely and keep his calm but direct demeanor at all times.

Traffic training should include his practices, style and energy, and the public could appreciate being stopped or slowed much more.

Rick Shaw

Kelso

Note: The "security company employee" is Sergeant Drew Davis of Columbia Security.

Columbia Security Press Release:

November 10, 2006

FirstWatch Patrol Officer Confronts Prowler

Shortly after midnight on November 9, 2006, FirstWatch patrol officer Carl Johnson came face to face with a suspected “bad guy” on the perimeter of a large industrial facility on the outskirts of Longview. Checking along the fence line of a somewhat obscure section of the property, officer Johnson pulled his patrol car down a driveway to inspect a vehicle access gate. Several padlocks had been cut in the vicinity recently, so Carl was paying special attention.

Officer Carl Johnson As his vehicle approached the gate, something caught the corner of his eye. He turned his head to the right and detected what looked like a man dressed in dark clothing lying on the ground. Officer Johnson immediately exited the car as the man jumped to his feet and yelled: “No way!” in response to the officer’s command to stop.

Johnson pursued the man on foot along the perimeter and away from the complex. Eventually Carl lost sight of him in an area of dense brush and trees. Grabbing his portable radio, he put out a call for assistance. Columbia Security site officer, Leland Sterling on interior patrol at the other end of the plant heard Johnson’s call as did FirstWatch patrol sergeant Mark Dale.

When Sterling arrived, he began an inspection along the inside of the perimeter fence while Johnson and Dale began an extensive search for the suspect. During their search of the surroundings, a black Chevrolet pickup was located nearby unoccupied. The engine was still warm, and there was nothing in the area to justify its presence. In the meantime, officer Sterling found evidence where the fence was being dismantled.

Unable to locate the fleeing man, surveillance was set up on the truck. However, due to other remaining patrol obligations the officers finally had to depart the area. A report containing a full description of the suspect and vehicle, including license number was submitted for criminal follow-up. Officer Sterling maintained a patrol vigil on the truck until it was reported gone just prior to 7:00 am.

Columbia Security Press Release:

October 9, 2006

FirstWatch Officer Nabs Burglar

At approximately 4:00 am on the morning of October 7, 2006, “FirstWatch” sergeant Mark Dale parked his patrol car and began a foot patrol at McCord Dodge-Nissan in Longview. His attention was drawn to some noises coming from the back lot. Not finding anything on McCord’s property, he peered through the fence towards the Quest storage yard and observed someone running across it carrying what appeared to be either thick wire or a pipe.

Mark ran back to his car and radioed the information to the dispatcher and proceeded around to the other side of the block to the Quest facility. Stopping the car, he detected sounds coming from the fence behind the building. When he rounded it, he could see a man halfway through a hole in the fence.

Sergeant Dale identified himself and directed the individual to come towards him. Instead the man began to run away. Dale radioed dispatch, advising that he was in foot pursuit and gave chase catching the suspect a short distance away in the Ramada parking lot. Mark tackled the guy and handcuffed his hands behind his back.

Shortly thereafter, Longview police arrived and the man was placed in their custody. A subsequent check of the area around the hole in the fence revealed a large amount of copper wire and bolt cutters. The man was charged with commercial burglary and transported to Cowlitz County jail.

Daily News Report of Incident on October 8, 2006

Burglary arrest – Longview police arrested Edward Roy Fairman, 50, of Longview Saturday morning on suspicion of second-degree burglary, third degree theft and second-degree malicious mischief. Bail was set at $15,000.

Reported by THE DAILY NEWS Longview, Washington in the “Area News” section:

June 29, 2006

Zack Gibson
(FirstWatch patrol officer)

Meth – FirstWatch employees patrolling Longview Memorial Park cemetery Tuesday night arrested Victor Wayne Sprague, 43, of Kelso, who claimed to be collecting firewood. They turned him over to Cowlitz County sheriff’s deputies. Sprague had meth in his wallet, the report said. Bail was set at $5,000 on suspicion of felony narcotics possession.

Note: The "FirstWatch employees" were Zack Gibson and Carl Johnson.

Columbia Security Press Release:

May 1, 2006

New Name, New Look

Focusing on a new era emanating in Cowlitz County, the Metro Watch name is changing to First Watch, under the auspices of stalwart Columbia Security Service & Systems, Inc. (COLSEC.) As the patrol division, First Watch carries on with a 30+ year record of continuous nightly protective patrolling throughout the local area.

Columbia Security was formed in 1973 under the leadership of Doug Harvey who continues today as the president of this venerable organization. Expanding into the Vancouver/Portland marketplace during the mid-90's under the Metro Watch namesake, Doug led a march that cemented Metro Watch as a key protection service agency throughout that metropolitan area.

Now, ten years later, he has orchestrated a company split, maintaining the Longview portion of the business while selling his remaining shares of the Vancouver/Portland operation to his Vancouver partners. "They wanted to keep the Metro Watch name down there, so we've changed our name to First Watch here." Why First Watch? "The term 'First Watch' in law enforcement generally refers to the midnight shift and that's the premier time of the day for our patrol operations." according to Harvey. Having moved back to Longview over two years ago, Doug and his wife Dolly have devoted their time and energy in spearheading the Longview business.

New cars displaying the "First Watch" image are beginning to appear on the streets. The new local headquarters of COLSEC is located at 209 Hudson Street in Longview; housing the First Watch patrol system, plus the Columbia Security guard and courier divisions. Homeland and Maritime Security (MarSec) conditions have prompted COLSEC to develop a "Special Operations" section to be available for local or regional deployment. A specialized video surveillance system geared to providing "immediate response" to covert intrusions is also to be introduced.