Chinese Media Complains About ‘Clumsy, Droopy, Paunchy, Old’ Security Guards

China’s state-run Global Times published a scathing critique of Chinese security staff on Wednesday, deriding many security guards as poorly trained, out-of-shape, and too elderly for their demanding positions.

Although it was only very briefly mentioned in the article, this concern was prompted by last week’s attack on a school classroom in Beijing.

“Various types of security workers can be found in public places like shopping malls, banks, and housing estates, and they have one thing in common: people cannot help but doubt if these workers are really capable of protecting them,” the Global Times wrote.

”Some guards always look droopy, some are too skinny to even fit their uniforms and some too old to make people believe they can act fast enough during emergencies,” the article lamented.

The Global Times found this sad state of affairs to be no fault of the Chinese government, instead blaming irresponsible and exploitative security companies for evading regulations and underpaying their employees:

It is relatively easy for people neither certified by [public security bureaus] nor experienced in the industry to find a guard’s job because employers usually don’t expect much from them.

And due to low income and status, people are unwilling to stay with the industry for long, especially those who are skilled and educated such as retired soldiers.

In Beijing, the disposable income of a majority of security workers, who mostly come from rural areas, was less than 300 yuan ($44.4) per month in 2015, and it was normal for five or six of them to share a room, Workers’ Daily reported.

Besides, proper training is rare to keep security workers primed. The problem is especially serious in malls and companies that hire people indiscriminately.

Guards are sometimes hired to check the must-do list rather than to plan for emergencies. Hence, security workers at these places are often misfits.

“China is one of the safest countries in the world, but various forms of violent assault that are becoming increasingly common have rung alarm bells ” the Global Times asserted.

Last week’s rampage in Beijing injured at least twenty primary-school children. The injuries were inflicted by a former employee who was apparently angry that his contract to work in the school’s maintenance department was not renewed. The assailant reportedly used a hammer that was one of the tools he employed in his lost job. Parents have been described as angry and incredulous that the school could not protect their children, especially since it is located in the national capital.