Audit Blames City for Security Firm Problems

A city audit released Tuesday said a private security firm provided low-quality service to the city but blamed many of the problems on poor oversight of the contract by city officials. The city councilman who called for the audit complained that it was too soft and vowed to continue probing.

The performance of Inter-Con Security Systems had been raised by some City Council members as a challenge to Mayor Richard Riordan’s contention that jobs done by city workers can be more efficiently handled by private contractors.

After allegations that the firm’s guards failed to protect city sites such as Barnsdall Art Park and Watts Towers from vandals and thieves, Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas called for an audit of the firm’s contract with the city. Critics on the City Council had complained that Inter-Con’s guards failed to protect city property and workers.

However, the audit released by the city controller’s office said the city failed to set high standards for guards in its contract and did not identify to Inter-Con the specific security needs of the 50 sites the firm was assigned to guard.

The report said that if Inter-Con’s performance seemed poor, much of it was the result of the firm sticking to the minimum requirements of a poorly drawn contract.

In a disappointment to critics, the report said the controller’s office could not determine the validity of most of the 100-plus individual complaints against Inter-Con and focused on management procedures. It did, however, criticize the city and Inter-Con for allowing guards to begin work before criminal background checks were completed.

Inter-Con is headed by former Police Commission President Enrique Hernandez Jr. Its vice president, Mike Placido, said he is “elated” by the findings.