Best Buy Employee Fired After Tackling Suspect Running From Deputies
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — A Best Buy employee is out of a job after doing what some would consider a good deed. The loss-prevention employee tackled a suspect who was running away from Placer County Deputies.
The incident took place outside of a Best Buy store in Roseville. The company said what their employee did is against their policy so they had no choice but to fire him. Security video from Best Buy cameras shows the moment the employee, Tyler, tackles a suspect.
Placer County Sheriff's deputies were chasing the suspect Timothy Trujillo. Tyler's swift action helped the deputies arrest Trujillo and also got him fired.
Veronica Harms from the state Department of Consumer Affairs said she cannot speak to this particular incident, but clarified that security guards are licensed to make citizen arrests. But Tyler was not a security guard.
"There aren't a whole lot of stipulated laws in terms of what a security guard can do in terms of engagement," Harms said. It's basically helping and assisting in the arrest of an individual."
It's part of the job requirement, which also includes being over 18-years-old, passing a criminal history background check, and 32 hours of training.
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"There's one major distinction between somebody working as a loss prevention employee and a security guard," Harms said.
Harms said people tend to mistake loss prevention employees for security guards.
Tyler said he was an Asset Protection Employee at Best Buy, a role which other stores may call loss and prevention.
"There are specific requirements that a security guard must adhere to when they are licensed with us, one being having a uniform that states they are security," Harms said.
Not only was it against company police for Tyler to make the tackle, but it was also against state policy.
Best Buy issued a statement Monday saying they would offer Tyler his job back. The statement said:
"We made a decision to terminate our employee for violating our clear policies but have had reason to take another look at what happened. In the end, we understand he made a split-second decision to do what he thought was right and, while we wish he hadn't put himself or anyone else at risk, we regret our initial decision and will be offering him his job back."
Tyler said he has no hard feelings toward the company and just wants to move forward. In fact, he told CBS13 Monday that he has received a lot of offers from Sheriff's Departments and law enforcement agencies since the incident. He has not made a decision where he will work yet.