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The Wackenhut Corporation is a United States-based private security and investigation firm, and is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Wackenhut was founded in 1954, in Coral Gables, Florida, by George Wackenhut and three partners, all former FBI agents. After early struggles — including a fistfight between Wackenhut and one of his partners — he took sole control of the company in 1958, naming it for himself. After working all day in the office, he sometimes worked as a security guard at night. By 1964, he had contracts to guard the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as well as the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's nuclear test site in Nevada; the company had an initial public offering the next year. In 2002, the company was purchased by Danish corporation Group 4 Falck (now Group 4 Securicor) for $570 million. At the time, the company operated in 54 countries, had $2.8 billion in revenue, and its founder still controlled more than 50% of its stock. Image File history File links Circle-question. ... A security guard is a private person who is employed to protect property and people. ... Palm Beach Gardens is a city located in Palm Beach County, Florida. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The City Beautiful Location of Coral Gables in Miami-Dade County, Florida. ... George Russell Wackenhut, founder of the Wackenhut private security corporation, grew up in Upper Darby, outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A security officer guards a construction site. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the NASA space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) at Cape Canaveral on Merritt Island in Florida, United States. ... Shield of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. ... A nuclear test explosion is an experiment involving the detonation of a nuclear weapon. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... An initial public offering (IPO) is the first sale of a corporations common shares to public investors. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Group 4 Securicor , formerly Group 4 Falck, is a multinational corporation, based in Crawley, UK. Group 4 Securicor claims to be the second largest security guard service provider on Earth. ... Group 4 Securicor plc (LSE: GFS) is the worlds second-largest security services provider. ...

Overview

Wackenhut is a major provider of security guard services in the United States. A number of Fortune 500 companies are among its clients. One subsidiary is Wackenhut Services Incorporated (WSI), which is a primary contractor to U.S. government agencies including NASA and the Army. Wackenhut also provides contract security and emergency response services (fire departments) to local governments, particularly in public transport systems. Wackenhut also offers security for employers experiencing poor relations with labor unions, including strike actions. The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ... ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States federal government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state or province. ... Skytrain Bangkok. ... A trade union or labor union is a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment. ... See also general strike, or for other uses see: strike (disambiguation). ...

During the 1980s Wackenhut was active in the field of airport security; however, it has stated that it was due to pressure from airports and airlines to compromise the company's standards by cutting wages that they only protected four airports in the United States on September 11, 2001. Airports in the United States are now protected by the Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Homeland Security. This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... Baggage is scanned using X-ray machines, passengers walk through metal detectors Baggage sreening monitoring at VTBS Airport security refers to the techniques and methods used in protecting airports and by extension aircraft from crime and terrorism. ... An Airbus A380 of Emirates Airline An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... TSA emblem The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a U.S. government agency that was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. ... The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a Cabinet department of the federal government of the United States that is concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. ...

Wackenhut is involved in protecting nuclear reactors, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and other high-security government installations, including those of the Department of Energy. They also are involved in providing armed security for the infamous Area 51, as well as several US military bases in and around the Balkans, such as Kosovo. Core of a small nuclear reactor used for research. ... Map of the pipeline The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), usually called the Alyeska Pipeline in Alaska or the Alaska Pipeline elsewhere, is a major U.S. oil pipeline connecting oil fields in northern Alaska to a sea port where the oil can be shipped to the Lower 48 states... The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. ... Landsat pseudocolor satellite photo of Groom Lake, taken around 2000 Area 51 (officially known as Air Force Flight Test Center, Detachment 3 and also known as Dreamland, Watertown Strip, Paradise Ranch, The Box, Groom Lake, Neverland, and other names) is a remote tract of land in the southwestern portion of... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For uses of the name Kosova, see Kosova (disambiguation). ...

In 2004 Wackenhut's nuclear plant guard services came under intense public and media scrutiny, mostly due to concerns over terrorism but also under pressure from labor unions such as the Service Employees International Union, which operates a Web site devoted to criticizing Wackenhut. Terrorist redirects here. ... Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union representing 1. ...

Interestingly, the company moved from the Miami suburb of Coral Gables to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in part because Miami's crime rate made it difficult to attract good workers.^{[citation needed]}

Wackenhut and private prisons

Having expanding into providing food services for prisons in the 1960s, Wackenhut in 1984 launched a subsidiary to design and manage jails and detention centers for the burgeoning private prison market in the United States and abroad. Wackenhut became the nation's second-largest for-profit prison operator. Although the corrections branch of Wackenhut was financially successful, critics claimed the company's guards abused inmates in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana. Foodservice is a business term which is mostly synonymous with catering. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick, Canada is an institution that is part of Corrections Canada. ... Most prisons are operated by government agencies. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W...

In 1999, Wackenhut was stripped of a $12-million-a-year contract in Texas and fined $625,000 for failing to live up to promises in the running of a state jail after several guards were indicted for having sex with female inmates. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, five guards at a Wackenhut work-release facility were fired or punished for having sex with inmates. In April 1999 the state of Louisiana took over the running of Wackenhut's 15-month-old juvenile prison after the U.S. Justice Department accused Wackenhut of subjecting its young inmates to "excessive abuse and neglect." In the same year a New Mexico legislative report called for a near-total revamp of prison operations, including two run by Wackenhut. U.S. journalist Gregory Palast commented on the case: "New Mexico's privately operated prisons are filled with America's impoverished, violent outcasts — and those are the guards." He catalogued lax background checks before hiring guards, which led to several alleged cases of guards physically and sexually abusing inmates. In the U.S., Wackenhut has appeared in the federal courts 62 times since 1999, largely resulting from prisoners' claims of human rights abuses. The company has been accused of trying to maximise profits in its private prisons at the expense of drug rehabilitation, counselling and literacy programs. In 1995 Wackenhut was investigated for diverting $700,000 intended for drug treatment programs at a Texas prison. Nickname: Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Broward Established 27 March 1911 Government  - Type Commission-Manager  - Mayor Jim Naugle Area  - City  36. ... Look up Furlough in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is a Cabinet department in the United States government designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans. ... Greg Palast is a New York Times-bestselling author[1] and a journalist for the British Broadcasting Corporation[2] as well as the British newspaper The Observer[3], eg. ... Background check is a generic term for the process of acquiring information on an individual through third-party services, government organizations and private individuals in the hopes of making a determination on the future actions of an individual based on past actions. ... The United States federal courts are the system of courts organized under the Constitution and laws of the federal government of the United States. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ...

Among other facilities, Wackenhut subsidiary Australasian Correctional Management (ACM) operated the Woomera Immigration Reception and Processing Centre, which opened in 1999 and was closed in 2003 after allegations of widespread abuse of refugee claimants. In a documentary screened on Special Broadcasting Service in 2000, George Wackenhut welcomed Australia's immigrant detention policies, saying, "(Australia is) really starting to punish people, as they should have done all along." Australasian Correctional Management (ACM) was a private company owned by Wackenhut, a subsidiary of multinational security giant Group 4 Securicor. ... The Woomera Immigration Reception and Processing Centre (IRPC) was an Australian immigration detention facility near the village of Woomera in South Australia. ... The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is one of two government funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Wackenhut describes itself as no longer involved in the private prison industry in the US, stating that it abandoned the market due to low returns on investment, excessive government regulation, and negative publicity affecting its other, more profitable operations. The GEO Group, Inc. now runs former Wackenhut facilities in 14 states, as well as in South Africa and Australia. Some facilities, such as the Wackenhut Corrections Centers in New York, retain the Wackenhut name despite no longer having any open connection with the company. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up publicity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The GEO Group is an international corporation that works in privitizing correctional facilities. ...

Wackenhut and the CIA

Frequent rumors that his company was in the employ of the Central Intelligence Agency, particularly in the 1960s, were never substantiated, but Wackenhut, who was obsessive about high-tech security gadgets in his private life, did not discourage the suggestion. Several of his senior executives were former CIA operatives, and his company's board of directors included former FBI director Clarence M. Kelley, former National Security Agency director Bobby Ray Inman, and former Defense secretary and deputy CIA director Frank Carlucci. On rare occasions, the company's clandestine work did land in the headlines. In 1991, a U.S. House of Representatives committee investigated charges that a Wackenhut executive, working for a consortium of oil companies, illegally spied on a whistleblower, former independent oil executive Chuck Hamel, exposing environmental damage caused by the Exxon Valdez oil spill [1]. The executive, who had also discussed trying to implicate a California congressman in his sting, resigned immediately after a meeting with George Wackenhut. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an intelligence agency of the United States government. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... In relation to a company, a director is an officer (that is, someone who works for the company) charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. ... Clarence M. Kelley (October 24, 1911 - August 5, 1997) was a public servant and former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ... Lt. ... Bobby Ray Inman (born 1931) was a U.S. admiral who held several influential positions in the US Intelligence community. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense, concerned with the armed services and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Frank Carlucci Frank Charles Carlucci III (born October 18, 1930) was a government official in the United States, associated with the Republican Party. ... Look up clandestine in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organisations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal. ... A whistleblower is an employee, former employee, or member of an organization who reports misconduct to people or entities that have the power and presumed willingness to take corrective action. ... The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill was one of the largest manmade environmental disasters ever to occur at sea, seriously affecting plants and wildlife. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Janet Chandler murder

In 1979, hotel clerk and Hope College senior Janet Chandler was found raped and murdered in a snowbank along Interstate 196 near Holland, Michigan. Initially treated as a robbery, the case remained unsolved until a group of Hope students produced a documentary that uncovered a sex and drugs party atmosphere at the hotel, then occupied by dozens of Wackenhut security guards assigned to protect the facilities of local manufacturer Chemtron during a bitter strike. The documentary prompted a reopening of the case and arrests of six security guards and a hotel supervisor who was Chandler's roommate.[2] Hope College is a medium-sized (3,200 undergraduates), private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. ... Interstate 196 (abbreviated I-196) is a long freeway spur route in the U.S. state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. ... Holland is a city in the western region of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... For the A&E TV show, see Cold Case Files. ...

References

• Minahan, John. The Quiet American: A Biography of George R. Wackenhut. International Publishing Group (September 1994) ISBN 0-9639395-0-5
• Palast, Greg (2002). The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: The Truth About Corporate Cons, Globalization and High-Finance Fraudsters. Pluto Press. ISBN 0-7453-1846-0.
• Eye On Wackenhut
• Obituary of George Wackenhut from Blog of Death
• Obituary of George Wackenhut from the Washington Post
• Wackenhut: Prisons, profits and golf umbrellas

The Best Democracy Money Can Buy (ISBN 0452283914, Penguin Plume USA) is a 2002 book written by left-wing investigative journalist Greg Palast. ...

External links

• Official website