Private Security Firms - What authority do retired or off-duty police officers have while working for private security firms?

What authority do retired or off-duty police officers have while working for private security firms?

Can they write traffic and/or parking tickets? Specificaly, a ticket for not putting the yearly decal on your tag. I've been digging and found that the person that ticketed my car is a retired APD officer. What power does he have to ticket for registration or anything non-parking related? I keep the decal inside my car because it gets stolen too often when I park in Downtown Atlanta. GA law previous to this year didn't require that you put the decal on your tag. It was changed recently and, of course, I only just found out about it because of this ticket. There is now a 25$ fine wether you have the decal or not. I've been asked to show the decal and sent on my way many, many times. This time, I was parked on a public street and away from my car for not more than 30 seconds and the security officer threw the ticket onto my wind-sheild as I was pulling off. I was not asked to show the decal. It was obvious that he intended to write the ticket and be gone before I returned. Is it not illegal to ticket for profit and/or filling quotas? It's just sad that you have to pay these tickets to protect your self from tag thieves. But if you follow the law and your tag is stolen, then you pay the same ppl, to give you another tag. No matter what you do, the powers-that-be will make you pay. @ Curm... I intend to tell it to the judge, but seeing as how the APD is the the undisputed, most corrupt law enforcement agency in the country, I need to be able to quote code and ordinances and not let them walk all over me (again). Good answers, especialy Eric. Atleast you bring objectivity and first hand experience with your answer. :) @nytrainop You sir are an idiot and I smell bacon judging by your other answers. You can't even admit it Mr. Internet tough guy. Up untill this year I was lawfully keeping my decal inside the car so it wouldn't be stolen. The fact is. I have found other cased where this "officer" blatantly over stepped his Jurisdiction and his cases have been thrown out. Also, in Atlanta, there are 3 types of "off duty officer" Off Duty = full police powers Code Enforcement agent = parking enforcement only and limited arrest powers not moving violations (can include retirees) Reserve = I'm unclear as to thier specific powers in this state but can also include retirees also All of these are approved to work for private security. It's just a matter of how much power a retired officer actualy carries over into this role.

Public Comments

They have the same power that any securtity guard has, NONE.
Sounds odd !!! in uk law off duty or retired police have no juristiction over anything -they have the same powers as anyone else. If the ex-policeman was a authorised traffic warden thats different they do have powers to ticket you
tell it to the judge, and I am sure you will get off.
At my PD, full time officers can retire then become reserve officers. They still carry full police powers. This could be your case. Otherwise, they do not have the power to cite for the state or city.
That really seems strange, If the security guard was working for a private firm not a public entity He had no authority to write a ticket. Police officers who moonlight still have arrest powers. But if you decided to fight the ticket and he is a retired police officer not on a departments payroll. He can be in trouble just for possessing the ticket book. Also even if he was moonlighting I do not think the department would pay him for his time in court because he was working privately If your certain about this fight the ticket Cheers
Ask the "off duty" cop if he reports all his money earned while off duty to the IRS. Most of them work for cash under the table - then preach how righteous they are, and have to work these extra jobs to feed their kids. But they break the law with every odd job they do. I live in GA, and they do have arrest powers, including tickets, as long as their certifications are kept up. However, as far as Atlanta being the most corrupt, it's too close to call for whole state. Tell the judge, but he's probably in the corruption, too.
OK, so your are required to have a decal on your car, yet you do not put it there, get ticketed and this is everyone else's fault? So, now you know the law and can comply so this should be the end of this horrible problem? FYI, if a person is writing you a ticket and it is returnable to the local muncipality, odds are pretty good the person writing it is authorized under the law. Many states and cities allow off duty officers to work for private companies. As such they still are duly sworn officers and can still write tickets or make any arrests they could while "on duty". That is why businesses hire them. Also, if they are working in uniform, they are working on the books through a departmental authorized program that places them. Don't listen to idiots on Yahoo who tell you to justify your behavior by implying the cop is not paying taxes or something. That rarely works in court, BTW...
If you really feel that something is amiss, call your local senator, he will be able to tell you.
Can or does Atlanta 'job out' the ticket writing chores to private enterprise ? that would explain the retired pd thing...