Seattle Bank Teller Fired for Chasing, Apprehending Robber

[disorderlyvision]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,536061,00.html


SEATTLE — A Seattle bank teller has lost his job because he ran down a would-be bank robber and held him until police arrived.

Jim Nicholson, who worked at a Key Bank branch, says he understands the bank's policy that employees comply with robbery demands and avoid dangerous confrontations. But he tells The Seattle Times that his instincts took over when the man demanded money during the Tuesday incident.

Nicholson says he tried to grab the man, then chased him several blocks before knocking him down with help from a passer-by. The man turned out to be unarmed.

The 30-year-old Nicholson was fired Thursday. Key Bank officials declined to comment, but Seattle police and the FBI say they advise tellers against acting against robbers. Instead, police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb says, they should be good witnesses and comply with demands unless their personal safety is in jeopardy.

[RideTheDirt]

Let the government take care of everything...you know because they're so good at it!

[dannno]

they should be good witnesses and comply with demands unless their personal safety is in jeopardy.

Wow, that's like the opposite of what you should do. Amazing.

[catdd]

I always suspected this "safety first" mentality is because the insurance companies don't want to pay for a needless death.

[ChaosControl]

He should have let them rob the bank because the bank is a piece of crap ungrateful ****hole.
The guy deserves a promotion not firing.

[american.swan]

I understand the bank.

Ideally the bank should have some young body builders walking around with ak47s to protect their consumers and the consumers should all have S&W 500 at the ready, but sense they don't, they make the next best thing, which is policy to protect the bank.

If the robber would have killed the teller, then what? Bank, which pulls money out of it's rear at the drop of a hat, doesn't need to be sued or pay heavy insurance fees for a dead teller, so bingo, to protect the bank, teller needs to shut up and hand over the money and let the robber leave.

[JK/SEA]

How did that teller know there wasn't somebody else in the bank who could have had a gun?..you know, an accomplice...

Suspended for a week, buy not fired would be approriate.

[james1906]

A motivated self-starter who (I can only assume) is admired by his coworkers. Definitely not the type of guy you want working for you.....

Welcome to Costco, I love you.

[wjh2657]

Employer makes the rules.
Employee follows the rules.
If employee doesn't feel they can live with the rules, go work somewhere else.

It's an adult thing.

Americans have to learn that they cannot manipulate their environment at work and at school the way they did their parents at home. You don't get your own way all of the time.

That said, I do think a fine or a couple weeks suspension without pay would have been more in order than outright firing. But I am not his employer and it is their call.

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

So typical, and so sad. This man should be applauded as a hero! They wouldn't even be able to argue for a police state to protect us from thieves and terrorists if more people had the spine to take things into their own hands like this fellow.

I don't agree at all that we should just accept ridiculous corporate policies that defy common sense and valor--especially when so many these days just mimic the government and the gutless culture of mediocrity all around us.

[ladyjade3]

He should rob the bank himself now. Since he's been made more clear on that policy... ;)

[max]

a microcosm of everything that is wrong with gutless america

...heroism is not appreciated. If I'm bank president, I chew that guy's ass for risking his life for a few measly bucks that wasnt even his.......then i promote him

[Thomas_Paine]

The bank perspective is one thing, but the cops condemning his heroic act is truly disgusting and pathetic

[satchelmcqueen]

i cant believe some of you are siding with the bank. the guy is brave and not a puss. the bank should be closed for lack of sack.

[JK/SEA]

So, the next time this happens some cowboy jumps the window to be a hero, only thing is that innocent bystander...maybe you...gets a stray bullet in the head during the panic. Yeah...great idea propping this guy up as a hero...dumb.

This ain't the movies folks...

[Zippyjuan]

It is all about liability. I attempted to stop a shopelifter at a store I was working at, ending up falling and breaking my ankle which ended up having two pins put in it. That cost them far more than the thief would have gotten away with even if he came back every day for a whole year probably. I was on Worker's Comp for a while too. Then there are numerous scenarios where the emloyer could be sued for things which could happen in a chase.

In another one, I was following somebody out who stole a bunch of stuff and a bystander driving by in a truck said jump in and he proceeded to follow the thief. A chase around the area ended when the truck I was in crashed into a curb and blew out his front tires (and probably received other damages to it) and I was tossed around in the back but only received a bad scrape on my shin. We got a license number and the police went and found the suspects later with the stuff. I don't know who the driver was but as far as I know was never compensated for the damage to his truck for his efforts. I was not fired in either circumstance but they are now very careful to stress that we are not to go after any shoplifters. Observe and if possible get info but do not get directly involved.

[jonahtrainer]

i cant believe some of you are siding with the bank. the guy is brave and not a puss. the bank should be closed for lack of sack.

The guy is stupid and insubordinate. He works for another man so he should do what another man tells him to do even if his instincts tell him to do something else.

He is the employer's tool and the employer needs predictable tools that comply with policies and procedures. Unless you have been an employer, not just an employee with managerial duties (although some may), you probably do not fully understand.

[Spot the Fed]

The guy is stupid and insubordinate. He works for another man so he should do what another man tells him to do even if his instincts tell him to do something else.

He is the employer's tool and the employer needs predictable tools that comply with policies and procedures. Unless you have been an employer, not just an employee with managerial duties (although some may), you probably do not fully understand.

*cough cough* douchebag! *cough cough*

[Stary Hickory]

If I owned a Bank I would hire him.

[pcosmar]

He should rob the bank himself now. Since he's been made more clear on that policy... ;)

I would not suggest that to anyone.
Trust me, I know. :D

[angelatc]

He should rob the bank himself now. Since he's been made more clear on that policy... ;)

LOL!

Seriously, this is a symptom of America's decline. Soon we'll be like the British, where a few armed Iranians can board and seize control of a Navy vessel with no resistance.