I think it's fucking bullshit to send anyone to do anything remotely confrontational and not only not properly train/equip them--but forbid them from properly training/equipping themselves.

I was a non-sworn PD security officer and our uniforms were identical to the cops' aside from being a slightly darker color and not carrying guns/less-lethals. We had the bat-belt, radios, and so on.

We were routinely sent to kick people out of buildings after hours, we issued parking tickets/towed vehicles, we worked traffic control for events, and we provided uniformed security during things like dances/sports games/etc.

It still pisses me off that they had the balls to say we were "non-confrontational" and so didn't need any defense equipment, while simultaneously telling us to force drunk GIs to pour out their alcohol, or sending the drunk homeless people out of their warm building and into the blizzard outside.

Personally, I carried a boot-knife and trained as much as I could in BJJ/Police DT/Judo/Krav Maga, and I knew a couple guys that carried subcompact handguns either in an ankle-holster or in a pocket.

Tl;dr: It's fucking bullshit if you aren't allowed to carry defensive equipment.