BLOOMINGTON— A private security guard employed by a city-contracted company has been arrested and charged with a felony after police allege he struck a homeless man with a police baton in People’s Park on September 27.
Randall Deboer, 52, a security officer for Marshall Security LLC (MSI Security), was preliminarily charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony. The City of Bloomington has since confirmed that MSI Security terminated Deboer’s employment following the incident.
According to court documents, the incident began when Deboer flagged down a Bloomington Police Department officer near People’s Park, located at 501 East Kirkwood Avenue. Deboer claimed a homeless individual, who was still on the scene, had assaulted him after trespassing.
The homeless man, however, told the officer that Deboer was the aggressor. He stated the altercation started after he asked Deboer for a few minutes to finish his food before leaving the park, at which point Deboer allegedly struck him twice with a baton. The officer noted visible “fresh lumps” on the victim’s right temple and left cheekbone.
Initial body-worn camera footage was unavailable, as Deboer reportedly told the officer he had not activated it. However, a subsequent review of the video documenting the incident was found to contradict Deboer’s account of self-defense.
Video footage reportedly showed Deboer approaching the victim. After the homeless man stood up and strolled toward Deboer, pointing his finger without making contact, Deboer drew his baton. Although the victim then backed up and posed in a fighting stance before approaching a second time, court documents state Deboer allegedly struck the man across the left side of his face with the baton before advancing and striking him a second time.
During a second interview, the officer questioned Deboer about why he had advanced toward the victim twice rather than retreating, as he had first claimed. Deboer was reportedly unable to provide an answer and also couldn’t explain why the victim’s head appeared to turn from the first blow, as he recalled only striking the victim in the arm.
Deboer was subsequently arrested and transported to the Monroe County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in Monroe Circuit Court 9 for a jury trial on Jan. 26, 2026.
In a statement, the City of Bloomington expressed deep concern over the matter. The City employs private security companies, such as MSI Security, to maintain safety in public parks, but stressed that the alleged conduct was a serious violation of protocol.
“The conduct described in the charging documents and surveillance footage is deeply concerning and represents behavior that is outside the scope of the City’s expectations, direction, and contractual protocols for security personnel,” the City stated. “The security officer involved did not follow approved procedures for engaging with the public, and the use of a baton is not authorized under the City’s agreement, nor under MSI Security’s own standards for the City’s contract.”
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
